# Bristle Nose Pleco Eggs



## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Hey all! 
Amazing thing happened last night, I got to witness my Bristle nose plecos breed! I saw the entire thing happen with the male trapping in the female and then a few minutes later there was a ton of eggs at the top of the cave! 
They've bred once before but this time I actually want to save all the eggs and try an egg tumbler. If someone has had experience with this please let me know!
What's the best way to go about this? 
When should I remove the eggs? 
How do i remove them? 
I also don't have space for another tank so I was thinking of getting one of those breeder tanks that I can add to the side of the tank?
All suggestions are appreciated, I'm just trying to master this so when I have other plecos breed I can properly breed/take care of them! 
Thanks!


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## Tbird (Oct 5, 2009)

Congrats!!! If you can, wait till they are wigglers and transfer them to a separate container tank. The father should protect them. As for transferring them, you can try using a turkey baster from the dollar store.

Here's a link to hopefully help you once they are wigglers.

http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=49479


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

Removing the egg depends on what type of cave you have. If you have a cave with removable top, then its pretty easy, but if you dont, then as long as you can get the male out of the cave (which is a challenge as the male will be extremely difficult to get out of the cave if it doesnt want to be out), then use a turkey baster and gently wash the eggs out.

Timing wise it doesnt matter, as long as the eggs are fertilized. 

I wouldnt recommend a tumbler, unlike eggs from mouth brooder cichlids, pleco eggs arent meant and designed to tumble (I have never tried tumbling since so I cant comment on the possible dangers, but just biologically speaking, tumbling is not required). As long as they are well oxygenated, they will be fine.

Its also better to keep them in the same water as the tank they were laid in, so a breeder trap is fine.


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## Splak (May 1, 2013)

My male sometimes kicks out the eggs from his cave by accident, and then my rams eat them! So what I do now is get a large HOB breeder box from petsmart for like 15$ or so. 

As soon as I notice eggs, I move the cave+male to the box. A few days later the eggs hatch and turn to wigglers, so I sort of pour the fry out of the cave carefully into the box. The male normally holds on inside the cave, once I think I got all the fry out, I put the male and his cave back into the main tank.

I leave the fry in the box for about 2 weeks before moving them to a grow out tank.

PS: I would put a small piece of stainless steel mess over where the water flows out of the box, or they fry might get caught or fall out =p. I learned that the hard way, waking up one morning to 10+ fry stuck where the water exits, luckily, no casualties!

Congrats though! Hopefully you find something that works for you.


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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Congrats; I leave the eggs with the male until they hatch out then wait a couple of days then take the cave and shake the fry out into a net that is partially submerged in the tank water. If the male drops out of the cave you can lower the net deeper into the tank and try to pry the male from the net. Once you have the fry in the net empty them into a breeding trap or breeder box what ever you are using. As for feeding at first I rub flake food between my fingers to a powder and they will feed on that for a few days. After about a week I start to feed them raw sweet potato cut into slices, also blanched peas with the skin removed, raw zucchini but this must be tied down or it will float. Don't leave in the tank more than two days, also I feed sinking pellets. Do regular water changes twice a week for two months then regular changes. Best of luck it is easy.


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## Kimchi24 (Mar 22, 2013)

Congrats mate! Do you have just a male or a female in your tank? Or multiple of each? I plan on getting a breeding set up. I've become. Obsessed with egg laying fish and bnps are simply awesome. Also at what size are they able to breed? Sorry for stealing the thunder on your thread OP. Congrats though!


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Sorry I haven't been active. Work has been insane the past week. Thank you to EVERYONE that has responded and for the help!

UPDATE:

They're now wigglers! I purchased a breeder HOB tank so I'll be transferring them all today once I get home. As soon as I do it I'll update some pics. This will be my first time doing this so I'm a tad nervous but hoping for the best. 

