How Large Is "mature" In Bn Plecos?

I bought a juvenile long fin bristlenose pleco (grey) last month, around 2 inches long. The plan was to wait until it was mature enough to sex, then get an opposite sexed mate for it, because I had ultimately wanted 2 in my 37g. Well, the plan kind of went out the window this weekend, because at our local club auction I had the winning bid for 3 albino long fin bn pleco babies, around 1 to 1.5 inches long each. I still only want to end up with 2, the original and one of the new babies IF one turns out to be opposite sexed to the original. So my question is, about how old (or how big) do they have to be before sexing them is a sure thing? All the articles I've found just say how to tell the difference between mature bn plecos, but not when they're expected to be mature enough...
And...are all long fin bristlenose plecos the same species? CAN they pair up?

Help?

And yes, I have a potential home for one of the 'extras' and I know finding a home for the 4th won't be an issue. I am doing daily water changes on the aquarium they are in now, to control the pH as well as to remove excess ammonia. So far they're all doing fine together--the aquarium is heavily planted and has lots of surfaces/hiding places. Their other tank-mates are kuhlI loaches, endler and snails.

 

The male will have many more bristles on its face/nose. Also, it's a good idea to keep 1 male with more than 1 female. Usually around 2.5-3" it should become pretty obvious which is which. If you can't tell a difference by 3" odds are they are all female.

 

When the body is around 2.5-3in long you should be able to tell. Males will be getting bristles at that size and females will be getting plump. BN are slow growers so give them a few months.

 

I have two male ABN. Benny is just over 6” at 5 years old and Beast is right at 6” at 9 years old.

 

I bought a juvenile long fin bristlenose pleco (grey) last month, around 2 inches long. The plan was to wait until it was mature enough to sex, then get an opposite sexed mate for it, because I had ultimately wanted 2 in my 37g. Well, the plan kind of went out the window this weekend, because at our local club auction I had the winning bid for 3 albino long fin bn pleco babies, around 1 to 1.5 inches long each. I still only want to end up with 2, the original and one of the new babies IF one turns out to be opposite sexed to the original. So my question is, about how old (or how big) do they have to be before sexing them is a sure thing? All the articles I've found just say how to tell the difference between mature bn plecos, but not when they're expected to be mature enough...
And...are all long fin bristlenose plecos the same species? CAN they pair up?

Help?

And yes, I have a potential home for one of the 'extras' and I know finding a home for the 4th won't be an issue. I am doing daily water changes on the aquarium they are in now, to control the pH as well as to remove excess ammonia. So far they're all doing fine together--the aquarium is heavily planted and has lots of surfaces/hiding places. Their other tank-mates are kuhlI loaches, endler and snails.View attachment 500910 View attachment 500912 View attachment 500916

Beautiful babies! Aren't those auctions fun! I love fish auctions!!
Yes, the albinos and the brown long fin BNs can breed. You will get either 100% brown or 50% brown 50% albino. And most likely 75% long fins. (I have done a lot of this lol)
As for gender, as stated, usually around 3 inches is about right.

The male will have many more bristles on its face/nose. Also, it's a good idea to keep 1 male with more than 1 female. Usually around 2.5-3" it should become pretty obvious which is which. If you can't tell a difference by 3" odds are they are all female.

I breed BN plecos and have never heard about it being better to keep a male with more than one female. Where did you get that info?

 

I have two male ABN. Benny is just over 6” at 5 years old and Beast is right at 6” at 9 years old.

Wow! I thought they were supposed to cap out at 4-5 inches! Beast indeed <3

Beautiful babies! Aren't those auctions fun! I love fish auctions!!
Yes, the albinos and the brown long fin BNs can breed. You will get either 100% brown or 50% brown 50% albino. And most likely 75% long fins. (I have done a lot of this lol)
As for gender, as stated, usually around 3 inches is about right.

I'm just grateful I was outbid on the other fish I impulse-offered for The tetras in particular--Dean was there with some of his wild-caught Peru tetras, of unidentified species. The biologist in me was screaming with want, but the realist in me was pointing out that I just took DOWN several tanks...I didn't need to set any more up for a species even the expert couldn't firmly identify, in the hopes of breeding them

 

Beautiful babies! Aren't those auctions fun! I love fish auctions!!
Yes, the albinos and the brown long fin BNs can breed. You will get either 100% brown or 50% brown 50% albino. And most likely 75% long fins. (I have done a lot of this lol)
As for gender, as stated, usually around 3 inches is about right.



I breed BN plecos and have never heard about it being better to keep a male with more than one female. Where did you get that info?

I've read it several places but it's how they do things in nature. Helps the females from being harassed and coaxed into his cave or whatever a bit. I've just discovered a 3:1 ratio works for the most offspring and least aggression. But its probably more of a large tank concept.

 

I've read it several places but it's how they do things in nature. Helps the females from being harassed and coaxed into his cave or whatever a bit. I've just discovered a 3:1 ratio works for the most offspring and least aggression. But its probably more of a large tank concept.

huh, that's interesting. I have heard about that with schooling fish and live bearers and things like that. But never plecos....weird.

I have always just had one male and one female in my tanks. If the female doesn't feel like breeding, they don't breed. The males have never forced the female to their cave or harassed the females in any way. They just wait patiently until she is ready to breed.

 

I've read it several places but it's how they do things in nature. Helps the females from being harassed and coaxed into his cave or whatever a bit. I've just discovered a 3:1 ratio works for the most offspring and least aggression. But its probably more of a large tank concept.

Yah... my display is only 37g, so I'm worried about having more than 2 mature bn's in there. I do have hopes for having something larger (in the 100+ range) in the future, but hubby needs...persuading. Thanks for the info!

 

Yah... my display is only 37g, so I'm worried about having more than 2 mature bn's in there. I do have hopes for having something larger (in the 100+ range) in the future, but hubby needs...persuading. Thanks for the info!

As I just said, I have kept males and females together as pairs for years. Never had issues with the female being harassed by the male if she didn't feel like breeding. Personally I wouldn't worry about that too much.

 

Wow! I thought they were supposed to cap out at 4-5 inches! Beast indeed <3

I keep trying to get photos of these two with a tape measure but no luck yet. I hold it up see how big they are. Then they swim off before I get the shot.

 

I had one I thought was a female, it was about 3" and put it in with my male and within a couple of weeks started getting male bristles. Time to try again.

I keep trying to get photos of these two with a tape measure but no luck yet.

I have taken a piece of paper and tape it on the glass with marks on it and put squash at the end of it, when they lay next to it [hopefully] note the marks and measure, if this makes sense.

 

Update: my juvenile bn is about 3 inches long, no bristles...so female? Of the 3 babies, one is much larger than the other two, around 2 inches now. The other two are around 1.5 inches. I read on another site that male bn's grow faster/bigger than females. Has this been the experience of other people here? I am going to try to get in touch with the seller, to ask about their age and make sure they're all siblings and come from the same nest.

Also, given my 37g tank size, when do I HAVE to rehome the other two? So far everyone is happy and healthy, but I'd like to keep it that way. I currently have around 10 endler, 7 kuhlI loaches, a billion ramshorn and bladder snails, and a female betta who is being moved back out into her own tank after the holidays. I have a home for one of the bn's, and I'm sure my lfs or my aquarium club will take the other. But right now, none of the 3 have bristles.