Bristlenose tank setup

[DonJavier]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

I would like also to start to breed the bristlenoses. I bought a pair at the auction last year but I have never really try to breed those. There are on my community tank. I think I will add a bunch of Clay Tubes in my tank and see what will happen.
Are there any places in Houston where you can find all Ceramics such as the clay tubes, etc? I saw all type of ceramics into http://www.rosenthalpottery.com/ but i was just wondering if you can buy it in Houston?

Xavier

[Spot86t]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

try garden ridge pottery maybe?  or some hobby store - Michael's, Hobby Lobby.

Just a thought...

[bristlenosedude]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

Don, you don't have to try to spawn them, you have to try to stop them once they start. My original fish were 1 per tank. They all grew up and I heard some of my buddies were spawning them so I put a pair together and had eggs the next day. If your setup is good, they will do well. A community tank is perfect for them. The male will protect the eggs and fry until they leave the cave. I have never seen any tubes anywhere like Rosenthal makes and I have grown house plants in terra cotta for years.  If yu want some pics of the male with eggs or fry, sent me your e-mail. I can't post here because they are all too large.

[Spot86t]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

In prep for a near future acquisiton (like maybe this weekend).....  
What's the best obvious way to sex them?  Also, is there a specific site anyone has found that has good, reliable information on raising/breeding them and determining the specific species of each?

[bristlenosedude]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

Males will have little tenticle like protrusions around their upper lip and up the center of their head from there. My females never have bristles. Google brislenose plecos and you should find tons on info. The exact species is considered unknown by most, they go by Ancistrus sp. for the common type. There are other members in the genus, some with specific names and some still to be officially identified. Planetcatfish.com is a great source for info on all catfish, especially plecos. Be careful what you buy, most plecos offered at the big box stores are common plecos and get quite large. The bristlenose guys are awsome workers, you will never have to the inside surfaces of your tanks again. I have them in all 37 of my tanks, even with egg laying cichlids. Good luck.

[james]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

how can you tell if you are getting star light or regular ? i bought a pair of bn yesterday (male and female) the female died with in 4 hours of being in the tank ... i guess stress of the move. looking for another female now but finding out they are not so easy to come by

[High-PH]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

This is really a lot of great info ! I know my friend Debbie (wolfbane) hopes that her albinos will spawn some day.   One question that I'd ask, not having seen your pottery tubes...since they're not clear, how do you know when it's time to dump out your babies?

PH

[Tiapan]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

i like the tank setup as above but i would have plants in it as well. at least some moss or something. they do love having plants. i myself am going to try breeding them soon.

[loopy119]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

Me too, Tiapan! I just got a pair today...but they have never bred... I'm about to go look up some info on them though!! Good luck to everybody!!!

Rebekah

[MJY6087]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

In my experience with breeding ABN, i had just one male and one female.  I bought alot of fake plants and decor from somoene on ebay and it came with a yellow log with a plant, one end was just big enough for the male to go inside to, the other had a small hole opening.  In the summer  they bred and little babies (15 first batch) came out.  I would reccomend a ph of 6.5

[fishhog]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

When do they reach sexual maturity? I bought a few for raising.

[Brownsnoutuk]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

This is an old post!

I have found the secret to breeding my Albinos, but im not sharing  

[loopy119]

Re: Bristlenose tank setup

Man, BN Plecos SUCK!! LOL! But for real, they are really gettin' after it in my tank!! They look really excited about the algae layer on the walls! LOL!! I'm kinda afraid that mine are not going to breed for me... I read that they like a low to neutral pH, but my well water is 8+... They aren't dead though, so I'm gonna stay positive! LOL!

Rebekah