PlanetCatfish.com

My 6" Rhino died for no aparent reason April 5th. I have since checked the tank and nothing seems to be out of order and the 1" piebald plec and betta are just fine.

I want to convert this 20 gallon tall into a planted tank. I also want to have a breeding couple as the main/perhaps only, fish in the tank. I have thought about small cichlids, but with at least one plec in the tank, breeding time would be too much of a risk to him. Cichlids are now out of the question and I'm wanting to think about what I know, Plecos. I currantly have three, only two of which I want to consider breeding. The third is a leopard catcus plec which I am going to find a good home while he is tiny.

The Candidates are an adult striped bulldog plec, and a juvenile piebald bushynose plec. The juvenile is only 1". I am unsure of the sexes of the fish at this point.

I have never tried a completly planted tank. I'm going to redo the tank entirely to suit the plants. With what little I have learned, it would seem the tank should not be high in oxygen. At least not so much as to sufficate the plants. Both fish seem to require high O2 levels. Can this work? I'm completly stupid about plants and have never breed anything before. Anything you feel I should know please add. Also, I will not start this project until August. I will have to do a fishless cycle before any else. So I have plenty of time to get this straight. Thanks alot.

Alright, no ideas? I'll rephrase the question. Can you breed Bristle nose plecs in a planted tank, with a ph of 7.0 and medium to hard water.

There ya a go, a yes or no question ;).

Hi!

Simple answer yes:

Long answer:

If its the common ancistrus AKA bristlenose you are referring too, you can breed it bare bottom, planted etc etc. Just remember to have a nice tube about an inch wide and about 4-5 inchs long. You can find some in your local buikding market. All plecos love tubes, cave etc. Try to macth the size right, beacuse the more right and tight, the more cosy and secure the tube is. You can always hide it behind some rocks or some plant if you dislike the looks. Tubes are killer for the L-species I have keept!
(if you plan to keep panaque, that eat anything or at least chew anything to bits, don´t give them PVC tubes:))

Excellent! thankyou! I think I will eventually try breeding the piebald bristlenose, once he grows up a little so I can tell what sex he is.