Breeding Bristlenoses

[Joemuz]

Im thinking of purchasing a pair of bristlenoses as i would love to breed them, how do i go about it and is it quite easy to do?
Thanks, Joemuz

 

[LisaLQ]

I'd be interested in this too - a basic info guide - what tanks you'd need, how many fish etc.

 

[dwarfgourami]

IME breeding bristlenoses is a bit like breeding guppies: you don't necessarily know how to do it just because you have done it. Or to be exact: THEY do it, not you.
A pair will be fine. So you need a tank big enough to support the waste of 2 bristlenoses+ offspring, and to give her a chance to get away- pleco sex being on the rough side. 3 foot is needed, I'd say, 4 foot is better. A good varied diet (algae wafers, veg and the more occasional meaty treat), some bogwood to gnaw and a cave or two. I don't think they are fussed about water parameters particularly, as long as the water is clean: my pair spawn in very hard and alkaline water.
They will spawn quite happily in the community tank; and seeing that they are cavespawners, it is quite safe to let them do so, unless you have particularly nasty fish in your community.
Next thing you know, Daddy is ensconced in his cave and fanning the eggs (and then the fry) with his tail for a week-10 days (very cute to watch, if you angle the cave so as to get a view).
My male got a bit more blase, though, after his sixth batch: he was actually sneaking out for quick feeds, which they are not supposed to be doing. Same phenomenon can be observed in human parents after the third child....
He will leave when the babies have consumed their yolk sacs and are ready to venture into the outside world. The fry will eat algae, lettuce, courgette- usual veggie plec food, and when they are a little older, they will go for the algae wafers.
Once the fry are free-swimming, I don't think it makes much odds if you leave them in the same tank as the parents or remove them. I have tried both, and though there are differences in the growth rates of individual fry, it is difficult to pinpoint any one factor: it seems to be mainly about who is pushiest about getting to the food. The parents will ignore them until they are old enough to compete about terriories.
The one thing I have noticed is that Ma Bristlie was getting rather tired of his incessant demands for procreation: she has perked up no end since I sent her on holiday in the cory tank.

 

[Joemuz]

IME breeding bristlenoses is a bit like breeding guppies: you don't necessarily know how to do it just because you have done it. Or to be exact: THEY do it, not you.
A pair will be fine. So you need a tank big enough to support the waste of 2 bristlenoses+ offspring, and to give her a chance to get away- pleco sex being on the rough side. 3 foot is needed, I'd say, 4 foot is better. A good varied diet (algae wafers, veg and the more occasional meaty treat), some bogwood to gnaw and a cave or two. I don't think they are fussed about water parameters particularly, as long as the water is clean: my pair spawn in very hard and alkaline water.
They will spawn quite happily in the community tank; and seeing that they are cavespawners, it is quite safe to let them do so, unless you have particularly nasty fish in your community.
Next thing you know, Daddy is ensconced in his cave and fanning the eggs (and then the fry) with his tail for a week-10 days (very cute to watch, if you angle the cave so as to get a view).
My male got a bit more blase, though, after his sixth batch: he was actually sneaking out for quick feeds, which they are not supposed to be doing. Same phenomenon can be observed in human parents after the third child....
He will leave when the babies have consumed their yolk sacs and are ready to venture into the outside world. The fry will eat algae, lettuce, courgette- usual veggie plec food, and when they are a little older, they will go for the algae wafers.
Once the fry are free-swimming, I don't think it makes much odds if you leave them in the same tank as the parents or remove them. I have tried both, and though there are differences in the growth rates of individual fry, it is difficult to pinpoint any one factor: it seems to be mainly about who is pushiest about getting to the food. The parents will ignore them until they are old enough to compete about terriories.
The one thing I have noticed is that Ma Bristlie was getting rather tired of his incessant demands for procreation: she has perked up no end since I sent her on holiday in the cory tank.

So there is not much to it then? Would i be able to keep a pair in a 180L (3.25') tank with

a 5" sailfin pleco
a 4" Black ghost knife fish
a 4" Royal pleco
15 Black neon tetra

Thanks, Joemuz

 

[dwarfgourami]

So there is not much to it then? Would i be able to keep a pair in a 180L (3.25') tank with

a 5" sailfin pleco
a 4" Black ghost knife fish
a 4" Royal pleco
15 Black neon tetra

Thanks, Joemuz

Pushing it IMO. That sailfin and that royal are going to be creating quite enough mess in their own right. And the BGK might well eat the fry.

 

[andyj]

I'd go even further and say that all 3 of them are too big for that tank anyway........ the sailfin will grow to about 18" and the Royal about 10"..... BGK again will get large.

 

[Joemuz]

I'd go even further and say that all 3 of them are too big for that tank anyway........ the sailfin will grow to about 18" and the Royal about 10"..... BGK again will get large.

