Bn Pleco & Lfs Query

I am looking to get a BN pleco but I am worried that my LFS will sell me something else by mistake... To be clear I currently have a common pleco that I rescued which will be going to my LFS on the weekend and I wanted a BN pleco in his place as I do love them and I know that they generally top out at 6". How can I avoid coming home with the wrong type?

 

Research...BN PLeco have like little tiny whiskers around the mouth and nose.

Google BN Pleco and look at the s and you'll see the difference.

 

The BN's I have all seen seem to have quite large whiskers... does this mean they are wrong?

 

In my experience the ones at the fish stores are typically juveniles and wouldn't have the bristles yet....

You could try going to the store and taking a picture and posting it here for us!!

 

In my experience the ones at the fish stores are typically juveniles and wouldn't have the bristles yet....

You could try going to the store and taking a picture and posting it here for us!!

I might try that! I have to take Doug (common pleco) there to live on the weekend anyway I don't want to be in the same position in a year or 2 where I have to rehome another pleco due to size

 

I agree with bizaliz3. At stores they generally sell younger fish that haven't matured. Going there and posting a picture would help!

 

In my experience the ones at the fish stores are typically juveniles and wouldn't have the bristles yet....

You could try going to the store and taking a picture and posting it here for us!!

If the LFS can't tell the difference I wouldn't buy any fish there anymore.

 

I am looking to get a BN pleco but I am worried that my LFS will sell me something else by mistake... To be clear I currently have a common pleco that I rescued which will be going to my LFS on the weekend and I wanted a BN pleco in his place as I do love them and I know that they generally top out at 6". How can I avoid coming home with the wrong type?

You could try looking at the fish and checking if it looks like a bristlenose. They're fairly distinctive, and you really need to learn to identify fish yourself rather than just rely on the LFS.

 

Well obviously due to the bristles, they all have bristles but I meant about sub species etc. I know there are many under the main title of "bristlenose Pleco" and didn't want to come home with a 9" fish?

 

Well obviously due to the bristles, they all have bristles but I meant about sub species etc. I know there are many under the main title of "bristlenose Pleco" and didn't want to come home with a 9" fish?

Only males have bristles. The females occasionally have teeny tiny bristles just along their lip...but not always. And they are hard to see. So I wouldn't assume that no bristles means that it is not a bristlenose pleco.

Personally I'm not familiar with bristlenose species that get 9 inches. The common brown bristlenoses do not reach 9 inches. The bigger ones are probably more unique.....? Or less common anyway?

 

Only males have bristles. The females occasionally have teeny tiny bristles just along their lip...but not always. And they are hard to see. So I wouldn't assume that no bristles means that it is not a bristlenose pleco.

Personally I'm not familiar with bristlenose species that get 9 inches. The common brown bristlenoses do not reach 9 inches. The bigger ones are probably more unique.....? Or less common anyway?

Sorry... I said 9" as a random example, I didn't mean a BN that could grow to 9" I was just trying to further my point of avoiding coming home with the wrong type of pleco haha

 

What type of bristlenose do you want?

 

I just wanted a standard BN... I was told they top out at 6" maximum and are great for community tropical tanks, I wasn't aware there are loads of types :s

 

Look for these::

If you still aren't sure, you can post a pic here on this thread.

 

I will take a photo of some next time I go to my LFS, all I know is I was after a male as they are easy to identify with their bristles and won't grow too big etc. I have learnt so much over the past few weeks haha