Bristlenose Pleco Shy?

I currently have a 75g with 37 fish, you can look into my aquarium details for the stocking list. In the tank I have 2 Bristlenose Pleco, and for the most part they just sit behind a couple rocks in my tank and I'll scarcely see them out and about. I know they're a bit shy when young, but how long should I expect them to be like this before they start being less shy?

 

Hi JEGuerra,
I have a little experience with BN plecos.
From what I have seen it depends on the individual fish. I know that is not an answer but that is what I have seen. Females are always more secretive. Those fish from a shop behave differently from those born ( hatched) into a room of tank that has the same routine. I can catch some BN with my hands that were born ( hatched) in my tanks. Others in the past have never adjusted to me being hands on in their tank.

Add all this to what many people say that they are a nocturnal species that only comes out at night.

I have 8 BN in my bigger tanks just one in each tank. I have one female that I honestly only see the zucchini has been eaten the next day. Why she is so secretive I do not know. As I sit hear now I can see another albino female out in the open in my lounge tank at 5 in the afternoon.

To be honest I think the young are more likely to be on the front panel of glass ?

You have two in the same tank. Thanks something I avoid. Each time I have a male and female I end up with fry. Having two males could result in Territory issues and hiding? I don’t know about that. I have had dozens of juveniles in the same tank but never two mature males or two females.

Do you know the sex of your BN?

 

When young, mine have always been out and about the aquarium. As they get older they hide more and more. Some people go days or weeks without seeing their BN plecos. They tend to be nocturnal. Mine only eat at night after I go to bed. It's the nature of the beast I think.

In my tanks it's been the males that hide more than the females, but they both stay mostly out of view.

 

Hi JEGuerra,
I have a little experience with BN plecos.
From what I have seen it depends on the individual fish. I know that is not an answer but that is what I have seen. Females are always more secretive. Those fish from a shop behave differently from those born ( hatched) into a room of tank that has the same routine. I can catch some BN with my hands that were born ( hatched) in my tanks. Others in the past have never adjusted to me being hands on in their tank.

Add all this to what many people say that they are a nocturnal species that only comes out at night.

I have 8 BN in my bigger tanks just one in each tank. I have one female that I honestly only see the zucchini has been eaten the next day. Why she is so secretive I do not know. As I sit hear now I can see another albino female out in the open in my lounge tank at 5 in the afternoon.View attachment 801855
To be honest I think the young are more likely to be on the front panel of glass ?

You have two in the same tank. Thanks something I avoid. Each time I have a male and female I end up with fry. Having two males could result in Territory issues and hiding? I don’t know about that. I have had dozens of juveniles in the same tank but never two mature males or two females.

Do you know the sex of your BN?

I believe I have 2 female

 

That‘s possibly the best combination for two fish ? And might explain why they hide ?

 

They might be making little BN's. When mine got into the breeding mode I never saw them for ages. Suddenly there were dozens of little ones everwhere and they never stopped. They love to breed.

 

I’ve had exactly the same experience as FishDin. Ours was out a lot when we first got him young, and now he’s much more reclusive and nocturnal. If he is out and you don’t sneak up on him, he’ll slither off into his caverns and hide.

 

My super reds were pretty shy until i took out the big albino male a couole weeks ago. They come out in plain view much more often, but are a bit nore skittish still than the albinos. Otherwise, the albinos have never been shy.

 

My super reds were pretty shy until i took out the big albino male a couole weeks ago. They come out in plain view much more often, but are a bit nore skittish still than the albinos. Otherwise, the albinos have never been shy.

You have super reds? I've been working my way into breeding bn plecos and specifically super reds because supposedly they're super rare in my area

 

You have super reds? I've been working my way into breeding bn plecos and specifically super reds because supposedly they're super rare in my area

Yeah, currently 4 of them. Looks like the biggest ones are male and female, the 2 younger ones can't ID yet...

 

I think most Plecos tend to be more active at night and hide during the day. In one of my tanks, I generally finda Bristlenose attached to the bottom of an internal sponge filter. In another tank, a Bristlenose is generally found wedged between the heater and the back wall of the tank. I have a RubberLip Pleco in another tank. I have no idea where he hides as I seldom see him, but I know he is in there somewhere. After the lights go out and other fish are sleeping, the Plecos come out to prowl.