# Surprise bristlenose babies!



## Aramz (Jun 24, 2008)

So i went to clean my internal filter and i scooped it up and took it too the sink. I discovered in the netting there was little fish. I was just leaning my fry tank so i stressed and though i had accidentally netted some fry. I ran to the fry tank and out the net and babies in there. Then discovered they were baby bristlenose. I chercked my tank and found a large shll where the male was protecting. I wondered why he was attacking my mbuna! Wasn't 2 sure what to do and the babies were obviously free swimming to find some on the other side of the tank near the filter so i grabbed the shell and put it in with my l. caeruleas fry. Both pretty much the same size. Any idea how to care for these baby bristle nose? The l. caruleas fry are just recent additions too so help on what to feed them would be appreciated.

How much should i clean the tank, also i am putting crushed flake in and hardly any of it gets consumed and then is left there to waste. I ehard organic matter is bad for fry so should i clean it up... how? A siphon would be too strong right? I have a sponge filter there but the watse still floats and sits around the tank.

Thanks


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

you want to sell me some? lol


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## mcklnjr (May 22, 2008)

any idea on how you got them breed, i have a trio in my tank with my mbuna as well. i am hoping i can trigger them to breed, any advice would help. Try putting in a somewhat thin slice of zucchini in the fry tank, i bet the baby bn's will be all over it eating it readily.


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

I second the zucchini idea. I put my pleco in a new tank that doesn't have much algae yet so to feed him I cut a thin slice of zucchini and wedged it between two rocks. He basically lived on top of that zucchini slice until 2 days later when I found the rind floating around the tank.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

Did you cook it? Or just put it i raw?


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## kerbchek (Apr 1, 2008)

bac3492 said:


> Did you cook it? Or just put it i raw?


I don't cook it... not sure if you should though...

Congratulations on the fry...

Your bristlenose might be breeding without you even knowing it... and other fish are eating the fry if you have your breeding group in with other fish...

If you really want to breed bristlenose, I'd suggest a dedicated tank... I feed my fry algae wafers, green beans, & zuccinni... and I put rocks in glass jars in the window... when they get covered with algae, I drop them in the bristle nose tank... the algae covered rocks are just treats though...

I leave the fry with the adults until they're big enough to catch... the adults don't want to eat them... but other species of fish will...

Filtration is my biggest issue - bristlenose are pretty dirty - lots of waste. I have 3 large sponge filters, one with a powerhead shoved in the tube... and I still do water changes every other day... it's gross.

Others may have better ideas for breeding bristlenose... I'm just a beginner, but have had good luck...


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

I used raw zucchini as well.


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## Gibbs (Apr 21, 2008)

Congrats aramz, algea wafers are good for the little tackers

Bristlenose are probably the easiest pleco to breed. 1 male and 1 female is all that is needed.
Upside down pots with a little hole in to make a cave like thing work well. The male sets up territory inside, the female will notice this and go lay her eggs, thats her job done she has nothing more to do with the fry, the male on the other hand will sit and guard the eggs/fry for quite some time and will be ruthless on any fish that tries to invade including the mum.

Ph in the mid 7's works best they don't breed as often in high ph ranges, and i find they enjoy less then perfect water conditions containing some nitrates and dirty water.


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## nicksdsm (Nov 24, 2007)

Do you have any pic's of the babies?


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## Barbie (Feb 13, 2003)

Bristlenose fry have yolk sacs for a surprisingly long time. Literally more than 2 weeks from hatching. Until that is absorbed, they don't eat much. Once that is absorbed, you can do daily water changes of up to 80% on their tank without upsettting them. That's actually the easiest way to feed them enough and keep the water clean enough for them. It sounds harsh, but your yellow lab fry will even thrive with it, I promise. Bristlenose need a LOT more food than people think at that size or you'll have some losses.

Barbie


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## Nathan43 (Jul 9, 2007)

Mine have bread 3 times now on their own in my central/south american tank. They just found a cave and got it done. I had no idea either until I went to put in a piece of decoration after cleaning and saw a bunch of babies on my towel. I scooped them up and put them in my fry tank and now I have about 15 of them. It seems the father was feeding them just fine somehow until they were large enough to go on their own.


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## bac3492 (Jul 25, 2008)

bac3492 said:


> you want to sell me some? lol


Im serious


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## Vincent (May 7, 2004)

Baby bristlenose can be somewhat fragile and have difficulty competing for food with cichlid fry. So I would be worried that your cichlid fry might pick on or out-compete the bushynose fry for food.

I've successfully raised 100s of albino bushynose in a 48x15 footprint 50 gallon tank. I just raise the fry with their parents in a species tank.


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