Colombian bristlenose pleco

Ancistrus triradiatus

Also known as Three-ray bristlenose

FreshwaterFish

Colombian bristlenose pleco (Ancistrus triradiatus) — (c) Pia Helminen, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa

Care at a glance

Temperature: 77–84°F (25–29°C)
pH: 6.0–7.5
Adult size: 4.3 in (11 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Orinoco llanos, Colombia and Venezuela
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

The Colombian bristlenose is a hardy, undemanding pleco best kept singly or as a pair, since males take a cave and defend it from other males. It is a genuine algae grazer that works wood, rock and glass, mostly after dark. Peaceful and easygoing, it fits almost any calm community tank. Feed it algae wafers and vegetables such as zucchini and cucumber, with driftwood to rasp and the odd sinking protein food. It is one of the easier plecos to look after and to breed, needing only a tank of around 110 liters with caves and wood.

In the wild

This bristlenose comes from clear, rocky streams of the Orinoco llanos in Colombia and Venezuela, grazing wood and stone in moderate flow. A tank with driftwood, rocky caves and a sand floor suits it, along with good filtration and oxygen. It does best in soft to neutral water, about pH 6.0 to 7.5, at a warm 25 to 29 C. It adapts easily and is among the most forgiving of the wild-caught plecos.

Good to know

Ancistrus triradiatus is a bristlenose in the family Loricariidae, reaching about 11 centimeters, with males a little larger and better bristled. It is one of the relatively few Ancistrus that has actually been formally described, in a genus where most aquarium fish are still traded as unidentified Ancistrus. It breeds readily for a pleco, a cave spawner with the male guarding and fanning the eggs.

Did you know

Most bristlenoses in the trade are sold simply as Ancistrus sp., undescribed and unnamed; this is one of the minority with a proper species name, triradiatus, meaning three-rayed.

Tank mates

Colombian bristlenose pleco is a peaceful, solitary species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.