My 10 gal, 20gal to 55 gal low light tank progression! 56K 10/9/11 LOTS of new pics

[CKJ]

Yep it's plastic. Used to have one just like it and never had any problems with it. Parents bought me a waterbed at age 12. lol Finally had to get rid of the the matress about 8 years ago and after 2 moves I can no longer find it any more.

[gls_triton]

Going down the list of photos you have up it looks like they are all male, just 2 different types of bristlenose catfish. Albino Shortfin Bristlenose Catfish and Albino Longfin Bristlenose Catfish...

Males have the bristles all over the nose/mouth/lip and females don't. Males are wider in the head than then the females, but the females stay wider in the body.

Hope that helps you work it out, but with the photos you have I'm 90% sure they are all Males...

[CKJ]

Yikes!!!!!

They are all the same age and one is really big with all the whiskers so I just thought that since the other two were quite a bit smaller and with far less whiskers that those two were females. But that would explain why they aren't breeding it they were all males.

I sent a message to the guy here who we got them from to see what he thinks as well.

My son just loved his breeding thread on them and we've been hoping for babies ever since. lol

thanks a bunch

[gls_triton]

Also, when trying to breed, make sure the male has a cave that has a little bit of flow past the entrance. The male will sit inside the cave and "fan" for a few days before the female comes and lays eggs.

When the eggs are inside the male will stay with them and keep fanning. Try not to shine a light into the cave or move the cave as the male can and probably will through the eggs out causing them to die before hatching.

After a while the eggs will hatch and lots and lots of little Bristlenose will start to swim around the cave. They will stay near the cave for a while before they head off on their own adventure.

What are you feeding the Bristlenose?

[wkndracer]

sorry for the delay in response, my head hasn't been in the game as it should be lately.

A female can get a bit of whisker around the upper lip right along the edge of the mouth. Males get the beard over the top of the head. I noticed in the pics that the veggie appeared to be skinned. Adults here start with eating the skin and eat the core last (they look healthy and happy)

[CKJ]

The only Zuchinni i've been able to find around here lately has that wax coating. lol So I peel it for them.

So do you think I have a male and 2 females or all males from the pics? I have a friend sending me a pleco cave next week.

I do hope they breed cause we love them so much and it would be so fun to have more of them.