Bristlenose catfish Breeding, stocking ideas?

[BristlenoseBoy]

Hi, This is my first post in this website, I'm from australia and there aren't really many forums or anything over here so I thought i would try this one! Anyway I have a 3ft by 2ft tank, according to aq advisor it holds 340 litres or 89 gallons. At the moment I have a adult rainbow shark, 5 bronze cories, 3 sailfin mollies, 3 swordtails and a female adult bristlenose catfish. I was about to order a male bristlenose catfish to go with her and then maybe they would breed. Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions or tips in what else I can put in there and help with bristlenose breeding?
Thanks in advance!!

 

[Cactuspixie]

Hi, This is my first post in this website, I'm from australia and there aren't really many forums or anything over here so I thought i would try this one! Anyway I have a 3ft by 2ft tank, according to aq advisor it holds 340 litres or 89 gallons. At the moment I have a adult rainbow shark, 5 bronze cories, 3 sailfin mollies, 3 swordtails and a female adult bristlenose catfish. I was about to order a male bristlenose catfish to go with her and then maybe they would breed. Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions or tips in what else I can put in there and help with bristlenose breeding?
Thanks in advance!!

Hi, I'm in Queensland
So long as you have driftwood, and a clay breeding log, you'll be as overrun with fry as I am! It's ridiculous how often they breed! The males are very protective of the eggs and young, and by the time they are big enough to leave the cave, they will be quick enough to evade predators. Some java fern is great too because it provides cover as well as more surfaces for them to graze on. Mine have been chased by featherfin catfish, and bumble bee gobies, but so far the only thing that gets them is the filter intake.

 

[BristlenoseBoy]

Sounds great! I was going to order the male and a clay breeding log from livefish.com.au do you think $39 fo a 11cm male and $12.50 for a clay breeding log is reasonable? If not do you know any good stores that will ship fish to melbourne?

 

[Cactuspixie]

Those prices are comparable to the prices in stores here. But how much extra is shipping?
Have you tried Gumtree? Even if you don't see ads for sale, its worth posting a wanted ad- I won't advertise mine for sale, but would offer them to someone who wanted them. I just traded 9 calicos in at a chain store, that were at least that size, and got $4 credit per fish I'd be happy to GIVE them away to someone I knew would care for them properly. Pity you are so far away!
What are your local stores like?

 

[BristlenoseBoy]

Shipping cost was $18 and had a guarantee if the fish didn't come alive I would get a full redund, or send another one. My lacal staorrs are reasonably good, but the only one I go to that sell adult fish don't have any males, and they said it could be a while 6-8 months before someone brings one in. Also they can't reserve it and you can't tell whats its been through or anything. Do you know if i could do cross breed like tge common female with a marble, albino or longfin male? Also will they still breed in comunity tank?

 

[Cactuspixie]

Do you know if i could do cross breed like tge common female with a marble, albino or longfin male? Also will they still breed in comunity tank?

Yeah, they will all interbreed as they are all basically the same fish. My calico (marble) male kept breeding with an albino female- I'd get 2/3 calico and 1/3 albino. Mine have bred prolifically in a community tank.
I ended up putting my calico male in a tank with a pair of orange spots and a peppermint female so he would stop breeding. I thought he couldn't breed with those species, but that tank is now covered in fry. I don't know whose they are. I only hope there is no inter-species breeding going on

 

[Fishninja]

Yeah, they will all interbreed as they are all basically the same fish. My calico (marble) male kept breeding with an albino female- I'd get 2/3 calico and 1/3 albino. Mine have bred prolifically in a community tank.
I ended up putting my calico male in a tank with a pair of orange spots and a peppermint female so he would stop breeding. I thought he couldn't breed with those species, but that tank is now covered in fry. I don't know whose they are. I only hope there is no inter-species breeding going on

Hey guys what do u do with all the fry when they grow

 

[Cactuspixie]

Hey guys what do u do with all the fry when they grow

I give them away or trade them in for very little store credit.

 

[BristlenoseBoy]

Ok, I just found a marble shortfin male, he is 11cm, and the seller also has lots of breeding caves and plants. The only thing is my female is only9-10cm and the male is 11cm. Will this matter?

 

[Cactuspixie]

Ok, I just found a marble shortfin male, he is 11cm, and the seller also has lots of breeding caves and plants. The only thing is my female is only9-10cm and the male is 11cm. Will this matter?

Not at all. My female us considerably smaller than my male.

 

[BristlenoseBoy]

Ok sounds good, I was going to go pick him up on the weekend! It also turns out that my female is a marble cat too!!!