Bristlenose Plecos Saving Fry In Community Tank

[leffy59]

My Bristlenose Plecos have been spawning in my 240lt community tank for about three months now. The male dug out some gravel between two rock for there first spawning. I've been waiting about 3 years for this and finally they obliged. The problem being, in a community tank the fry go missing very quickly, I just saw the eggs of the first spawning. So I look into putting artificial caves in for them to spawn in, but they were to expensive. So i thought terracotta plant pots it was a start. Looking around I came up with terracotta watering spikes, if you shop about they are cheaper than cave and tubs made for the job. They took to them like a plecos in water. My second spawning went well till the fry emerged, then the Clown Loach and Tiger Barbs stuck in for lunch. My tanks very well planted so it is difficult to catch fry. Third time lucky. I kept an eye on the male when he started fanning the eggs, which gave me a clue when they would hatch. Then when I started to see fry, I picked the spick up letting the male swim out. I lost a few fry with the male, but because the spike is blocked and not a tube any fry in it fall to the bottom of the spick. I then tipped the water and fry in to my small planted tank. You can dot the spike anywhere you want. This is the best way I can think of the get a few youngsters from my community tank.

[Shane]

If you want to save the most fry just remove the eggs from the cave and hatch them in a breeder/fry net (there are many types available.
You can even make your own.
https://plecoceramics.com/blogs/news/ho ... -pleco-fry

-Shane

[ghyti]

I have always taken the male, cave and eggs and moved them gently to their own small tank. When the fry are all out of the cave put cave and male back in the original tank.

[TwoTankAmin]

I have always done what ghyti does with one addition. Because the dad has eaten minimally while guarding and caring for the kids, I give him a weeks vacation in the grow tank where I feed him well. The odds are that as soon as the kids are out, a female will be ready and wanting to spawn again. So, I want to let the male build up his strength for the next go around.