Bristle-nose Catfish - Ancistrus
Suckermouth Catfish - Armor-Plated Catfish
Family: Loricariidae
Latest Reader Comment - See More I just got a male peppermint bristlenose today and it has been chased and harassed by female brown bristlenoses (2 of them) whole day.... The peppermint male looks... (more) yohseeme Looking like the proverbial dog that just stuck its mouth in a porcupine, the Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish are a very interesting and colorful member of the Loricariidae family of catfish.Bristle-nose Catfish Contents The Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish can be used successfully to help rid the aquarium of problem algae. They will also will cling to the glass. They stay much smaller than their cousin and much more common catfish, the Pleco or Plecostomus. Similar to the Plecostomus, it is a good idea to keep some wood in the tank since rasping algae from the wood provides a perfect place for more algae to grow maintaining a constant food source for the fish. Coming from fast flowing tributaries of the Amazon river, ancistrus species prefer well oxygenated water with some currents. The Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish prefer a darker aquarium with pieces of wood or roots to form caves and hiding places. The aquariums in the photos above are set up just right. Also notice the vegetable matter placed with a weight in the tank with A. hoplogenys. We're not sure but it looks like celery or bunched lettuce. They are nocturnal and so prefer doing their work at night. For more Information on keeping this fish see: |
|
Habitat: Distribution / Background
The Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish are found in th fast flowing tributaries of the Amazon River in South America.
A. cirrhosis
gets up to 13 cm (5 inches).
A. hoplygenys
is smaller at 8 cm (3 inches).
A. ranunclus
, no info found yet.
Since they are herbivorous the Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish will eat undesirable algae. They will not harm plants, but make sure the aquarium is well seasoned and feed a supplemental sinking algae pellet to make sure they don't starve. Also blanched spinach and lettuce can be use to supplement their diet. Because they are super algae eaters, they must have veggies!
The Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish generally get along well with other fish but may fight among themselves especially if two males are put together. Some Ancistrus species males have even been observed with their bristles tangled together from their rambunctious behaviour!
Most males of the
ancistrus
species have more and longer tentacles than the females, this is especially true of the
A. hoplygenys
.
A. cirrhosis
: The male has an antler-like bump on its' forehead while the female has a row of short tentacles.
A. hoplygenys
: The male is larger with barbs, the female is smaller without barbs.
A. ranunclus
: no info found yet.
Recommended water conditions: 5-10° dGH, 6.5-7.0 pH
A. cirrhosis
lays eggs in clusters in the hollows or roots. The fish in the top picture (above) is a male who is spawning with a female in the woodwork. After spawning the male will guard the eggs and fans them to keep them aerated. The fry will hatch after about 5 days and will attach themselves to flat surfaces like the sides of the aquarium. They have a yolk sac which is consumed after another 14 days or so at which time you can feed them pulverized green flake food or other baby food.
A. hoplygenys
is similar to
A. cirrhosis
except breeding does not happen as frequently and is therefore considered harder to accomplish.
The Ancistrus or Bristle-nose Catfish is readily available.
Animal-World References
Freshwater Fish and Plants
Tropical Fish ~ Freshwater Fish ~ Aquatic Plants
![]() |
|
|
|||||
|
International Index Pages |
|||||
| Join Dr. Jungle on Facebook - People Talking About Their Pets | |||||