Breeding Bristlenoses?

[ey2006]

Are bristlenoses hard to breed or are they relatively easy? Do you have to do much to facilitate the process? For instance, platty/guppy fry are quite easy to take care of while corydora fry are known to be more sensitive.

Finally, I've now got an adult pairing of BN and one smaller 1" BN, is this okay or is it better to get 1 more female adult BN? I've heard a ratio of 1 male to 2 female adult BN is best when it comes to spawning, but my tank is pretty much fully stocked.

The male adult has taken up his spot in the terracotta pot and he's been in there since I put him in today, hasn't really come out yet, whereas the female adult is freely exploring the tank. There has been many instances already, where I've noticed the female adult hanging around the terracotta pot where the male is in, even attempting to get in!! :wd: Is this a sign of spawning? I must have picked a good pair as I've only had them for a few hours!

I've already searched on the net for some articles/info on breeding BN, if there are any good links on breeding BN, could you please kindly share it too?

I love the bristlenoses, despite many people's opinion that they are ugly! Unlike other plecs, they are not shy nor are they nocturnal, you pretty much see them all the time!

Thanks!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

BN are very easy to breed. The best part is they do all the work and you just reap the benefits. Tyoically the male stakes out a cave and will hang there a lot, even when not spawning. the females will roam the tank and do not occupy caves for any length of time. When they are ready they will be in the cave together and once they spawn, the female is done with the process. The male tends the eggs/wigglers/fry until they are old enough to be let out of the cave. He does all the work and you just get to sit back and watch it all and need to do nothing.

However, if this is a community tank, it is possible the fry will become lunch for other fish once they leave the cave. If this is the case, then pull the cave with the fry (dad can come along too if he is in the cave) and move them into a growout tank. BN spawning can be rough and raising the babies is work for the dad who may forgo food to mind the brood. So pulling him with the fry can allow you to rest him up and bulk him back up before returning him and the cave to the main tank.

I have had spawning lf bn for several years and have never had to do much beyond what I described to get fry. The babies will eat the same food as the adults. There is nothing cuter than seeing a crowd of babies jostle for position on a slice of zuchini.

If you are considering a breeding operation, then more females than males is a good idea. However, I have all pairs working at this point and that will work also.

 

[ey2006]

BN are very easy to breed. The best part is they do all the work and you just reap the benefits. Tyoically the male stakes out a cave and will hang there a lot, even when not spawning. the females will roam the tank and do not occupy caves for any length of time. When they are ready they will be in the cave together and once they spawn, the female is done with the process. The male tends the eggs/wigglers/fry until they are old enough to be let out of the cave. He does all the work and you just get to sit back and watch it all and need to do nothing.

However, if this is a community tank, it is possible the fry will become lunch for other fish once they leave the cave. If this is the case, then pull the cave with the fry (dad can come along too if he is in the cave) and move them into a growout tank. BN spawning can be rough and raising the babies is work for the dad who may forgo food to mind the brood. So pulling him with the fry can allow you to rest him up and bulk him back up before returning him and the cave to the main tank.

I have had spawning lf bn for several years and have never had to do much beyond what I described to get fry. The babies will eat the same food as the adults. There is nothing cuter than seeing a crowd of babies jostle for position on a slice of zuchini.

If you are considering a breeding operation, then more females than males is a good idea. However, I have all pairs working at this point and that will work also.

Hi TwoTankAmin, thanks very much for that great explanation.

Will the BN fry still become lunch for other fish in my community tank if the BN dad takes care and protects the fry until they are big enough to fend for themselves?

I do not have a spare tank to house the fry if the BNs happen to spawn, and with cories and loaches occupying the bottom of the tank, it will be quite a challenge for the BN daddy to protect all the fry.

If they have spawned eggs, will the eggs be easy to spot? They wont be out in the open will they, since other fish can easily see it and eat it! Another thing, how long can BNs live for once they reach full size? Are they long lived if well looked after?

 

[dylema]

If they have spawned eggs, will the eggs be easy to spot? They wont be out in the open will they, since other fish can easily see it and eat it!

If the dad does the right thing they won't be out in the open and they might not be easy to spot as the dad will be in the way. They are nice and bright though so if they are somewhere visable you will see them.

Something happen the last time mine spawed and as the fry started wiggling on their yolk sacs they started wiggling out of the cave and the dad didn't keep them in. As a result the other fish had a great snack and I lost them all .

One piece of advice I was given by a friend to prompt them to spawn was to raise the temp by a few degrees for a day and then do a large water change (50%) and turn the temp back down. I never tried the temp raising bit but large water changes seem prompt them enough.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

The dad will only look after them for a short time after they are free swimming. Once they leave the cave, at which time they are still small, other fish can and will dine on them.

They always spawn in a cave or similar structure in wood. Once there are eggs you should notice that dad stays in the cave and is moving regularly- he is fanning the eggs to insure good circulation over them. You can shine a flashlight in and see a large mass of orange eggs stuck to the inside of the cave.

My oldest spawning pair )usede to be a trio) have been giving me fry for over 4 years. I just pulled a cave full to a growout tank last week. In terms of spawning aids, I have diet is a key factor. Be sure to feed the parents well using a varied diet that includes blood worms. Yes they do eat meat even thought they are mostly vegetarians. One food that seems to help trigger mine are canned green beans- the kind with no salt added. Rince them and then split the bean along the seam and drop it in. For smaller bn I remove the seeds.

Foods fed include: Hikari algae wafers, spirulina sticks (from kensfish), spirulina and garlic flake once a week (also from kensfish), frozen blood worms, zuchini and green beans. I am also sure they eat some of the Nutrafin flake fed to the tank as well.

 

[ey2006]

Hi Dylema, thanks for the reply and the tip. Would the large water change immediately prompt them to spawn?

I saw the BN pair (male and female) swim side by side for the first time, but that was because I threw an algae wafer in there to entice them. The female ended up getting the wafer, so I chucked another one in for the male.

I noticed in your sig, it says you have multiple pleco fry, does this mean you've had some success with breeding the BNs?

 

[dylema]

Hi Dylema, thanks for the reply and the tip. Would the large water change immediately prompt them to spawn?

I saw the BN pair (male and female) swim side by side for the first time, but that was because I threw an algae wafer in there to entice them. The female ended up getting the wafer, so I chucked another one in for the male.

I noticed in your sig, it says you have multiple pleco fry, does this mean you've had some success with breeding the BNs?

In my limited experience it took about a week from a big water change till I saw eggs. All three of my adults chase each other around a bit and the two that have spawned are a bit more friendly to each other. Before they spawed I noticed that the male was chasing the female around more than usual.

I have has some success but only when I was not intending to breed them at all. I was not thinking about breeding them but it happened . I now have about 5 or 6 fry left after about 3 months. I think a lot of them were eaten or the clutch was small as there were probably less than ten that I could count when I first found them. I never saw the eggs from the first clutch.

I Like TwoTank Amin's advice on feeding. I give mine Hikari Algae wafers about three times a week, Hikari sinking wafers (just a little different and a bit higher in protien) about once a week, green veg (peas, beans, broccoli) a couple of times a week. I know they also eat a few flakes that fall to the bottom.

Good luck.