Sexing my bristlenose plecos

[Bloodroot]

Okay so I hope these pictures are good enough. Both plecos are about 4 inches long.

I got the albino first, who I assumed was a male because of his long bristles. Am I correct (see picture)?

So I went to my lfs, who actually knows a lot and asked for a female pleco. He gave me this normal colored one (see picture - sorry my female ram was curious about the phone and tried to photo bomb the picture). However I was very confused because all my reading came up saying that females will not have bristles down their nose. So is the dark colored one a female?
Thanks!!!

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[sinibotia]

I think if it has bristles it's a male.

 

[lilme]

I think if it has bristles it's a male.

you are correct

 

[Bloodroot]

Yeah that's what I was thinking too... but the fish guy was telling me that some females do have bristles... and he did show me the male counterpart (same size as the brown one) and his bristles were HUGE... and in a tank of about 30 there was not a single one without bristles... that is odd right?

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[toddnbecka]

Some females do have relatively tiny bristles around the edge of their snout, but any with large ones running up the middle like that are males. Some males are slower to mature than others, so relative size of their bristles isn't an indication of sex. I've been breeding and raising them for years, and seen every size and variation among them. If you want to breed them I'd really suggest going with super reds or at least long fins, there are so many people breeding regular brown and albino that you can hardly get rid of them.

 

[SNorlin]

The males have bristles that kind of look like Mohawks in the middle of their nose along with the regular bristles along the edges like females. I think you have two males. I have two females but I was hoping for 1 male.


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[limnologist]

That brown pleco is a female. The females have very small bristles and, considering the size of her head, it isnt surprising one would think she is a male since the bigger the pleco gets, the bigger her bristles get. I assume your male is smaller than her?

 

[Bloodroot]

They both are almost exactly the same size.

As for breeding, it wasn't my plan. I mean I know it can happen and probably will but I was getting my albino a friend because I never saw him. Now they are both out during the day alot more.

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