Bristlenose Pleco Spawn Tips

[chriscoli]

I'm sure I have a spare male if you ever want to try.

I've also seen an interesting behavior with many of my plecos....right when the eggs are about to hatch, I see the male vigorously "chewing" on the cluster of eggs. This freaked me out the first time I saw it, but none of the eggs were harmed and it didn't seem like they were disappearing either. I think they help them break free of the egg.

 

[Localzoo]

I'm sure I have a spare male if you ever want to try.

I've also seen an interesting behavior with many of my plecos....right when the eggs are about to hatch, I see the male vigorously "chewing" on the cluster of eggs. This freaked me out the first time I saw it, but none of the eggs were harmed and it didn't seem like they were disappearing either. I think they help them break free of the egg.

I think I've heard that before....they eat the outer layer. Since they've been guarding the eggs sometimes without leaving to eat.


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[shamu57]

So about two weeks ago I had a similar experience to Jon --although mine was unexpected. The cave was a piece of Texas Holey Rock. I thought the pleco might be stuck in the hole because he had been there for like 2 days , so I turned it over and he dropped out-- and boom: there were the eggs. My daughter saw them actually. I turned the holey rock back over, but then I got all excited and checked a couple of times a day (unfortunately did not have viewability with a flashlight) And then he abandoned them and they were gone, probably because I over disturbed them.

Since I have made a couple of diy pvc caves and threw them in there as well.

My question: How often do they spawn? Are they like mbuna (at least IME) -- once they start they really do not stop?

BTW -- I got the these bn's from Becca about 6 months ago

 

[Becca]

My question: How often do they spawn? Are they like mbuna (at least IME) -- once they start they really do not stop?

BTW -- I got the these bn's from Becca about 6 months ago

Awww, I'm a great-grandma (which makes Christine a Great, Great-grandma!)

Ours will spawn once every 4-6 weeks if we keep up with water changes. They usually will spawn after a nice big water change (about 50%).

 

[chriscoli]

I also find that they'll stop spawning for a little while...sometimes for a few months. Then they'll start up again and suddenly you're overrun with baby plecos again.

 

[tanker3]

Do you have other fishes in the tank. The babies are hard to see, and they do not swim. They just cling to bottoms of leaves, ect.

 

[shamu57]

Yes,

They are in there with mbuna (labs and acei) and a few peacocks. I know if I really want to have sustained breeding success I would need to isolate them in their own tank.

 

[shamu57]

So -- I built an easy DIY cave using some broken slate from Home Depot... And looks like the male is protecting another batch of eggs, about a month later -- right on schedule . His tail has been poking out of the entrance for a day or so... I might try to lift the cave and put it into a floating breeder box I made from a sterilite shoe box.. I keep a 10G with mbuna and peacock fry in my daughter's class -- will probably move them in there after they grow a bit

 

[Becca]

So -- I built an easy DIY cave using some broken slate from Home Depot... And looks like the male is protecting another batch of eggs, about a month later -- right on schedule . His tail has been poking out of the entrance for a day or so... I might try to lift the cave and put it into a floating breeder box I made from a sterilite shoe box.. I keep a 10G with mbuna and peacock fry in my daughter's class -- will probably move them in there after they grow a bit

Wait until they've hatched to move the cave, unless you can manage to keep the cave underwater the whole time and keep papa in the cave while you move it. They stay in the cave for several days after they hatch, so it gives you some time.

Mine have spawned in apisto caves, bamboo pipes, slate caves, and saucer-shaped caves. They don't even seem to have a consistent favorite.