Yes but they are fine for now and i have just upgraded tank and they arnt even in the 180 L yet but they will be a week tomorow so lets get back to the subject of breeding bristle noses! Thats all i seem to get on this forum "your fish are to big for your tank" I know they will grow but they havnt yet!
Sorry for being angry its just im gettin annoyed with people saying it, they are small at the mo and arn't going to out grow a 180L by 2008/9 !
Sorry for being rude! And besides, plec dont need much room for there size and 3 fish under 6 " (5.5" at the moment) are not gonna be cramped in a 3.25' tank yet. Cheers, Joemuz

 

[LisaLQ]

Joe - that sailfin can and will outgrow that tank within months, most certainly within this year, not 2008/09 The royal wont though, as they only grow an inch a year

But I wouldn't add any more to that tank until you've got your bigger one for the bigger fish. Gives you plenty of time to read up on breeding and also find two really special BNs to breed from

 

[dwarfgourami]

lets get back to the subject of breeding bristle noses! Thats all i seem to get on this forum "your fish are to big for your tank" I know they will grow but they havnt yet!
Sorry for being angry its just im gettin annoyed with people saying it, they are small at the mo and arn't going to out grow a 180L by 2008/9 !

Well, it is relevant to the breeding question as the fry are going to need good clean water to grow. Remember you'll have 20 odd youngsters to look after, then after 3 weeks they'll likely spawn again...unless you are able to separate the parents of course, which is what I've had to do.
I wouldn't say plecs need little room for their size, quite to the contrary, given the amount of mess they produce. As Lisa says, sailfins grow quickly, so it will become a matter of urgency long before your first bristlenose fry are ready to leave home.

 

[Joemuz]

lets get back to the subject of breeding bristle noses! Thats all i seem to get on this forum "your fish are to big for your tank" I know they will grow but they havnt yet!
Sorry for being angry its just im gettin annoyed with people saying it, they are small at the mo and arn't going to out grow a 180L by 2008/9 !

Well, it is relevant to the breeding question as the fry are going to need good clean water to grow. Remember you'll have 20 odd youngsters to look after, then after 3 weeks they'll likely spawn again...unless you are able to separate the parents of course, which is what I've had to do.
I wouldn't say plecs need little room for their size, quite to the contrary, given the amount of mess they produce. As Lisa says, sailfins grow quickly, so it will become a matter of urgency long before your first bristlenose fry are ready to leave home.

So a 5.5 inch fish is gonna strugle in a 101cm tank? I doubt it at the mo but how long will it take to out grow would you say? Thats why my mum and dad spent £250 on that tank as the sailfin was too big for the other tank! Im not buying another for him yet as i now owe my parents a lot of pocket money! A good 50 weeks worth! . Sorry for being a moody sod! Cheers, Joemuz

 

[littleme1969]

As a bristle breeder myself I would never have more one species of plec in a tank if you want them to be settled enough to breed. Breeding bristles are very terratorial and will spend most of their time chasing away the other plecs rather than getting down to the bussiness of having mini plecs
Clean well filtered water is a must when breeding. and Ive found also they like a good current to nest under. I have breeding pods all over my tank and the ones under the current of the filter outlet are always occupied. As they breed in fast moving streams in the wild I guess it makes sense. Ive found their favourite nesting places to be terracotta and bog wood. though i do here people breed them in plastic tubes slate caves and all manor of strange ornaments. I try to have 3 females to one male. That way the females dont get tired and it keeps the gene pool strong for the offspring. Ive seen it said on here that a sudden drop in tank temperature will encourage breeding, but Ive also found after last summers heatwave it works with high temeraptures too. Mine suddenly went into a breeding spurt after temps of 83degrees in the tank.
But as mentioned above it can be a bit hit or miss. You can get everything right and they still wont show any interest.

 

[Joemuz]

As a bristle breeder myself I would never have more one species of plec in a tank if you want them to be settled enough to breed. Breeding bristles are very terratorial and will spend most of their time chasing away the other plecs rather than getting down to the bussiness of having mini plecs
Clean well filtered water is a must when breeding. and Ive found also they like a good current to nest under. I have breeding pods all over my tank and the ones under the current of the filter outlet are always occupied. As they breed in fast moving streams in the wild I guess it makes sense. Ive found their favourite nesting places to be terracotta and bog wood. though i do here people breed them in plastic tubes slate caves and all manor of strange ornaments. I try to have 3 females to one male. That way the females dont get tired and it keeps the gene pool strong for the offspring. Ive seen it said on here that a sudden drop in tank temperature will encourage breeding, but Ive also found after last summers heatwave it works with high temeraptures too. Mine suddenly went into a breeding spurt after temps of 83degrees in the tank.
But as mentioned above it can be a bit hit or miss. You can get everything right and they still wont show any interest.

Thanks you very much, i think bi better leave that idea out then. Thanks anyway everyone!
Joemuz