Kimchi - I have 2 Males and 2 Females (1 Larger/older male is from a different family while the other male and 2 females are from the same family. So far its the larger male breeding with a female) I actually made some DIY caves (Check out my other thread) I used the flinstone looking cave. The large male is probably 3.5-4Inch. I'll post a pic of him soon. The females are around 3inches. They are in a tank with several other fish, including: 2 Roseline, 2 Angels, group of tetras and a group of barbs.
They're all peaceful 
Hope that helps you out Kimchi


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Here are some photos  
Female and Male.
I'll see if I can get some better pics after!


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Hey!
Here are some updates pics. Sorry if they're blurry. They're so tiny! 
I'll start feeding them once their egg sacks have disappeared.
I've been ready so many different things to feed them. Would crushed flake or crushed NLS work? I have NLS grow, would that be fine or still too big? Let me know! 
Thanks!


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## Tropicana (Feb 15, 2009)

Very Exciting! Im not too sure about the food, I never bred Plecos before. You could probably try the NLS Grow, and possibly crush it and let the food settle so they can eat off the bottom? 

Looking forward to updates, hope they do well.


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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

cant tell if they fully absorbed their yoke yet, if they havent, then dont feed anything.

when they are ready, feed them anything you would feed the adults. no need to crush or anything.


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Yeah I know I'd say more than 85% have absorbed their sack. I've started feeding crushed flake for now.

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## Hitch (Apr 26, 2009)

again, there is no need to crushing any food. These guys are "grazers" for the most part. So having something more substantial where they can latch on and graze away is easier to feed in my opinion.


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Okay, I'll try some zucchini, anything else?

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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Do not leave the zucchini in the tank more than one day as the fry may not take to it right away. I use pellets or wafers also sweet potato.


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Thanks! I'll try that tonight!

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## Jebelz008 (Jul 21, 2009)

*Fry bristlenose*

Congratz!!!
For few days the fry will be ok with they yolk sac as food then I give mine slice of zuchini..not to big because they don't eat much and zuchini make a mess,the container you put the fry in is the water moving? I put the container under the spraybar,my container have suction cup and I put it along the glass.I forget to say I peel the zuchini and I use those tie when you buy plant to sink the zuchini I change the zuchini and clean the water with a turkey baster every day,after few day I give them flake food but keep on with the zuchini they love it.
Nancy


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

Jebelz008 said:


> Congratz!!!
> For few days the fry will be ok with they yolk sac as food then I give mine slice of zuchini..not to big because they don't eat much and zuchini make a mess,the container you put the fry in is the water moving? I put the container under the spraybar,my container have suction cup and I put it along the glass.I forget to say I peel the zuchini and I use those tie when you buy plant to sink the zuchini I change the zuchini and clean the water with a turkey baster every day,after few day I give them flake food but keep on with the zuchini they love it.
> Nancy


They're growing nicely! I lost a few because of an over flow  but I still have around 20. But two days ago I saw my cave FULL of eggs, looks to be over 50+
I'll make sure those all survive! They also have the albino gene! I'm gonna be transferring the first batch of fry to a 20 gallon today or tomorrow so I can get the breeder box ready for this new batch!


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## BNP (Jun 23, 2013)

COngratzz!! To tell if the babies are albino or not, you look at their eyes and if they are yellow instead of black they are albino!!! Cant wait to see pictures on them!!!!


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

This is what I managed to save. It was 17 fry. I put them all into a 20 gallon to grow out. 4 albino and 13 regular.

So as I was doing this I decided to get the other fry that was in the cave. It's been about a week and a half almost two. I have over 70+ fry that are now in my breeder box! I'm going to try and keep them all alive!
Here is a picture of them still in the cave.








Here are a few pictures of them now in the breeder box.























They swarm to the corners! I also took some videos. Hopefully I'll get them up soon. I wanna know what you guys think of my method and so on! 
Cheers!

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## bob123 (Dec 31, 2009)

Unless you can get them into a larger tank you will loose many as the ammonia produced in that small a space will be great. I just had my two week old fry removed from the cave and put them in a 40 gallon breeder tank along with my W/C Altums. They will feed on algae wafers and flakes. I do 30% water changes twice a week on this tank.


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## Reis (Nov 15, 2011)

I don't plan on keep them there for too long. I clean it every night and I'm just waiting for them to grow a bit to toss them into a bigger tank.

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