Bristlenose Catfish Breeding

[Angry_Platy]

I have a male bnose....3 inches....definitely male....banched bristles on his head.

This week I am getting a female bnose...hoping they will breed and produce baby bnoses (which I will keep a few of and sell a few to my LFS)...SOOO cute

The problem is....my male is quite small ATM....3 inches....when I get her she will be about 4 and a 1/2 inches...will this be a problem...meaning....will her size scare him off??

Also....how do bnoses breed....is it just a process of her laying eggs and him fertilising them or is there something else involved

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Angela

 

[smileandnod]

I don't think the size thing will be an issue. He will get to be bigger than her eventually anyway.

You will need to provide somewhere for them to spawn in the form of a cave of some sort. That can be a piece of plastic pipe, a piece of hollow bogwood, or anything like that.

After the female has laid the eggs, it's all up to the male. He will care for the eggs, and then try to keep the fry safe, until they are no longer snack size. How well he does this will depend on the tank mates. The size of the spawn will vary from maybe 5 or 6 up to 100, sometimes more.

They are fairly easy to breed, needing mostly just good quality water, but I have recently found that temperature seems to have an effect as well. ie, too high and they won't breed. Seems to be around 76 degree F is about right.

Good luck.

Ian.

 

[Perky]

A cerramic pot from a garden centre is good and you can put bogwood near the front for more shelter.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Thanks guys...I have lots of dark cavey places in my tank they can spawn....cermic cars....PVC pipe...hollow ceramic logs...hllow ceramic tree stumps to name a few....

The only issue I guess may be temperature....it is summer here and my tank temp is often higher than I like it to be. But in winter I am surethis will be a diferent story..

Thanks all

Angela