Breeding BN's anybody

From what I can figure out no petstores by me can get BN plecos anymore and they seem to be a popular fish. So as a way to help save common plecos also I'd like to try breeding BN plecos and selling them to lfs's as an alternative for them to sell instead of common plecos since they sell those and they shouldn't. If anybody has any expierence in this and would like to enlighten me I'd love to know all there is to know. I'v heard it's easy and they lay their eggs on the inside of a cave I think.

 

I believe that Butterfly has experience.

 

Yes I'm waiting for a reply

 

It would be really nice, thoughtful, and responsible of you ATM, to offer BN catfish to your LFS, so that they don't have to sell common plecos that usually are way too large for most people's tanks. Yes, I also believe Carol has raised successfully some BNs

 

Yup i'v got some help from somebody else though my problem would be getting them to buy from private breeders.

 

Yes I have had several successful spawnings What I did was get six or seven BN and put them in a 30G tank to grow up together a little. The reason for that many is to make sure you get a pair. They will spawn from about 7 mos to a year old.
Then when they are old enough I do a huge water change and feed them up on lots of veggies, Bloodworms,shrimp pellets etc. anything high in protein. In general BN's need a ratio of 90/10 veggies to protein, but at spawning time they appreciate a little more protein.
Carol

 

Would I be able to keep the babies in the large tank or would a 5.5 galon tank be good for raising them?

 

since dad guards the egs and mom goes on her merry way I usually move the cave , dad and eggs to another tank with a sponge filter. Dad will not eat until the fry are free swimming and out of the cave. when they are free swimming and out of the cave(Dad and cave go back to his tank) about two days then I start putting in sliced zucchinI after about two more days they will discover the zucchini. from then on you need to do 50% water changes and change their food EACH day. I use a 10 gallon tank for about 2 weeks (so they don't have to hunt so far for food) then they go into a 30G rubbermaid tub for grow-out at about 4-6 weeks they go to Dinos and into a much larger tank to grow some more
With any type of pleco the size of the bottom is really inportant rather than a tall tank. austin the 5.5G would work for about a week then they would be very crowded.
Carol

 

Ok my mom has already said ok, I just need to find a female. ;D

 

Do you have a male BN?
Carol

 

Ya

 

Heres some not real good pics of my albino BN babies. They are about 1-1/2 inch to 2 inches

And my 1/2 inch long fin albino BN fry
Carol

 

Very cute.
Tom

 

Thanks

 

How long do the albino BN's grow too?
Tom

 

Generally 4-5 inches. I have seen males go 6 inches.
Carol

 

Well I called the store that usually has them and they don't have any right now so they say so I emailed the owner hoping he can tell me when they'l get some in so I can hopefully them some before my surgery and before there sale ends since they have 25% off everything, in-stock, livestock, and ON Sale items. I really like that on sale part since they usually have their fish on sale so you can get them really cheap and their good quality too.

Austin

 

What is the name of the store?
Tom

 

You wouldn't know the name, it's a small chain of three now two stores by me, sorry.

 

Thanks anyways.
Tom

 

Awwwwe, what cuties Carol.......

Izabela

 

Hey butterfly the store finally got some in and I'd like to get a female but should I buy a couple to figure out which is a female as they are probably too young to ID then give the extra males and females to my aunt?

thanks

 

yep that would be a good idea. I usually get 6 then sort them out when they mature. Four would probably do as good.
Carol

 

Ok will have to extra water changes then until I can sex them

Hey you got a new icon, no longer a butterfly, is that the first time you changed it

 

yes, it's kind of small and you are the first to notice It's one of my long fin albino bristlenose fry.
Carol

 

LOL I think it's the first time you changed it since I registered.

Back on topic would a cave made out of two pieces of slate leaned against each other kinda tepee like be ok for them to breed in or do they need a flat top? Sorry for the questions but thanks for answering when you get the time.

 

They like anything that has only one entrance. This makes it easy for the male to guard it.
Carol

 

gotcha, think I know all I need to know for now. Thanks

 

Welcome
Carol

 

I couldn't get any today as they had them in quarantine as they some were sick today and they didn't want to sell sick fish. In a few days I'll call them again to see how they are and might be albe to get some then.

 

All I know is plecos get big, so you'll need a lot of space. I have a 16 incher in one of my artificial ponds that still seems to be growing! Guppygranny

 

I am also planning on breeding BNs. I've got two in the tank right now and am planning to get two more. How thick should the PVC pipe be? The one I've got in there now is 1", is that big enough?

 

1" seems really small, mine still hasn't fully grown it's bristles at almost 3" though I'll let butterfly tell you.

 

guppygranny- Bristlenose get about 5-6 inches so they don't get huge
As for 1 inch pVC pipe I'm not sure that's big enough. They need something big enough they both can get in at the same time.
carol

 

Well I added a second piece of about 1.5-2" thick. I have one more question. I saw my two plecs interacting with each other, almost playing. What should I look out for to know if they are a mating pair?

 

If its a bristlenose the male will have a face full of bristles, the females are either bare faced or just a few fine bristles around the lip.
When they get ready to spawn the male will go sit in the "doorway" of the cave and in a few days the female will come in and lay eggs. Then she will leave the cave and the male willl tend the eggs.
Carol

 

well turns out I was told they were too young, but for future reference what are the requirements to breed?

 

Sorry to hear that. I'm getting two tomorrow, hopefully one will be female, the other will go to my aunt when I can sex them.

 

ATM When ever you get the chance could you take a picture of your bristlenose tank? Id love to see what it looks like and would be useful for anyone who is interested in doing this also..Like Myself

 

Sure though I don't have any female as of yet, should ask butterfly. I'll take one tomorrow after I change my tank around for the breeding ;D or tonight if I get a chance

 

ATM we still want to see your bristlenose tank
As for mine let me first say bristle nose are in the genus Ancistrus. I have three different kinds of bristlenose but don't know what kind the third is but it is an ancistrus of somekind. Confused yet? Here are my tanks.
The first is a 20L and has sp(3) in them this means they haven't been named yet.
The is a 30L and houses common bristlenose.
The third is bare bottom and houses the unknown

 

I will post some, tomorrow after I finish accomodating it for the BN's. I'm not confused yet, though do you mean gallons not liters?

Is that java moss and java fern in the big bunches?

Nice tanks

 

Sorry: They are 20 gallon and 30 gallon Long tanks. Bristlenose don't need height so I accomodate them with more floor space by using Long tanks. In the 30 it is java fern and bolbitis heudelotiI and in the 20 it is java moss.
Carol

 

Thanks, do you have a link for the bolbetius stuff, I couldn't find it on plantgeek.

 

I really like bolbitis. It has a rhizome like java fern.

Carol

 

O it's african fern, thanks. I had searched the name you gave me but it didn't work.

 

You spelled it bolbetis in your post, I searched for bolbitis and found it.
Carol

 

I had just copied and pasted from your post, maybe I put an extra space in when I posted. I don't know ???, all is good now

 

Here's a picture of it before the makeover, I will post a pic soon. Will explain why it looks like later.

 

I just got two BN plecos, but only one is moving about and exploring, the other is just sitting doing really nothing though he looks healthy ??? Should I be worried

Thanks