keeping multiple BNPs?

[WhistlingBadger]

So, I know people keep pairs and/or small groups of bushy nose plecos, but in the past I've been warned off from keeping more than one because of aggression issues. I've never kept more than one, and I doubt I will, but I'm curious. Someone please enlighten me on your experiences with keeping a pair or group of these hideously cute little guys.

Thanks!
T

 

[Jeremy c]

So, I know people keep pairs and/or small groups of bushy nose plecos, but in the past I've been warned off from keeping more than one because of aggression issues. I've never kept more than one, and I doubt I will, but I'm curious. Someone please enlighten me on your experiences with keeping a pair or group of these hideously cute little guys.

Thanks!
T

I have seen groups of mature BP mixed together male and female but it of course was at the main lfs. I think a big factor would also be tank size and hiding places. I have been told that you can have a few females and one male all together but never 2 males. One other thing to mention never have a common pleco and bp in the same tank.

 

[Colin_T]

All algae eating fishes are territorial to some degree and that includes suckermouth catfish. They are territorial because they need to protect their patch of algae so they have something to eat.

As a general rule, bristlenose catfish are territorial but not overly. We had them in the shop tanks and kept multiple adults together in tanks that were 2-3 feet long, and there were between 2 & 20 individual adults in each tank. They were fed well and had lots of hiding places and they never killed each other or even harmed each other. They regularly bred under these conditions and we had babies most of the time. The young were left with the adults until they were about a month old, at which time the babies got moved into different tanks.

We had customers that bred them and some had single pairs (1 male & 1 female) in each tank. Other people had 2-3 males and 1 female per tank. The females will breed with multiple males and leave the male to take care of the eggs and fry.

 

[DoubleDutch]

Multiple females.won't be an issue (kept them together). Multiple males could cause issues, A male and female cause hundreds of offspring and an exhausted male (caring for eggs.and youngster constantly)

 

[Dephea]

I have two males because my LFS missexed one of them, i have lots of hiding spots and plants and I have not experienced any issues. I just make sure to drop algae waffers or veggies into two opposite ends of the tank so they both eat