Getting a Bristlenose pleco from Maidenhead aquatics

[CassCats]

Thanks for the tips. They are beautiful are they fish you found on safari or are they yours?

They are mine. Couple are past fish of mine.

 

[Essjay]

I have only ever seen mixed sex guppies in Maidenhead Aquatics' tanks.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

I have only ever seen mixed sex guppies in Maidenhead Aquatics' tanks.

I would quite like a colourful fish but don’t think I’ll be able to cope with the amount of babies. Any none livebearers that would work with the suggested fish that are nice and colourful. Or could I get both genders?

 

[Fishkeeper123]

They are mine. Couple are past fish of mine.

Is the first male you sent a standard Bristlenose pleco or is he a different colour variation?

 

[CassCats]

Male only is fine for guppies

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Male only is fine for guppies

Yeah but concerned that as Essjay said they will be a mix together of both genders. Or could I just pick out the males, I know the males are brighter colour but would they show that and their young age when I get them?

 

[Essjay]

All you need to do is specify which guppies you want when the shop worker catches them so you buy only males. Check them in the bag before paying to make sure they've not accidentally caught a female.
It's not the colour you need to look at, it's the anal fin. That's the one underneath the body right in front of the tail. Females have a normal, fan shaped anal fin, but males have a rod shaped anal fin called a gonopodium. As long as you choose only guppies with rod shaped anal fin they'll all be males.

Yes, very young male guppies do look female as the gonopodium only develops at puberty, but the guppies on sale will be past puberty so they have developed their bright colours. Just ignore any guppy that doesn't have a gonopodium (rod shaped fin)

 

[Fishkeeper123]

All you need to do is specify which guppies you want when the shop worker catches them so you buy only males. Check them in the bag before paying to make sure they've not accidentally caught a female.
It's not the colour you need to look at, it's the anal fin. That's the one underneath the body right in front of the tail. Females have a normal, fan shaped anal fin, but males have a rod shaped anal fin called a gonopodium. As long as you choose only guppies with rod shaped anal fin they'll all be males.

Yes, very young male guppies do look female as the gonopodium only develops at puberty, but the guppies on sale will be past puberty so they have developed their bright colours. Just ignore any guppy that doesn't have a gonopodium (rod shaped fin)

Thanks I’ll make sure to check for that when I get them.

 

[CassCats]

Is the first male you sent a standard Bristlenose pleco or is he a different colour variation?

He's actually a different (wild) species of bristlenose, ancistrus bodenhameri.
Some more photos of him.

The green male below his photo in that first post is a standard color domestic bristlenose (ancistrus cf cirrhosis)

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Thought he might be a bit different from a standard one. One of the most beautiful fish I have ever seen. Just wondered if it might be a colour variation that I might be able to get but would doubt that a large chain would sell them.

 

[CassCats]

They're not a common one in the hobby at all, and they come from a hot region of Northern South america, so can't be kept colder than 75F. They were imported from the Cucuta region of Venezuela when we had a lfs here.

Domestics though come in sooooo many variations. Normal, super red, calico, albino, albino snow, green dragon, and longfin. Any of the color morphs can be combined with longfin and calico can be combined with super red. All of them are lovely, it comes down to your personal preference. Unlike many other longfin fish, these guys aren't hindered by their flowy fins which is a nice bonus if you like the longfin ones.



These two are my only current domestics

This guy is a longfin super red calico. He is the son of the female super red I had in the past (her photo is in the female pleco photos I posted previously)

He didn't develop his bristles on his face until he reached about 3 inches not counting his tail. So keep in mind when trying to sex them, they may be either or if they're smaller than that.

But some growing photos of him, calico is fun because it can change pattern as they grow.
He was the darkest marked of his brood.

can juuuuuust start seeing the bumps on his nose growing here

This guy is the standard wild color, couple different views of him depending on his mood and lighting

 

[Jinx_]

don’t think I’ll be able to cope with the amount of babies.

Yeah.. mine are still not full adults and a female already shot out babies twice

I'll need a fry rearing tank specifically to then try and sell them ugh

 

[Fishkeeper123]

They're not a common one in the hobby at all, and they come from a hot region of Northern South america, so can't be kept colder than 75F. They were imported from the Cucuta region of Venezuela when we had a lfs here.

Domestics though come in sooooo many variations. Normal, super red, calico, albino, albino snow, green dragon, and longfin. Any of the color morphs can be combined with longfin and calico can be combined with super red. All of them are lovely, it comes down to your personal preference. Unlike many other longfin fish, these guys aren't hindered by their flowy fins which is a nice bonus if you like the longfin ones.



These two are my only current domestics

This guy is a longfin super red calico. He is the son of the female super red I had in the past (her photo is in the female pleco photos I posted previously)
View attachment 355978

He didn't develop his bristles on his face until he reached about 3 inches not counting his tail. So keep in mind when trying to sex them, they may be either or if they're smaller than that.

But some growing photos of him, calico is fun because it can change pattern as they grow.
He was the darkest marked of his brood.
View attachment 355982View attachment 355983View attachment 355985
View attachment 355984

can juuuuuust start seeing the bumps on his nose growing here
View attachment 355986

This guy is the standard wild color, couple different views of him depending on his mood and lighting
View attachment 355979
View attachment 355980
View attachment 355981

I’ll think I’ll decide at the shop but will go for common colour or calico.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Yeah.. mine are still not full adults and a female already shot out babies twice

I'll need a fry rearing tank specifically to then try and sell them ugh

Could I in the future bread them in a 200l with the fish I’m planning on having or will they get eaten by the kribensis? Would a store like Maidenhead aquatics give me money for baby Bristlenoses? How long are males/ females fertile if I give it a year before a buy another Bristlenose will they still be able to mate? Or should I find a female so that there isn’t a chance of 2 males.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Also does anyone have any good fish stores in the south west of the uk people would recommend?