different looking pleco

[C. King]

I have a 20 gal. planted tank, I love plecos but didn't want a big guy, so I was told by the worker at the local fish store that he had some Bristlenose plecos, that would only grow 4 inches. He seemed to be knowledgeable, so I got one. Problem is, I looked up Bristlenoses on line, and my baby does not look quite like the pictures. He/she is just a baby, 2 inches, but he is much darker, maybe black. He is covered with tiny little yellow freckles, more dense around the snout, and he has a pale vertical stipe where his tail meets the tailfin, and another one along the edge of his tailfin. No bristles, but I read they don't develop those until they are a bit older. He is a beauty, reminds me of a dark night sky with yellow stars on a clear night. Eats algae like a little machine. Not too shy. Sound familiar to anyone?

[weedkiller]

i got a bristlenose the same, would say they are more cream than yellow but not white, defo eats algae like a machine and not shy, not like my mega clown, never see it lol.

[lohachata]

there are many species of plecos..and many of the "Ancistris" group...you have the most common "brown" bushynose...i breed them in both the brown and albino form(from the same parents)...i also breed the long fin form....very nice fish to keep in a small to medium sized tank...
it will be awhile before it get bristles if it is a male...if it's a female it won't get them except for maybe a few tiny ones around the snout..

[bullseyejoey]

How big can bristlenose plecos get? I want a few so just wondering


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[C. King]

thanx, lohachata!

[lohachata]

some species of ancistris can grow to 8 or 9 inches....but the common bushynose can reach about 5" SL...SL = Standard Length..length from tip of nose to caudal peduncle or base of tail...the length of the tail is not included and shouldn't be used when measuring any fish...

you are welcome c.k.

[toddnbecka]

The most common BN in the aquarium trade do have a solid white edge on the dorsal and caudal fins when they're small. The edges get thinner as they grow, and eventually disappear completely.

[C. King]

Thanx, todnbecka and iohachata! With your explainations, I am comfortably sure that I have a commom BN Pleco, and not some wierd, mutation pleco who would out grow my tank. (Actually, that might have been kinda cool, except for the outgrow my tank, part!)
Iohachata, I had not realized that SL is measured by not including tail fin length. Makes sense, when I think about it, but its good to know.

[Biffle16]

I have actually 3 Plecos in my tank and my Albino Bristlenose is about 2 1/2 years old and he is only 4 inches long. My other 2 are also Bristlenose black with white spots, they are about 2 years old and just a little smaller. They are great in my tank, they keep it clean and they do not bother any of my fish at all. The 3 of them clown around some times, kinda neat to watch them play.

[C. King]

Biffle, 4 inches sounds about right, for my 20 g. My pleco plays, too. I'm def. feeling some fishy luv for the little guy! (but not in a creepy way!). How big is your tank, and do you supplement with some kind of pellets, in order to support 3in one tank? My boy eats like a horse!