# Well...can't leave this forum empty



## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

I'm not an expert on BN plecos, but do raise them. If anyone has questions about theirs I will try to help. The rest of the pleco family (from the small to very large) I don't know as much about.


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## holocron (Mar 12, 2006)

the bn pleco I have is roughly 4 inches.. what do these guys generally grow to in size? It's really just starting to show some spikes on its nose as well. Is there a good way to ID the sex of them? I want to get a nother one for my planted tank, hopefully one of the opposite sex.

will putting smaller ones in with the larger one asking for trouble? I believe my clown pleco killed one of the BN's i purchased from you, so makes me a little nervous tossing more in there.


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## ranmasatome (Mar 14, 2006)

Size depends on the type of BN plecos you have. It varies from species to species. Usually its easy to sex them when they are more mature, The male has an excessively bushy nose..the female..is usually a drastic difference. You can also tell by the pectoral fins in some species.

Dont mix plecos.. unless you know their diet.. they vary the full range from carnivorus to herbivorous...
A mixed tank with all sorts would have to endure not only the massive dose of crap the let out but also the different types of food that is sitting in the water.. which eventually degrades your water quality.


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## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

holocron...yours is a male for sure. None of the females from mine have any bristles, just like their Moms. It is very hard to tell them apart. Checking the vent area sometines you can tell, but they never go on the glass when you want them to. The male will have a sharp V and the female a U shape. The bristles are the best way to tell, but they don't get them till they are 2 1/2" or more.


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## Suzanne (Mar 11, 2006)

I have albino BN in the tank, I recently saw a Queen Arabesque - they're beautiful, would they have problems with each other?


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## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

I've never read up on the Queen A so I can't really say. BN are very peaceful plecos, but you could check planetcatfish so see about the QA. In a large tank I've heard of people keeping many types of plecos, but you have to make sure they will mix together first.


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## ranmasatome (Mar 14, 2006)

Suzanne.. i take it you are talking about the L260 Hypancistrus sp.?? if so then they should be okay together.. both are quite peaceful and their diet are fairly similar.


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

I am hoping to get a confirmed female this Tuesday and hopefully, give Gail a run for her money and the GTA folks an easier source for common BN's 

I am jsut kidding about competition Gail, or am I?


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Hey Night,

if somone where going to get into breeding.. what size of tanks/fish room would you need? lol Do they demand lots of space when breeding?


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## Brian (Mar 14, 2006)

Ciddian, are you referring to the plecos or the rams?


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## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

Only thing is Brian I have a head start on you  I still have about 250 babies growing out and more varriety. You breeding any long fins and didn't tell me? LOL

I'm not that worried as I knew they day would come when someone who had babies of mine would start breeding them.

The BN can start with a pair in a 10g, but you will need room for the spawns to grow out. I toss mine in a 35g tank and let them grow out. I do have 3 spawning females so the tank gets quite full and requires daily w/c.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

OOhhhh thanks for the info nightowl 

Yup yup brian i ment the plecos ^^


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## Fish Dude (Oct 31, 2006)

ranmasatome said:


> Size depends on the type of BN plecos you have. It varies from species to species. Usually its easy to sex them when they are more mature, The male has an excessively bushy nose..the female..is usually a drastic difference. You can also tell by the pectoral fins in some species.
> 
> Dont mix plecos.. unless you know their diet.. they vary the full range from carnivorus to herbivorous...
> A mixed tank with all sorts would have to endure not only the massive dose of crap the let out but also the different types of food that is sitting in the water.. which eventually degrades your water quality.


There are different species of BN plecos? How do you tell what kind you have?

I thought there was just the regular/albino/long-fin varieties of the same species.


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## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

There are lots of BN...but the most common are sp3 and come in a brown (called a gold spot) and albino and both can be standard fin or long fin. I'm lucky I have breeders for all 4 of them 

Note that any sp3 will interbreed so if you want to breed pure albino and sell them as such you need to keep your breeders in seperate tanks.


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