I.d My Pleco?

[nessar]

Well I've had this guy for a year and have been wondering what he is, I thought bristlenose for ages but he seems to small, he's only about 3 inches from nose to the tip of his tail. I was given him by a friend who was closing down their tank, they had him a few years and were sold him as 'dwarf suckerfish'. I say 'him' but I dont know if 'he' is male or female either. Sorry for the quality of the photos.

How big will he get (if any bigger), how long do they live and I have a 15 gallon tank, is he okay in this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[simonas]

well its hard to tell but I am sure I can see whiskers and judging by the whiskers I;d say an ancistrus male of some kind

 

[Carlovel1]

Bristlenose Pleco
Will get to around 6"/15CM
He should be ok in your tank.
In rare cases, can live over 20 years (until you are around 40 years old! )

 

[BadBadger]

Male Bristly

Cheers

 

[nessar]

I thought that too but isnt he way too small? I think hes at least 3-5 years old

 

[Baccus]

A midget?LOL Possibly his growth (yep I reackon it's a male BN as well) was stunted from being in too small a tank, over crowded tank or inadequite food. They are primirally vegetarian but also relish meaty products such as shrimp pellets, frozen tubifex worms and mine even go nuts over squashed snails (common pond variety ones). In a bigger tank it may get bigger thanks to more room but if it has been stunted I would expect the damage has been done and it will always stay smaller than average.
Good luck with him.

 

[nessar]

A midget?LOL Possibly his growth (yep I reackon it's a male BN as well) was stunted from being in too small a tank, over crowded tank or inadequite food. They are primirally vegetarian but also relish meaty products such as shrimp pellets, frozen tubifex worms and mine even go nuts over squashed snails (common pond variety ones). In a bigger tank it may get bigger thanks to more room but if it has been stunted I would expect the damage has been done and it will always stay smaller than average.
Good luck with him.

He was in a 30 gallon at his old home so I think it was not the space, more likely the food. He just got any leftover flakes from the tetras they had I think (they fed them goldfish flakes), never any pleco tabs. I have tried feeding him algae wafers, pleco pellets/tablets, cucumber and lettuce but he never seems to eat, even at night (the lights go out before I go to bed). He just spends all day nomming on his wood. I have meaty foods/live foods in my tank regularly as I have a frog, but never seen him go for these either.

I'm thinking maybe he hasnt learnt to eat these foods?

 

[Baccus]

Mine love Hikari Tropical Sinking Wafers and Wardly Shrimp Pellets, so much that they will leave their hidey holes for them even when the tank is fully lit up. Try putting the food in for your BN during the day but have the tank light off and just watch in the rooms natural/ normal light. With the tank a bit darker you might be surprised to see it explore the tank and actually eat the offered food. Is there much life weed in the tank? He might also just be too used to eating that,if he was not given enough food at his old home. Mine also happily go after fish flakes but only once the flakes have fallen to the floor of the tank.

 

[nessar]

Mine love Hikari Tropical Sinking Wafers and Wardly Shrimp Pellets, so much that they will leave their hidey holes for them even when the tank is fully lit up. Try putting the food in for your BN during the day but have the tank light off and just watch in the rooms natural/ normal light. With the tank a bit darker you might be surprised to see it explore the tank and actually eat the offered food. Is there much life weed in the tank? He might also just be too used to eating that,if he was not given enough food at his old home. Mine also happily go after fish flakes but only once the flakes have fallen to the floor of the tank.

I've done that, and also at night after the lights are out (theyre on a timer), but no luck what is life weed?

 

[vickers]

Ancistrus prefer veg such as Courgette, Cucumber, sweet potatoe, shelled peas thats what i feed mine but there is plenty more they will eat

 

[nessar]

Ancistrus prefer veg such as Courgette, Cucumber, sweet potatoe, shelled peas thats what i feed mine but there is plenty more they will eat

How do I keep veg on the bottom of the tank? It always floats and I dont like anchoring it with a stone as then they cant get to it as mcuh.

 

[fluttermoth]

There are loads of ways...I normally use that plastic coated wire that you get in packaging to attach it to a stone. You can poke a stainless steel teaspoon or fork through it, I've heard of people using a stainless washer pushed into a slit in the side (meant to try that myself but never got around to finding a washer!)
Or you can be posh and buy yourself a 'screwcumber'; you can get them on Ebay

 

[lilfishie]

Screwcumber all the way

 

[vickers]

Ancistrus prefer veg such as Courgette, Cucumber, sweet potatoe, shelled peas thats what i feed mine but there is plenty more they will eat

How do I keep veg on the bottom of the tank? It always floats and I dont like anchoring it with a stone as then they cant get to it as mcuh.

i used to just stick a folk through it, but then bought screwcumbers

 

[minnnt]

I use a fork, saves buying a special tool to do it. Don't cut your courgette too big though otherwise it will float the fork too. I also chuck a few shelled peas in. They're all gone by morning.

And yes i agree, it's definately a Bristlenose imo.