Ancistrus temminckii - Bristlenose Catfish

Scientific name : Ancistrus temminckii
Common name: Bristlenose Catfish
Group: Catfishes
Habitat: South America
Size: 13 cm
Biotope: Fast flowing, clear tributaries of the Amazon River in areas with submerged wood. Also found in shallow pools.
Social behavior: A peaceful fish ideal for a community tank. Will not bother other catfish such as Corydoras. Older individuals are sometimes aggressive and territorial towards other similar Loricarids.
Diet: Algae, fruit, live, Tubifex, crustaceans, insect larvae, plants, vegetables, green beans, lettuce, peas, spinach, tablets.
Breeding: Easy
Tank: Minimum 90 litres
Population: 1 couple for 90 litres
Decoration: This catfish likes roomy tanks with plenty of hiding places and a strong current. This species will nibble on plants if there is a lack of algae. Provide good aeration.
Temperature: 23-27 °C
pH: 6,5- 7,2
Hardness: 2,8-11,2NK°

Description: These fish are often kept by aquarists as they are dutiful algae-eaters and smaller in adult size than the common plecos usually seen in petshops. They are hardy animals, tolerant to a wide range of water conditions, breeding easily in captivity, compatible with most other freshwater fish, and come in many beautiful colors and patterns.

Historically commonly available species of Ancistrus were Ancistrus dolichopterus and Ancistrus temminckii, other species are now available though exact identification is difficult.

Sexing is very easy as the female will occasionally have bristles around the edge of the chin and the male will have them up the center of the head

Breeding is also possible: Males attract female to small cave or hollow, then guard eggs after fertilization through hatching (4-8 days) until fry are free swimming (4-6 days after hatching), the aquarist need only supply a suitable cave, food, and one of each sex. Like other plecs benefit from the addition of bogwood, which they will rasp at and use as a hiding place - in the absence of other plant matter (sources of fibre) wood may be essential to the survival of these fish in the aquarium when fed on typical high protein fish food.

Caution should be taken with the spines (odontodes) - although the risk of personal injury is small with this genus the hooked nature of the odontodes means that a bristlenose may become trapped in non-natural material such as sponge filters and netting.