Description
Scientific Name: Ancistrus sp. (specifically the Albino variant) Common Names: Bristlenose Pleco, Bushynose Pleco, BN Pleco Origin: South America (Amazon Basin)
Physical Characteristics This fish is weird and wonderful, favored for its utility and unique look.
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The “Bristles”: The most iconic feature is the bush of fleshy tentacles on the snout. Males have large, impressive bristles that grow up the center of their head, while females usually have very small bristles around the mouth or none at all.
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Color: The specific fish in your image is an Albino or Golden morph. It lacks dark pigment, resulting in a bright yellow, peach, or pinkish body with red or pink eyes.
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Size: They are perfect for smaller tanks because they rarely exceed 4 to 5 inches (10–13 cm), unlike Common Plecos which can hit 18 inches.
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Mouth: They have a sucker mouth underneath their head used to rasp algae off surfaces.
Behavior and Temperament
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Peaceful: They are very gentle and ignore most other fish. They are safe to keep with almost anything, from Tetras to Goldfish.
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Bottom Dwellers: They spend almost all their time on the bottom, sticking to glass, rocks, or wood.
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Nocturnal: They are most active at night. You might not see them much during the day unless there is food.
Care and Habitat
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Diet: They are herbivores. While they eat tank algae, that is not enough to survive. You must feed them sinking algae wafers and fresh vegetables like blanched zucchini, cucumber, or green beans.
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Driftwood: This is critical. Bristlenose Plecos need natural driftwood in their tank. They rasp on the wood to get fiber, which is essential for their digestion. Without it, they can get sick.
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Tank Size: A minimum of 20–29 gallons is sufficient for one adult.
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