Breeding bristle nose plecos

[Nik_n]

I would like to breed some common bristle nose plecos. I already have two females (fully grown and at breeding size), and am planning to add a male soon. I have 2 caves and one coconut shell, as well as rocks and driftwood. I have tried breeding plecos in the past without much success. I know there needs to be a cave, driftwood and the plecos have to be fed veggies. I did all this but never had any success in the past. I would feed them algae waffers every night and veggies(mostly zucchini and green beans) twice a week. I never had any breeding behaviour. Is there something I'm missing? Any advice would be appreciated   

[Guppysnail]

Check the protein content if your wafers. Mine go for higher protien a mix of repasy blends including community. Frozen bloodworms are a favorite. And my two each devour a whole steamed green bean a day. If they dont feel foodis plentiful they dont want to make more it means less food i was not trying to breed but was uncertain if I received 2 males or male female so i had 6 caves to limit territory disputes until i moved them if needed. No breeding behavior except he would groom. I added this and 2 days later he groomed furiously. Its been a few days she is not as round and he wont come out so im waiting to see. He is in thehole at the top right under the light??? Go figure. 

[Nik_n]

I use jbl algae wafers. They say their protein content is very high but I don't have the box with me. How long did you gave yours for? What temperature do you keep them at? Did they spawn after a water change or something like that?

[Guppysnail]

I got them at 1.5 inches in February.  I do light gravel vac with 10-20% wc every day. That tank is hideously overstocked with high waste producers tons of bladder and 4 3 inch male mystery snails. My floor at full blast canister 307 fluval on a 20 long turns into a poo carpet. I also do 50% a week. They do spawn in rainy season so maybe up your water changes. I have over 100 neocaridina in there so i have to hit temp on point but they say if you use slightly cooler water with large 50 % wc every 2-3 days it triggers it.  Food has been my key to successfully breeding any species. Again if they only get just enough to live comfortably on they dint make babies to share their food with. Just my experiences. Also use variety none contain everything. I have like 5 kinds of wafers 3 repashy bug bites veggie bites. Carrots zucchini green beans broccoli stalks cucumbers brussel sprout sweet potato

Edited July 19, 2021 by Guppysnail
Spell

[Nik_n]

Thank you I will defiantly follow your advice. I will try to do more cooler water changes, so trick them into thinking its rainy season. I keep my water them at 27°C (idk what that is in °F). I will get some more foods and feed them veggies more often.

Thanks for the advice   

[Colu]

I feed mine a mixture of repashy super green hikari algae wafers bug bites pleco formula pellets cucumber blanched spinach and lettuce some blood worms every now and again and they breed like rabbits 

[lefty o]

mine dont get anything special. algae wafers, and they really like shrimp pellets meant for corydoras. if i have anything in the tank where they can  get in and hide, i cant stop them from breeding.

[Nik_n]

Thank you all, I guess I need to increase the variety of foods I feed. I will start feeding them algae wafers, shrimp pellets and greed beans more often. I don't know if I can get rapashi, I might need to order it online. 

[Guppysnail]

On 7/20/2021 at 3:55 AM, Nik_n said:

Thank you all, I guess I need to increase the variety of foods I feed. I will start feeding them algae wafers, shrimp pellets and greed beans more often. I don't know if I can get rapashi, I might need to order it online. 

If you cant i can give you a recipe to make it without premix

[Nik_n]

I checked my local fish store website and amazon, I don't think I would be able to get any rapashi. 

On 7/20/2021 at 11:45 AM, Guppysnail said:

If you cant i can give you a recipe to make it without premix

That would be very great!! I'm very interested! Thank you.

[Guppysnail]

On 7/20/2021 at 5:50 AM, Nik_n said:

I checked my local fish store website and amazon, I don't think I would be able to get any rapashi. 

That would be very great!! I'm very interested! Thank you.

Ill post it this afternoon for you. 

[Nik_n]

On 7/20/2021 at 11:52 AM, Guppysnail said:

Ill post it this afternoon for you. 

Thank you! No rush!

[Guppysnail]

On 7/20/2021 at 5:53 AM, Nik_n said:

Thank you! No rush!

• 1 egg white
• Agar agar powder (red algae) (bought on amazon human consumption gelatin replacement see photo)

Or human consumption gelatin instead of these two (my preference)

• Your choice steamed veggie puree (optional)
• Crushed ground flake food variety (i use mortar and pestle but not needed just easy for me) mix of several different types is my preference
• Finely ground wafers pellets granules etc(optional i use a small chopper)
• Dr tims spirulina powder or human consumption 100% PURE spirulina powder
• Dried seaweed crushed/ground (optional see photo)
• Seachem garlic guard or fresh finely ground garlic i don’t know if garlic powder works/safe  I never tried)

 

So any and all food you choose.  Mix everything together well. Boil water and agar powder or gelatin. Add boiling mix slowly to make a smooth but thick liquid. Spread on parchment paper,not wax it sticks or silicone baking sheet works great.  Bake at 175 until dried out but not too long or it ruins vitamins cut/break freeze.

 

I prefer using gelatin(human consumption) instead of egg white as you do not need to bake. Just spread and refrigerate then cut it stays softer and easier to cut then freeze. It also makes agar agar optional and sticks better to sticks. 

 

I also use bamboo flat cooking sticks (see photo) so they can glean it off the bamboo like natural behavior my snails and shrimp love that too.

 

Sounds like a-lot but the gelatin version takes me 20 minutes for a months worth. Including dipping my bamboo sticks. 

 

Amounts of each vary based on what you add. Experiment you really can’t go wrong unless you go to watery. 

 

I still have to wait until afternoon to post photos but wanted you to have the recipe in case you have questions.

 

 

 

 

[Guppysnail]

Ok fish rooms awake😁 heres the pics. I also add vitachem.

[gardenman]

Mine love the shrimp pellets and also freeze-dried tubifex worms (they get six cubes a day and at four or so in the afternoon they start lining up where I place them waiting for them), they get a good handful of French-style green beans each morning also. I think overfeeding them helps the spawning process.

[Nik_n]

Thank you all for your advice I will definitely try some of the things you suggested. I will keep you posted as inform you as soon as I get babies (hopefully I do).