Bristlenose breeding, feeding, and sexing questions.

[user_name]

Hey guys, I have 3 bristlenose juvies and was wondering what the best feeding routine would be, as I currently feed them hikari algae wafers and slices of blanched zuchuini. (I also need to feed ramshorns and RCS so suggestions there would be greatly appreciated)

Also, I was wondering if 10 gallons is acceptable as a breeding tank once these guys get older and a pair forms. (I have seperate tanks for fry growout) If they can only live there temporarily then I'll put them back into my 55 community.

Lastly, I have 3 plecos from the same parents (born same litter or whatever) would interbreeding be really bad? Out of these 3 two are much bigger than 1 pleco which hasn't grown that much. Is this an indication of sexing?

Thanks for all the help guys!

[GEV83]

The smaller one may just be a runt I dont think thats a good indication of sex. Also interbreeding should not really be done since the fry will have weaker immune systems. Its always best to get a male and female from 2 different sources. As for the tank size I think a minimum tank for a pair should be a 20gal.

Feeding I would try just different veggies. Mix it up a bit. Also make sure to have driftwood. Some people say its not needed but I always see my BN's on it and munching away. May not need it like a panaque but they sure do like it.

Oh and its not a litter its from the same spawn also some say from the same batch. =-)

[maverickbr77]

If you wanted a dedicated breeding tank I would go 20 gallons preferably long. Size may or may not be a indicator some just tend to grow slower than other ime. bristle development is really your best indicator you can sometimes see them quite early but lack of growth when others start isn't necessarily an indicator of female as it may just be a later developing male. watch body shape as well the females will be more rounded through the abdomen even when youngish than the males.

Zucchini, cucumber and green beans are favorites in my tanks along with wafers and flake/granule foods.

as far as the inbreeding it shouldn't be too much of an issue as long as the fish aren't too inbred to begin with. if you get too many deformities in your first batch you will know you need to get some outside blood in the mix.

[user_name]

I'm going to find out from Bio if the bloodline has been inbreed before, but I'm going to try and keep the line as pure as possible. Anyone know of a reputable breeder?

I'm going to get a 20 gallon high, will that be ok? (Don't have the floorspace for a 20g long) What if I had them spawn in the 10 gallon, but moved them to the 55 after the eggs hatch? Will that be ok or no?

I already have two pieces of driftwood for them to munch on, and should I blanch the cucumber like zuch?

[pinkertd]

A 10 gallon tank is not big enough for a spawning pair and their young. I would say a minimum of 20 gallons, and better would be a 29 gallon. They produce a lot of waste and they eat just about 24/7. The 10 gallon would be full of nitrate from waste in no time and they'd even run out of biofilm to eat really fast.

Don't forget to add a little protein to their diets to condition them well for breeding. I like earthworm pellets .....and they do too!:grinyes:

[user_name]

A 10 gallon tank is not big enough for a spawning pair and their young. I would say a minimum of 20 gallons, and better would be a 29 gallon. They produce a lot of waste and they eat just about 24/7. The 10 gallon would be full of nitrate from waste in no time and they'd even run out of biofilm to eat really fast.

Don't forget to add a little protein to their diets to condition them well for breeding. I like earthworm pellets .....and they do too!:grinyes:

Then I'm going to divide my 55 and boot some fish to the
LFS. Could I keep 4 bristlenose in the 55 with a weather loach and still expect babies to hatch?

[pinkertd]

Absolutely! Not too long ago I took down my 55G that housed a breeding trio and loaches....and cories....They did fine in there. Currently I house my group of 8 breeders in a heavily planted 75G with cories and ember tetras, some amanos and cherry shrimp, a pair of SAE's. It's a really terrific tank. I do pull the babies out right away. They struggle too much to get enough food in there, so I set them up first in a 10 gallon for ease of constant cleaning with all the feeding, then move them into 29 gallon to grow out at about 6 weeks old.

[GEV83]

Absolutely! Not too long ago I took down my 55G that housed a breeding trio and loaches....and cories....They did fine in there. Currently I house my group of 8 breeders in a heavily planted 75G with cories and ember tetras, some amanos and cherry shrimp, a pair of SAE's. It's a really terrific tank. I do pull the babies out right away. They struggle too much to get enough food in there, so I set them up first in a 10 gallon for ease of constant cleaning with all the feeding, then move them into 29 gallon to grow out at about 6 weeks old.

Kind of like what I did with my baby L-144's just I got mine in a 5gal since its only 2 babies left. Clean up is easy that way as u mentioned.

[user_name]

what do you guys think the best way to remove them is?

[user_name]

oh, and what is the best kind of spawning cave?

[maverickbr77]

Mine have spawned behind the media chamber of my internal filter the last 2 times even though they have pcv slate and wood caves. go figure

[Rjb3]

I feed mine Captain Bob's Sink or Swim foods and use Captain Bob's breeding caves.

[pinkertd]

There a lot of places to buy caves from. Mine came from Rosenthal Pottery. He makes them the right size for the ancistrus. Even if you make your own, be sure it only has one extrance/exit....to keep the fry in until dad says get lost! And it keeps them safe from any predators lurking around when the lights are off at night. Dad will feel nice and secure. I have had bristlenose spawn behind a piece of driftwood when no cave was in the tank. I know sometimes the male will try to climb into an HOB thinking it must be a romantic rendezvous place!....NOT! And I'd recommend the ancistrus caves that are rounded off in the back, not pointed. I had a breeding female get herself stuck in the point of one of those and had to break it to free her.

I remove the whole cave with dad in it right after spawning is finished. I fill the small fry tank completely with tank water from where it came, and have an established filter ready to go. Once the fry tank is ready, I pick up the whole cave making sure it's filled with water and put it in the fry tank. By doing this I avoid some newly hatched fry who accidentally get swooshed out of the cave by dad's long fins. and I don't have to try to round up the fry once they are free-swimming in the tank.

[Temptress]

:iagree:

[user_name]

sounds like I'm going to go with that! Thank you so much everybody!

[Haydn24]

Just incase you were having RCS in there, my RCS ate my kribensis eggs when I removed them :( lol. Just a warning :P

[user_name]

Just incase you were having RCS in there, my RCS ate my kribensis eggs when I removed them :( lol. Just a warning :P
thanks for the heads up man

[plecoman]

I would bet that the smaller pleco is a female. I've been raising albino's for a while now and the smaller one's usually turn out to be the females.