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Variety of Bristlenose pleco

Albino bristlenose pleco

Ancistrus sp.

One of 4 varieties of Ancistrus sp. · See all varieties →

Also known as Albino Bushynose, Albino Bushynose Pleco

FreshwaterFish

Albino bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus sp.)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Varieties · Ancistrus sp.

See all 4 →

Care at a glance

Temperature
70–79°F
21–26°C
pH
6.5–7.5
Adult size
4.9 in
12.5 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Very common
Family
Loricariidae

Overview

The albino bristlenose pleco is a pale gold bristlenose with red eyes, on the same build and bristles as the brown fish. It grazes algae on the bottom of a community tank and is best with a little experience.

Did you know

Two albino bristlenose plecos can give you a batch of brown fry. The usual explanation is two different genes that can cause albinism, so a pair carrying different ones has young that show neither. It is uncommon enough to catch people out when they buy stock from mixed sources.

Caring for the albino bristlenose pleco

One albino bristlenose pleco is happy on its own and does not need a group. Give it at least 20 gal (75 L), with driftwood, some hiding spots and good water movement. The driftwood matters, because it rasps on the wood for fiber and roughage.

Keep the water at 70 to 79°F (21 to 26°C) with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. It produces a lot of waste, so keep up with filtration and water changes. It grazes algae and aufwuchs and makes a good algae eater. Feed algae wafers and blanched vegetables such as zucchini, with the occasional sinking protein food.

It is a peaceful bottom dweller and safe with community fish. Mature males grow branching, bristle-like tentacles on the snout, and the pale body makes them easy to read across a shop tank. Albino bristlenose plecos are cave spawners, and the male guards the eggs. Breeding them is moderately difficult.

Good to know

The albino bristlenose pleco has no melanin, so its brown base drops out and its eyes read red from the blood behind them. A pale fish whose eyes are not pink or red is not a true albino. The trait is recessive. An albino crossed to a brown fish has brown-looking young that carry it, and those carriers throw roughly one albino in four. Shops list it as the albino bristlenose or the albino bushynose, and both names cover the same line. The depth of gold varies between suppliers, and the pale body shows scrapes a brown fish hides.

In the wild

The albino bristlenose pleco was fixed in captivity from Ancistrus stock traded as cf. cirrhosus. Albinos are not found in wild populations. The line has been in the hobby long enough that stock traces back to many breeders, so no single origin is documented. Nearly all fish in stores are tank-bred, often locally.

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Tank mates

The albino bristlenose pleco is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

Is an albino bristlenose pleco a different species from the bristlenose pleco?

No. An albino bristlenose pleco is a variety of the bristlenose pleco, Ancistrus sp., and it wants the same tank, water and food as the species.

What size tank does an albino bristlenose pleco need?

An albino bristlenose pleco needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What does an albino bristlenose pleco eat?

An albino bristlenose pleco grazes algae and aufwuchs. Feed it algae wafers and blanched vegetables such as zucchini, with a sinking protein food now and then.

How big does an albino bristlenose pleco get?

An adult albino bristlenose pleco reaches about 4.9 in (12.5 cm).

How can you tell a male albino bristlenose pleco from a female?

Males grow branching, bristle-like tentacles on the snout once they mature. On the pale albino body, a male's bristles are easy to read across a shop tank.

How does an albino bristlenose pleco breed?

Albino bristlenose plecos spawn in caves, and the male guards the eggs. Breeding them is moderately difficult.

Related species