how many Bristlenose should i keep in 1 tank

[dean_alicia]

Hello All,

i am just starting to get into tropical fresh water aquariums, i have had a tank going for a couple of months now with a few Neon & Congo tetra's and 2 swordtails.
it took me nearly a a month to decide on what Catfish to get which ended up being a litttle bristlenose, which was introduced ti the tank this arfternoon, he/she settled rather well and started feeding on the bottom strait away.
the question is how many can i keep in a 4 x 2 x 2foot tank? and will the catfish take a neon or 2 once it is bigger.
hope to hear from some one and look forward to future discussions. :)

[firedragon92]

hey in a tank that size i would recommend keeping 4 or 5 bristlenose

you could easily keep toms kore but limiting the number will allow you to have plenty of other catfish and bottome dwellers

[dean_alicia]

thanks for the info. wasnt sure due to the possible size of the bristles can grow to that it may over crowd the bottom..
thanks again..

[dean_alicia]

firedragon. have you ever bread bristlenose?

[firedragon92]

hey

yeah thats why i recomended only going with 4 0r 5 so there is room for other bottom dwellers

i have never bred bristle nose but i do have a pair who i am waiting on and have done my reaserch if you had any queries just let me know

[dean_alicia]

ok thanks. what age/size do they start breeding?

[firedragon92]

i have found that it varies from fish to fish but usalluy when they reach 2-3 inches you are able to tell male from female and if you put a male and a females togeather they will breed the can form pairs but may not.

if you are looking to raise them buy 5 or 6 and an inches and then just wait and see what you have got

any thing else just ask

[Woodsy]

If you put in a boy with 2-3 girls, leaving a flat rock face close to one side of the tank, you will find that the girls synchronise their spawning via a realease of chemicals into the water column. The male will remain in the "nursery" fertilising the consecutive spawns, and maintaining the clutches. Trying to breed more than one colony in the same tank, however, will make things much harder, as the release of these chemicals will confuse the fish. Thus, one male per tank is all you want.

[firedragon92]

oh yes definatly only stick with the one breeding pair/ colony of BN's in the one tank and make sure you have it stocked with plenty of hidy holes and drift wood i find the best food for them and the babies is zuchini or cucumber tied to a rock

[pistol_pete]

Hi I was wondering how many fry they would usually have at once? I have a breeding pair but we only saved 10 or so. When should i seperate them from the parents? Also how long till they breed again?