Rating Availability Hardiness Overall appeal

Species description

• Physical description....
  • The Bristlenose Catfish is an armoured catfish belonging to the family Loricariidae.
  • Its body (except for the belly area) is covered with large bony plates not scales.
  • They have a large broad, flat head and a flattened ventral profile.
  • Many fleshy "bristles" grow on the upper surface of the head, around the mouth and nose. These tentacles can become branched like antlers in older males.
  • The mouth is located on the underside of the head and is shaped like a suction cup.
  • The colour varies considerably from light grey, through to dark brownish-grey and depends on the individual fish, age of the fish, the area that the individual is found and the food they eat.
  • Some Bristlenose take on a yellowish colour if they are fed food high in carotene (eg. pumpkin).
  • They take on a mottled appearance with patches of paler colour when resting or stressed.
  • The body is marked by cream coloured spots.
  • The fins have a striped pattern.
  • All fins have a thickened first ray with many small barbed hooks.
• Taxonomy....
  • Kingdom: Animalia
    • Phylum: Chordata: Sub-phylum: Vertebrates - Group: Fish
      • Class: Osteichthyes (Bony Fish): Sub-class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
        • Order: Siluriformes (Catfish)
          • Family: Loricariidae (Armoured Suckermouth Catfish):
            subfamily: Ancistrinae
            • Genus: Ancistrus
              • Species: dolichopterus
• Geographical variants....
  • None, although colouring and markings can vary widely between individuals.
• Similar species....
  • There are around 50 Ancistrus species, but Ancistrus dolichopterus is most commonly available.
  • One Ancistrus species that can be distinguished is Ancistrus hoplogenys (Peppermint Bristlenose).
  • It differs from A. dolichopterus by having a black velevty body colour marked with small bright white spots.
  • The tail and dorsal fin of the Peppermint Bristlenose are completely edged by a broad white band.
  • An albino Ancistrus species also exists (Albino baby, male and female - right).
  • Images:
    • Ancistrus dolichopterus (below left); Ancistrus hoplogenys (below right)

Habitat information

• Ancistrus dolichopterus is native to South America.
• They occur in the upper and middle Brazilian Amazon River basin and in the Rio Negro, lower Trombetas, Tefé, Madeira and Tapajós River basins.
• They inhabit fast flowing, clear waters with submerged wood. They are also found in shallow pools.

Aquarium care
The following information relating to tank size, decoration and tank mates is indicative and intended to be used as a rough guide only. Other possible tank mates are listed under Compatibility and there are many plants and decorations that can be used - just ask us.

• Tank ideas....
  • The minimum aquarium size should be 80 centimetres.
  • Example - Tropical Community tank:
    The aim of this tank is to recreate a rainforest stream (that can be found in the Amazon or Southeast Asia) that is teeming with fish and plants.
    
    • Tank capacity: 185 litres
    • Tank type: HRC-1040
      • 100 centimetres (40 inches) tank
      • 3 x 30W fluorescent tubes
    • Fish ideas:
      • 2 x Ancistrus dolichopterus
      • 2 x Laetacara curviceps
      • 6 x Barbus nigrofasciatus
      • 8 x Thayeria boehlkei
      • 2 x Colisa lalia
      • 3 x Corydoras aeneus
    • Building the tank:
      • Background - external printed plant background.
      • Substrate - 3mm Coffs Harbour gravel; roughly 35kg
      • Decoration - Driftwood, rocks, overturned terracotta flowerpot.
        
      • Plants - Suitable plants include Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis); Pygmy Chain Sword (Echinodorus tenellus); Hairgrass (Eleocharis acicularis); Cryptocorene wendtii; Java Moss (Vesicularia dubyana). Create clearings in the middle of planted areas to stop the plants from blocking the light and to give the fish a place to eat.
      • Bristlenose Catfish are one of the best algae eaters for community tanks. They browse constantly over all surfaces in the aquarium, including rocks and the aquarium glass. They may damage finer-leafed plants as they eat algae, but generally won't eat plants and may occassionally damage the surface of broad-leafed while rasping at algae, but less so than their larger relatives, and they are otherwise plant friendly.
• Maintenance and Disease....
  • Bristlenose Catfish need driftwood in the tank as lignin forms an essential part of their diet.
  • Although they will eat animal protein, they have the long gut of a vegetarian and may become prone to stomach disorders if fed too much animal protein. Feed frozen bloodworms or brine shrimp sparingly.
  • They prefer a strong water current and well oxygenated water.
  • Bristlenose should be kept in a tank containing plenty of hiding places.
  • They need a roomy tank.
  • Apart from their need for well-oxygenated water they are generally undemanding of water quality and are able to withstand a wide range of pH and hardness.
  • They do not tolerate high nitrate levels or salt very well.
  • They are able to tolerate lower temperatures than many other Loricarids, so are a suitable algae-eater for an unheated tank in many areas.
  • Water parameters:
    
    • pH: slightly acidic to slightly alkaline (6.0-8.0: optimum 7.1)
      
    • Hardness: moderate (4-20dH: optimum 12)
      
    • Temperature: 21-27oC.
• Compatibility....
  • They are quite peaceful fish, and can be kept in community tanks with small fish.
  • They will not bother other catfish such as Corydoras, but may scuffle with other similar Loricarids.
  • Older males are sometimes territorial, often sparring with other males using their locked pectoral fins and erect cheek spines (right).
  • They may eat the eggs of substrate spawning cichlids if they get the chance and will potentially compete with cave spawning Dwarf Cichlids such as Apistogramma for breeding sites.

• Breeding....
  • The Bristlenose Catfish is one of the more easily bred Loricarids.
  • They form pairs and are a secretive substrate spawner. Often the only sign they have bred is when the male disappears.
  • The eggs are laid in clusters usually in cave, either under driftwood or a rock or in an overturned flowerpot. If the size of the space isn't right, the fish will enlarged it by rasping.
  • The female may lay up to 120 amber coloured eggs.
  • The male guards the eggs and fans the water around the eggs to keep them oxygenated - right: male just outside his nest.
  • The fry hatch in around five days and attach themselves to tank walls.
  • They retain the yolk sac for two weeks after hatching and then they can be fed on crushed vegetable flake. Lettuce leaves also make good fry food, but remove it if they don't eat it quickly as it will pollute the water.
  • The fry should be removed, if other fish (besides the parents), are present in the tank.
  • Use water with the following parameters:
    • pH 6.5 to 7.0
    • hardness between 5-12 dH.

• References....
  Web sites
  Fishbase
  Planet Catfish
  Books
  Baensch Aquarium Atlas Vol 1 (Tetra Press, 1996)
  The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Aquarium Fish (Hermes House, 2001)
  Popular Freshwater Tropical Fish (Parragon, 2002)
  The Complete Encyclopedia of Tropical Fish (Grange Books, 2000)
  

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