Albino Bristlenose

fish description – Albino Bristlenose Pleco Care Guide ($Ancistrus\ cf.\ cirrhosus$ ‘Albino’ Strain)

Category	Detail
Scientific Name	$Ancistrus\ cf.\ cirrhosus$ (‘Albino’ Strain)
Common Name	Albino Bristlenose Pleco, Albino Bushynose Catfish
Origin	Amazon River Basin (South America) (Tank-Bred Strain)
Adult Size	4–5 inches (10–13 cm)
Temperament	Peaceful, generally solitary, nocturnal bottom-dweller (males territorial)
Lifespan	5–10 years
Care Level	Easy

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Appearance and Sexual Differences

 

• Short Description: A small, armored catfish with a flattened body and a sucker mouth.⁸ It has a light yellowish-pink or marbled body and red or reddish-pink eyes.⁹ Its face is adorned with fleshy, antler-like bristles once mature.¹⁰

   

• Coloration: Albino mutation results in the pale body color and red eyes. Males develop much larger, more numerous, and prominent bristles across the snout and head.¹¹ Females have few or no bristles, which remain tiny and stay mostly around the mouth.

   

• Fins: Proportional, often with a hint of gold or yellow.
• Behavior: Primarily nocturnal, resting in caves or under driftwood during the day and becoming active at night to graze algae.¹² They are excellent algae eaters, but males are territorial toward other males and need their own defined caves.¹³

   

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Tank Requirements and Water Parameters

 

• Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons (75 liters) is the minimum for a single fish.¹⁴ 30 gallons or larger is recommended for community setups or if keeping more than one fish.¹⁵ A long tank maximizes foraging area.¹⁶

   

• Schooling: Generally solitary.¹⁷ Only one male should be kept per small tank; in large tanks (75+ gallons), multiple territories can be established with multiple caves.¹⁸

   

• Temperature: Tropical range: ¹⁹$72^\circ$–²⁰$86^\circ\text{F}\ (22^\circ$–²¹$30^\circ\text{C})$ (ideally ²²$72^\circ$–²³$78^\circ\text{F}$).²⁴

   

• pH Level: Highly adaptable: 6.5 to 7.5.²⁵ They are hardy but require consistent water stability. Moderate water flow and high oxygenation are beneficial.²⁶

   

• Aquascape: Driftwood is essential; it provides a source of lignin/fiber necessary for their digestion and also a place for biofilm/algae to grow.²⁷ Provide numerous dark caves (ceramic, slate, or wood) for hiding and for the male to claim as a spawning site.²⁸ Substrate can be sand or smooth gravel.²⁹

   

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Diet and Feeding

 

The Albino Bristlenose Pleco is primarily an herbivore that requires fiber and vegetable matter.³⁰

 

• Staple Diet: Should be supplemented daily with high-quality, sinking algae wafers or spirulina pellets.³¹

   

• Supplementation: Diet must be heavily plant-based ($\approx$ 80% vegetable). Offer fresh, blanched vegetables (e.g., zucchini slices, cucumber, spinach, shelled peas) frequently.³² Driftwood must be present for fiber.³³ Occasional protein (bloodworms, brine shrimp) can be offered sparingly (around 15-20% of diet).³⁴

   

• Schedule: Feed once daily, preferably in the evening or after the lights are off, to ensure the nocturnal fish gets its full share of wafers and vegetables without competition.³⁵

   

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Compatibility

 

• Caution: Males are highly territorial with each other.³⁶ Avoid keeping them with very large, aggressive fish that might view them as a food source, and avoid slow, flat-bodied fish (like Discus or Goldfish) as they may sometimes attempt to “suck” on their slime coats.³⁷

   

• Good Tank Mates: Nearly all peaceful community fish, including Tetras, Danios, Rasboras, Corydoras catfish, and Gouramis.³⁸ They are generally safe with most live plants.³⁹