Starlight Bristlenose Pleco (L183)

Ancistrus dolichopterus

Also known as L183, Starlight Bristlenose, Blue-fin Bristlenose

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 79–84°F (26–29°C)
pH: 5.5–7.0
Adult size: 5.5 in (14 cm)
Minimum tank: 30 gal (115 L)
Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Easy
Rarity: Common
Origin: Rio Negro basin in Amazonas, Brazil.
Family: Loricariidae

Overview

A modest pleco for a tank of about 115 liters, hardier and more colorful than many L-numbers but pickier about water than the common bristlenose, wanting soft and acidic conditions. It is a genuine algae eater, so feed algae and spirulina wafers, blanched vegetables, and keep driftwood available, with only light protein. Peaceful and community safe, and males grow the branched nose bristles the group is named for.

In the wild

Comes from the soft, acidic blackwater of the Rio Negro, living among driftwood and leaf litter in shaded margins. True to the Ancistrus genus it is a grazer, rasping algae and aufwuchs off wood and rock and eating the wood surface itself, so driftwood aids its digestion. Prefers warm, soft, tannin-stained water.

Good to know

This is the true Ancistrus dolichopterus, distinct from the mixed-origin common bristlenose sold simply as Ancistrus sp. Adults keep a jet black body dusted with white star-like spots and a bold white edge on the dorsal and tail fins. That white fin seam holds into adulthood, which is the quickest way to tell it from lookalikes.