Long Fin BN pleco breeding journal

[ptran]

LFBN: long fin bristle nose pleco

I acquired a group of long fin BN about a year ago: 6 brown and 6 albino. Dad is a long fin BN and mom is an albino BN.

So I see the dom male guarding the cave again tonight. Shining a flashlight into the cave, I found it is full of golden eggs, at least 20. Last time I left it to nature, there were only 2 little BN hatching. Then they disappeared just couple days later.

Question: what should I do different this time?
Thanks.

[thegoodlife]

I had multiple caves and would just remove the cave with eggs to an empty already established tank and then replace that cave with another...I've even taken the eggs and tumbled them...Plecos are super easy to breed and without predators to eat the babies, you will soon have way too many...

[ptran]

It is interesting to see the offspring because I have long fin albino strand and long fin black BN strand. Curious to see what they will come up with.

If I remove the cave now to another tank. How do I know if the eggs are fertile?

[Ken B]

You will know in a day or so if the eggs are fertile. I haven't bred plecos but many different s/a cichlids. The infertile eggs will turn white and fungus. Good idea to add a little methylene blue to the water if you put the eggs in a separate tank. This will keep the fungus from spreading to the good eggs. Put an airstone near the eggs to create a flow to keep debris from settling on the eggs. Congrats!

[thegoodlife]

Once the eggs are in the cave they will hatch by like day 5...I never had success until I dedicated a separate tank just to the 1m/3f I had with slate caves and a powerhead running perpendicular to the caves...before that I think my clown loaches would swim in the caves and gobble up the eggs/wigglers...

[ptran]

Once the eggs are in the cave they will hatch by like day 5...I never had success until I dedicated a separate tank just to the 1m/3f I had with slate caves and a powerhead running perpendicular to the caves...before that I think my clown loaches would swim in the caves and gobble up the eggs/wigglers...

What size of tank do you have your colony in? The other plecos don't eat the eggs/wigglers?

[thegoodlife]

I had them in a 36 bowfront but a 20 long should work...the male will not let anyone near them until they are a certain size...

[ptran]

They must be desperate. I had them in 10G grow out with bunch of leulepi and they still breed.
I checked the cave this morning, and to my surprise, more eggs!!!

Where can I buy a tumbler?
Anyone have a spare for sale?

[barrettsline]

Aquabid is a good place to look for tumblers (generally about a $1). Or you can google some video and make your own. It doesn't look all that complicated.

[ptran]

Previous batch I pull out about 30 long fin BN black and about 20 long fin albino. Move them to 10 gallon grow out tank. Feeding veggie tablet and growing like weed. :emt_thumbs:

[troy tucker]

I didn't see this when first posted. I have had a few pairs of abnp. I have never had to do a thing but keep the water clean and feed them. The pair I have now are still young and just had their first brood. Only 3 lived but I know they will get better. They are in a tank with no other type of fish. I have had the best luck breeding in a 10g tank. Clean, nothing but a cave.

[ptran]

I have about 15 long fin BN plecos in a 20 gallon tall now with some other grow-out. I have to move the fry as soon as they absorb the egg sag. Or they will become snack.

[ptran]

Good news. Just found out another batch almost free swimming in the cave! :emt_thumbs:

[troy tucker]

Great!

[ptran]

Thank you Troy. Will post picture later on.