A Couple Of Bristlenose Plec Questions?

[mikev]

Following Sylvia's recommendation (TY!) on another thread, I asked a lfs about them and they actually had a nice looking pair (one with many bristles, one with only two, so I'm assuming they are of different sex)...

What got me worried is that the lfs owner thought that they grow much larger than the 4.5" size mentioned in the profile on this site,,, more like 10". 4.5" would be ok, 10" is impossible,...is there any way to know how big they will get (I understand that there are a few varieties around).

The plecs I saw were about 1.5"...big enough to see if there is any distinction to look for.

The other question is: are they compatible with plants? (the common plec I currently have is not).

TIA.

 

[fishing4exotics]

The other question is: are they compatible with plants? (the common plec I currently have is not).
TIA.

I have kept bristlenose plecos with plants without any problems. As to the question of how to ID witch species of bristlenose I have no clue. You might get your answer at planetcatfish.com. But, hopefully one of out catfish enthusiast can help you.

 

[wdrury]

Hi,
I own bristlenose and they grow to a max of 5.5" wether in captivity or in the wild.I also have a fully planted aquarium which they prefere because they eat the small bits of algae that grows on the leaves so they pretty much look after them selves.They also require a piece of driftwood.

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

It all depends on the variety, these http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...istru/190_F.PHP for example are one of the bigger bristlenoses growing to 8 inches. I'm pretty sure they are the biggest available.

Mine have never eaten plants but they do get fed fresh veg several times a week so that could be why.

Emma

 

[smithrc]

It depends entierly on the species of bristlenose...

have a quick look at this link and you'll see a large example of a great bristlenose
Brocolli

get a piccy up and we'll be able to help

 

[mikev]

Thanks a lot for the responses!

I'm not having much luck identifying it by looking through the planetcatfish and other pics (to me they look identical to the common plecs, except for the bristles), let me try to get pics as smithrc suggested and maybe this will resolve the question...(Pics will be up in two days -- they at the lfs still and it is not so "local"...)

If I may ask just a couple more questions (I'm nearly certain on getting them now--..I'm just concerned about the ultimate size since it makes the tank either suitable or not, and I'm almost out of floor space......)

The tank does have a large piece of bogwood already; but does one need a second piece if there are two plecs? Am I right that they will not fight if I get two? (the tank is 29g and currently has barbs and rasboras which should not be a problem, ... I hope..)

 

[smithrc]

here goes... does it look like this?

or this?

If so its a common bristlenose and will get to about 5"


as for wood - give them as many places to hide as possible -caves - tubes things like that - the more the merrier

 

[mikev]

Thanks a lot!

here goes... does it look like this?

I think the top picture is a match. Colors are right, and bristles are fairly small, not at all like on the emma's link above (but then ones I saw were are only 1.5"....)

I'll print out your picture and compare at the lfs, but I'm almost sure. 5" is great news!

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

Since your wanting 2 for you 29 gallon tank you would be best getting a male and female or 2 females then there are less likely to be any territorial issues. Provide at least 2 hiding spots per fish and they might even breed for you.

I had my male and female in a 29 gallon for a month and they got along fine then i moved them to my 5 foot tank and they have been breeding ever since.

Emma

 

[mikev]

Thanks,

Hi,

Since your wanting 2 for you 29 gallon tank you would be best getting a male and female

This is the idea...not that I feel too confident about being able to sex them...I'll try to get to the store tomorrow and ask if I can make pics...

I had my male and female in a 29 gallon for a month and they got along fine then i moved them to my 5 foot tank and they have been breeding ever since.

It would be very interesting to see if this happens....

 

[mikev]

Uggh, unfortunately the pictures came out really bad, despite two trips to the lfs...(something really wrong with the light there...) Hopefully they are good enough to at least confirm that this the std. bristlenose, but as for sexing I'm not optimistic.

Could you please tell me what you think? If all pics show males (as I suspect may be the case), then how would a female at this size look like?

TIA!

Pic 1


Pic 2


Pic 3


Pic 4

 

[smithrc]

cant quite see - if there are bristles running up the nose as well as round the lip - its definatly a male - if not it is most likely a strangely bristly female...

95% sure it'll be a male though

 

[mikev]

Thanks a lot!

cant quite see - if there are bristles running up the nose as well as round the lip - its definatly a male - if not it is most likely a strangely bristly female...

I'll have to go back and look again, I'm still unsure how a female should look exactly. Do I read you correctly that "no bristles other than on the lip" means a female?

(Sorry for being a pest with these questions...)

 

[big mick]

Mine have been fine with my plants, they are about 3" just now.

 

[emma12321]

Hi,

They look very similar to mine and my female has no bristles at all, so i'd say you have 2 males there. Some places just don't sell females, i was told at my LFS that for years their breeder only sold them males as he didn't want anyone else breeding them. He would sell all the females to a different shop. It should be easy to tell the difference once the fish are over 2 inches long as the males bristles will start to show. I bought mine when the female was about 3 inches and the male 3 and a half inches long as i wanted to make sure they were definately the right plec.

Emma