9 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful; males sometimes squabble over caves.
419 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful; males sometimes squabble over caves.
Algae wafers, blanched vegetables (courgette, cucumber), and driftwood to rasp; add some frozen or sinking protein.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Adult males grow fleshy tentacles (bristles) on the head and strong odontodes on the pectoral fins and gill covers; females lack these.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Cave spawner · Easy
Very easy; a cave spawner, with the male guarding the eggs and young. Fry often appear in mature tanks without help.
Grow out 6-8 juveniles and let a pair form; keep the group in a well-oxygenated, stable tank.
100-200 L tank with strong flow, many caves sized to the fish (PVC or ceramic tubes), and very clean, warm water.
Cool water changes, increased flow and a seasonal drop in temperature, plus rich protein feeding.
The male guards a small clutch (5-30 large amber eggs) in the cave for around 5-10 days until they hatch; the fry carry a big yolk sac.
Fry stay in the cave until the yolk is gone, then feed on sinking algae wafers, blanched veg and crushed flake. Keep nitrate low.
A white-pink, red-eyed albino form of the common bristlenose, line-bred and produced commercially on a large scale. Hardy and easy, it stays around 12-14 cm. Its parent species is uncertain (sold as Ancistrus sp. '3' or A. cf. cirrhosus).
Achille Valenciennes described Ancistrus cirrhosus in 1836. The bristlenoses in the aquarium trade are often labelled with this name, but their exact species identity is uncertain. The albino form was developed in captivity and is now bred in huge numbers.
First described by Achille Valenciennes in 1836. Named for 'cirrhosus' means having tendrils.
14 facts checked with sources
The albino bristlenose is a line-bred form of the common aquarium bristlenose, which has no confirmed species identity. Seriously Fish now lists it as Ancistrus sp. '3' (older hobby label 'Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus'); true A. cirrhosus is an Argentinian species. Do not present 'Ancistrus cirrhosus' as certain. Matches the existing species-bristlenose.json.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish) · Scotcat: Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus (hobby reference)Legacy has no family; value is new.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)Seriously Fish 12.5 cm SL (standard length); Scotcat 14 cm (type not stated). Legacy 13 is within this.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish) · Scotcat: Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus (hobby reference)Seriously Fish (preferred) 21-26 °C; legacy 28 °C top is too warm.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish) · Scotcat: Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus (hobby reference)Legacy 6.5-8.0 runs above both sources.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish) · Scotcat: Ancistrus cf. cirrhosus (hobby reference)Legacy has no hardness; value is new.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)60 x 30 x 30 cm = 54,000 cm³ = 54 L (page states ~54 L). Larger tanks are needed for a group; legacy 100 L is a generous recommendation.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)Can be kept singly or as a pair; males are territorial toward each other.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)Territorial toward its own kind and similar-shaped bottom fish.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)Seriously Fish difficulty rating "Easy", hardiness "hardy".
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)Legacy has no range.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)Legacy "broader head, slimmer body / rounder female" is generic; the reliable sign is the male bristles.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)"Bred in huge numbers" and "hardy" are supported. "One of the best algae-eating plecos" is opinion and not stated by Seriously Fish, which recommends a varied diet including meaty foods; not carried over.
Seriously Fish: Ancistrus sp. '3' (common bristlenose catfish)