Bristle nose breeding tank help

Favorite type of fish

  • African Cichlids

    Votes: 2 11.8%

  • South American Cichlids

    Votes: 3 17.6%

  • Loaches

    Votes: 4 23.5%

  • Tetras

    Votes: 8 47.1%
  • Total voters
    17
rourk89

rourk89

AC Members
Oct 7, 2011
86
0
6
Waterford, Mi
I have finally found some super red bristlenose fry for sale locally that I will be picking up tonight, and am looking to breed them. Right now they are between an inch and an inch and a half. I will be getting 8 of them and putting them in a 10 gallon tank that I am taking my cichlid fry out of today to put in the bigger tank. I have never had a tank with just plecos in it, and I am just wondering if the 10 gallon tank is large enough, and if there is anything special that I will need to do to the tank or get for the tank. I know they like caves to mate and breed in. I have plans to eventually split them up into two, 5 gallon tanks or two 10 gallon tanks and in each of the tanks put 2 pairs of plecos if the numbers work out in my favor. Let me know if anything I said above is good or bad, or any info on what I can do when they reach breeding size to make it eaisier and tips on how to keep as many fry as possible. I will post some pictures this evening of the new plecos.
 
A 10 gallon tank with proper filtration can, I suppose, house them for a short bit but they will grow larger. They need a 40 gallon or larger tank to be truly happy and that's assuming there are only a few of them. With 8 you would probably want something along the lines of a 75+ gallon tank, bigger is better. Bristlenose plecos will want sinking algae waffers (you can find them at a store) and probably actual vegetation (lettuce I think?). I don't know a great deal about them though, so don't go on my advice alone.
 
Fishfriend1 said:
A 10 gallon tank with proper filtration can, I suppose, house them for a short bit but they will grow larger. They need a 40 gallon or larger tank to be truly happy and that's assuming there are only a few of them. With 8 you would probably want something along the lines of a 75+ gallon tank, bigger is better. Bristlenose plecos will want sinking algae waffers (you can find them at a store) and probably actual vegetation (lettuce I think?). I don't know a great deal about them though, so don't go on my advice alone.
Click to expand...

thats a lot of space for some BN.

a 20g LONG tank is perfect for a pair. Id even go as far as putting 1 full grown male with 2 full grown females. But thats just me. Im assuming by the time you go they grow and pair off, you will get rid of the extras. But a 40g breeder tank could easily hold 6 fish full grown. 2 males and 4 females.

just my opinion. 75g tank is a lot of a tank for BN.
 
I agree with 75 being way to much space, a 40 breeder I could do easily. It doesnt really matter to much anymore as of the 8 that I got, as of now only 2 remain. I think what happened was that they were just too small and to young to transport.
 
jpappy789 said:
Have to keep an eye on males and make sure they've got enough space and caves if you're adding multiple per tank. Otherwise they don't take kindly to each other IME.
Click to expand...

+1

And if their is a problem between pairs you could use a tank divider.


Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
 
These guys are mainly vegetarians, and they like fresh veggies - raw zucchini, green beans, shelled peas, spinach. Meat (shrimp, krill, bloodworms) is fine on occassion. I would not go more than the 2 you have in a 10 gallon. I currently have a pair plus 4 1" fry in a 20 long with no issues. Caves for the 2 adults, lots of large rocks and driftwood. BNs are really easy to raise and breed, all they really need is clean water and food. Good luck.
 
While female BNs remain smaller, the males can reach 6+ inches long.One pair can be kept in a ten gal, as the male mostly keeps to his cave. The female is more often out . I have 4 grown males, plus several females, plus I do not know how many teenagers and fry in my 100 gal tank. I do know I have to space their caves out or they will try to kidnap the cave next to them, grrrr. What I have found to be the best solution for me is to let the females lay their eggs in a cave, then remove daddy, along with his cave( very easy, he wont leave it, just pick it up), and place in a 10 gal. tank. He will come out to eat, them run back to egg sitting. When the babies hatch, and they leave the cave, remove him and put him back with his mates if you want more babies. You will have all your babies together for easy feeding, and then when they are 1 to 2 inches, catch them and take them to the local LFS. I now just leave them in the big community tank, and let nature take care of my excess fry. The smart ones will survive, and grow up.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom