Tropical Fish Keeping banner

Bristlenose breeding plan

5K views 27 replies 4 participants last post by  1stAquarium 
#1 ·
I have a 17 US gal tank with 50 watt heater, and lighting in the hood. I am going to make a sponge filter as I currently have a Fluval U2 which would eat the fry!
After doing some research, my plan for making a sponge filter is: get a large sponge with large porous holes (I already have some filter sponges), poke a hole halfway through the middle of the sponge, get a length of tubing and poke small holes through one end of it, put the length of tubing down into the sponge (holey end first) and attach the other end of the tubing to a powerhead which will blow air down the tube. Will this be okay? Can I also use an airstone or is there anything else I can do which will make it better and is simple to make?
Also, can I use an old sponge from one of my established filters to speed up the cycling process?
 
#2 ·
i don't have a clue about diy filters unless it's a sump but good luck with that.
 
#5 ·
sumps are filers made from aquariums or other large containers :-D
 
#4 ·
Would stick with the fluval U2 filter for this tank. Bristlenose fry will stay with the male on the nest for approx four weeks before venturing out and at this time,they should be large enough not to get drawn into the filter.If you like,you could purchase some nylon netting material from fabric store and wrap it around the filter and hold in place with large rubber band but again,,, I don't see the filter as being a problem by looking at photos of this filter.
Do be aware that 17 gallons is too small for Male and female Bristlenose plus fry.
Hope yopu are planning on breeding the fish in large tank, and that the smaller tank is for the fry.
Sponge filter could work as you described but as cheap as they are,,i would perhaps just buy one already constructed.
In any event,,you want the powerhead if this is used,,to pull water into the sponge rather than force water down the tube and out of the sponge.
 
#6 ·
Thanks a lot 1077, I will stick with the fluval u2 then :)

I am going to breed them in the 17 gallon as I've read that it's a nightmare trying to catch the fry from the main tank once they are free swimming! I can imagine as it takes me long enough to catch my adults!

Once the fry are independent I will take the male out. The female will be put back in the main tank too once she has laid. I have various 'grow out' tanks and friends wanting a BN, and there is a LFS not too far from me who will take very young babies anyway if I end up with loads.
 
#8 ·
Plants in my view would help. Java fern ,anubia, java moss.
Young fry after they venture out from the nest, have voracious appetites, I recently rounded up approx 100 of the little buggers from 75 gallon tank.
I fed them once daily, with spirulina pellets,algae wafers,spirulina based brine shrimp, along with some sinking african pelllet foods which were high in protein and vegetable matter.
I frequently left zuchinni slices and lettuce in the tank for two or three days so that fishes could always have some food to nibble on.
Vegetable matter does not contain animal proteins that can foul the water ,so leaving it in for a couple days won't compromise water conditions and if the little ones are anything like the ones i cared for,,the vegetable matter should disappear quickly.
I performed water changes twice each week to ensure that water quality was not an issue.
Hope you have success.;-)
 
#9 ·
Great thank you :)

Urgh I've just thrown a load of Java Moss out as it was taking over my main tank and growing like a stringy cotton wool texture green mass from it??! I have plenty of plants I can use though.

How much water did you change each time?

Now all I need is a female lol, I have two males ATM as I asked for a female a few months back and it's turned out to be a male. Unless females ever have bristles? Going to look in a LFS later, can't wait!
 
#10 · (Edited)
I changed 50 percent twice each week due to the numbers of fish and waste produced. I also had some tetras in the tank Approx 30.
But would still recommend 50 percent water changes which is what I do once a week on all tanks regardless of fish population.
If you have been performing smaller, more infrequent changes,then perhaps twice weekly 25 to 30 percent to begin with ,then after a couple weeks of this,, I might begin with 50 percent changes.
This should help lessen any effects of sudden changes in water chemistry. Once a week 50 percent works well for most tanks but with numerous fry and frequent feedings,I would try for twice weekly.
 
#11 ·
Thanks :) I will see how many babies they have...once I find a female that is!! Apparently they're like gold dust round here! I'm still not sure if I have a pair or two males.
Can females ever have a few bristles??
I am also planning on keeping my livebearer fry in the tank with the BN fry will this be ok u think?
Posted via Mobile Device
 
#14 ·
Thanks :) I will see how many babies they have...once I find a female that is!! Apparently they're like gold dust round here! I'm still not sure if I have a pair or two males.
Can females ever have a few bristles??
I am also planning on keeping my livebearer fry in the tank with the BN fry will this be ok u think?
Posted via Mobile Device
Livebearer fry should be fine with the young bristlenose. do keep in mind that numerous feedigs a day plus possibly 50 Bristlenose fry or more,, along with livebearer fry ,will require close attention to water parameters (ie ) water changes.
At around three inches,,you should be able to determine if you have a male/female. I have heard that females may have a very few,very small number of bristles but nothing compared to the males although My female has no such bristles.
 
#15 ·
Yeah I'm pretty sure I have two males, was just hoping it might be a female! I'm going to put them together in their own tank anyway and see what happens and keep a close eye out for fighting if they are both male. I thought maybe I had a masculine female (lol) and they weren't mating in the main tank due to the other fish so I guess it's worth a try!
Was also wondering, once I have a breeding pair, I have heard they will just keep breeding. Should I separate them every so often to give the parents a break or does this not have a negative draining effect on them?
 
#16 ·
Yeah I'm pretty sure I have two males, was just hoping it might be a female! I'm going to put them together in their own tank anyway and see what happens and keep a close eye out for fighting if they are both male. I thought maybe I had a masculine female (lol) and they weren't mating in the main tank due to the other fish so I guess it's worth a try!
Was also wondering, once I have a breeding pair, I have heard they will just keep breeding. Should I separate them every so often to give the parents a break or does this not have a negative draining effect?

You will be removing the female after the eggs are laid ?Considering the male will guard the eggs and fry for approx four weeks ,this should provide a suitable resting period .:cool:
 
#18 ·
Well, I've FINALLY found an 4 inch adult female! It's a 40 mile round trip to get her (!!!) but my boyfriend and I can make a day out of it at the weekend :D so I've reserved her for then. Very excited lol, sad I know!

I was thinking though, I put her and my best male in the breeding tank, they (hopefully) breed then I remove the female to the main community tank. Thing is, my other male will be in this tank..if she breeds with him straight away and it turns into a full-time breeding cycle for her she's going to get ill probably? Only way I can spearate her from both males is to keep them both in the breeding tank, or put her in the breeding tank when just the fry are in there/male guarding the fry so won't be interested? I don't want to keep both adult males in the breeding tank with the fry as it wouldn't be fair (only 17 gal) do you think she would be okay to live in there full time? Or can I keep all 3 adults in the main tank and hope they won't breed her to death?! How often do your BNS breed, do you keep them separate? Any suggestions?
 
#19 ·
Could possbly find a new home for one of the males? With two males, they will keep breeding with the lone female.
Bristlenose I kept produced eggs approx every three weeks with around 50 to 75 eggs . Trust me,. These fish will produce more fry than you have room for if you don't seperate the female after she has laid eggs.
 
#20 ·
:/ what is the survival rate of the fry in your experience? I am hoping to let quite a few of the fry grow to a good size, even if that means getting one or two more tanks.

Also, did you find it quite easy to get your BNs to spawn or did you do anything to induce it e.g. simulating the rainy/winter season?
 
#21 ·
Could not begin to suggest survival rate for much depends on water quality and or genes of parents.
I offered my adult fish spirulina flake and pellets ,along with frozen brine shrimp and blood worms,alage wafers,and New life spectrum med fish formula along with Zuchinni on regular basis and just let the fish decide when the time was right.
Though I made no efforts at triggering spawning activity, the fishes began breeding in Novenmber when I suspect the water in the tank at work cooled perhaps slightly due to it's location in front onf North facing window.
My local fish store offered to take the fry and I received store credit for them but they insisted that the fish be at least two inches long. It took considerable time for mine to reach this size (nearly four months) but they were long finned albino variety and perhaps they grow slower?
 
#22 ·
Right, well.....!! Went to the fish store at the weekend, the one that's 20 miles away. I rang up first to check they still had the BN adult female they'd reserved, they said they did so off I went....got there, told them what I had come for, and the girl went to get it from the holding tanks in the back..brought it out and let me have a look at her in the bag....I looked, and said "erm...that's a male!!!!!!!!" Had branched bristles and everything!!! I was like noooooo I've come 20 miles for this fish!!!
As luck woud have it though, the girl had her own breeding pair in the back which she offered to sell me so I agreed. So I now have a good sized pair in my 17gal tank :) she said they had only bred 3 times since Christmas (had some of their babies for sale, very cute!!) is this about average for breeding rate?
I have them in my tank now with a few ornaments, driftwood etc and bare bottomed tank. I have put an air stone in attached to a pump, should I have this on or not?? I want the water to be well aerated but I don't want to disturb them? I have also been keeping the lights mostly off is this a good idea or not?
Trying not to be too impatient lol, I really hope they don't take ages about it!! Lol
 
#23 ·
Would condition the fish with spirulina based brine shrimp, vegetables,veggie flakes or pellets, and maybe once a week offer some frozen foods such as blood worms,krill, or small bits of shrimp either frozen or freezedried but the majority of foods should hold vegetable matter. Too much foods with protein(animal), is not good for them.
Wood is good ,(the more the better) Caves just barely large enough for them to enter are also needed. They like small tight caves that are easily defended and have but one way out or in.
Airstone would be fine, I had a large sponge filter that ran off an air pump along with HOB filters .The light's off ,,I can't comment on other than to say the only light my tank at work receives is from eight foot fixture some six to seven feet above the tank ,so the tank was shall I say not well lit.
You might try performing water changes every once in a while(once or twice a month), with slightly cooler water than what's in the tank.This can sometimes induce spawning activity but I would first let the fish settle in their new tank and feed them a variety of foods as mentioned to help ensure they are really healthy.
Take care to keep the water fresh, and uneaten foods removed,and the fish will do the rest in their own sweet time.Some things take a fair amount of time ,and often times the more we want something,the more difficult it seems to be. Patience.
Read all you can find on the care and breeding of these fish ,for I can only relate my own expieriences and the more info you have the easier it is to understand the fishes wants, needs, and behaivors.
 
#24 ·
Thanks 1077. I have been feeding most of the foods you have mentioned, will veer more towards the vegetable based as I have already given them some frozen blood worms. Put a slice of cucumber in last night and did a vac of the huge mess they had made with the algae wafer!!
I have had my first male BN for over a year now and I'm always reading about their care and breeding, the internet is fantastic!!
I think I need to get some better caves as the entrances on the ones I have are too large really. I saw someone on one internet page had put terracotta plantpot SAUCERS with a little door chipped out which seemed a good idea and had worked for them.
Think I'm just going to go with normal lighting for their tank. How long should I leave the airstone on for each day? It is quite noisy with a strong flow, I don't want to put them off!I have my fluval U2 in there still but it's decided to stop working, cleaned it and it's still not working so I'm going to take it to pieces and see if I can do something with it.
They seem to be settling in well, the male has already established his territory in a castle ornament but I'm not sure they would breed in there, it has an open top.
 
#25 ·
They're liable to breed anywhere. I made several caves for them but they chose the underside of a large piece of driftwood.
Do be sure and keep your filter material wet in aquarium water (not tapwater) while you work on the filter . Should you decide to repalce it, stuff the old filter material that is in present filter in your new one.
Filter material allowed to dry out, or that is not in a tank with fish,,will result in good bacteria being lost and water quality issues for your fish.(toxic ammonia)
Would run the airstone 24/7 until you get filter repaired/replaced, and change water once in the morning and once in the evening until you get the filter working again.
Fish won't survive long without a filter.
 
#27 ·
Well my BN pair were fine after my two other males died, thanks for the advice :)
and.......they've bred!!!!! Finally!!!!! I'm so excited lol. Saw a flurry of activity in there on Saturday night and today I got a look at the eggs, the male is doing a great job. Just gunna keep the water in top quality n feed my female back up and I'll keep you posted : D
Posted via Mobile Device
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top