| Bristlenose Pleco | Aquarium Care |
| Size | Up to 6 inches or 15 cm |
| Fish Hardiness | Easy to keep |
| Water Temperature | 72 - 84 ºF or 22 - 29 ºC |
| Water pH | 5.5 - 8.0 pH |
| Water Hardness | 5 - 25 dH |
| Peaceful or Aggressive | Peaceful |
| Number of same species in tank | One if you don't want to breed with them, two or more if you want to breed with them |
| Community Fish | Yes |
| Sexes | Males are larger and wider than females with more and longer bristles |
| Strata | The bottom and sides of the Fish Tank |
| Food | Algae in the tank, supplement with sinking tablets |
| Breeding | Relatively easy to breed |
| Breeding temperature | 72 - 84°F or 22 - 29°C |
| Other names | Bristlenose Catfish, Bushy Nose Pleco |
| Scientific name | This fish is from the genus Ancistrus which includes more than sixty subspecies |
| Lifespan | 12 years |
Ideal Bristlenose Pleco Conditions
Appearance
The Bristlenose Pleco looks very similar to the Common Pleco but with two distinct differences. The one is the bristles or tentacles that it has on its head and the other is that it does not get as large as the Common Pleco.
They do not have the usual fish shape but are flat on the underside from head to tail. On their top side they are sharply rounded from the front tapering down less sharply to the tail. Their main colors are a mix of light and dark brown spots and stripes.
Peaceful
They are peaceful fish in general. Older males may show some aggression towards other Plecos but this should not be a problem providing that there is enough space and hiding place for everyone.
Community Species
They are ideal for a community fish tank and for most species aquariums. What makes them even more ideal is the fact that they will keep algae growth inside your Fish Tank to a absolute minimum.
Strata
They tend to swim mainly near the bottom of the tank but when eating algae off of the glass or from plats they can cover the whole tank. They prefer well planted tanks with ornaments and caves to have enough hiding place during daytime.
They will also choose a darker area of the fish tank where they will suck onto the vertical wall of the tank and remain there for long periods of time.
Feeding
When setting up a new tank it is best to wait until there is visible algae in your tank before you put Plecos in your tank.
This is a nocturnal fish but they do come out during daytime, especially when feeding them bottom feeding pellets or frozen or freeze dried bloodworms they will come after the smell of the food.
Breeding
To get this Pleco to breed is relatively easy. Supply them with a cave of some sort. You can construct a cave by using rocks and plants. This will give a more natural appearance.
You can also use a plastic pipe that is blanked of at the one end. A flower pot that is turned on its side will also work well. The diameter of the can be in the region of 4 -8 inches or 10 - 20 centimeter.
When you use a cave with a larger diameter, try to conceal the entrance somewhat by using plants or ornaments.
Having one male and one female will be sufficient. Conditioning them is not really neccessary though it might help.
The female will lay the eggs in the cave after which the male will fertilize them. The male will then remain in the cave to guard the eggs and to keep them well aerated by fanning them with his fins.
The eggs will hatch in about five days and the fry will become free swimming after another five to ten days.
Lifespan
They can become ten to twelve years old.