PlanetCatfish.com - Ancistrus sp. (3) (Loricariidae) Cat-eLog

Cat-eLog Loricariidae Hypostominae Ancistrus var. | |

Young male
Male
Dorsal view
Male
Male with eggs
Adult female
Close-up of male
Atypical long head tentacles.
Adult female
Pair with eggs
Adult Male
Young male
Dorsal view of juvenile
Close-up of male
Male - wild caught - possibly the original species or at least one of those involved?
With clutch of eggs
Close-up of head of male
Calico
Piebald variety
Piebald variety
Adult Male
Piebald variety
Head-on view of albino male
Close-up of head of piebald male
Youngsters feasting on brussels sprout leaves
Albino female
Calico
Albino
Male albino veiltail
Albino
Piebald veiltail variety
Close-up of mouth of male
Pair
Stamp
Veiltail
Stress colouration
Male with eggs
Veiltail
Males
Veiltail
Video - Pair spawning
Veiltail
One day old fry
Five day old fry
Close-up of mouth
White albino variety
Ventral view
Calico variety
Calico variety
Calico variety
Albino with newly hatched fry
Longfin amelanistic form
Albino
Super red, male.
Female
Group of Super Red
Green Dragon
Green Dragon Veiltail - Dorsal view
Green Dragon Veiltail

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	Ancistrus sp. (3)
Common Names	Common Bristlenose Catfish Abn (Internet), Albino Bristlenose Catfish, Albino Veiltail Catfish, Antennesugemalle (Denmark), Bn (Internet), Bushynose Catfish, Calico Bristlenose, Green Dragon Bristlenose, Piebald Bristlenose, Sp(3) Bristlenose, Super Red Bristlenose, Veiltail Bristlenose
Pronunciation	an SISS truss
Etymology	The name Ancistrus is derived from the Greek word agkistron, meaning hook, in reference to the interopercular odontodes that are hooked.
Articles	- CotM 1998 December - Shane's World Reproduction Maintaining and Spawning Albino Ancistrus - Shane's World Species Ancistrus 101, Pt 2 - Spawning Techniques and Fry Rearing - Shane's World Catfishology The identity of the common bristlenose
Species Information
Size	125mm or 4.9" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Mature males and sometimes females have soft tentacles (bushy fleshy growths) on the snout - this is unique to the genus Ancistrus. The common Bristlenose is the most commonly captive bred is impossible to identify to species primarily due to a lack of original locality information but also because tens of undescribed congeners exist. It is not assigned to species here for that reason. Logically, it is thought to be a hybrid, however it is not easy to determine if it is so or not.
Sexing	Males have head tentacles, females do not.
General Remarks	This species was known as Ancistrus sp(3) in the Cat-eLog from February 1997 until August 2008, when it was changed to A. cf. cirrhosus. After much research which failed to identify the species, A. sp(3) this was reserected from mid-2024 aligning to the now prevailing idea that this is a domesticated form which likely involves hybridisation. Several colour forms exist as well a long fin strain. The super-red form was first line-bred from the calico form of the common bristlenose in Germany. As is the way with the common bristlenose, they are pretty fertile and as soon as the pure strain got introduced into the market, it quickly spread across Europe and west over the Atlantic. A long-finned variety was also line-bred from them relatively soon after that. There is some variation in the quality of the strain, a good strain produces 100% all-red offspring, less-than-optimal breeding stock (even if they are all-red) can produce a fair amount of offspring with some residual black markings.
Habitat Information
Distribution	South America
IUCN Red List Category	Not Evaluated
pH	5.8 - 7.2
Temperature	21.5-26.5°C or 70.7-79.7°F (Show species within this range)
Other Parameters	Relatively undemanding.
Husbandry Information
Feeding	It is thought that elements in bogwood, particularly lignin, may form an essential part of Bristlenose diet - they are unlikely to benefit from the wood itself. Certainly they have the immensely long guts common to vegetarians, and although they fall avidly on the occasional meal of live food or prawns, the bulk of their diet must be composed of vegetable matter. If a high protein diet is fed constantly, then they will become prone to stomach disorders. Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is a valuable addition to this. Fry will feed from free-swimming on the same diet as parents. It may help to blanch vegetables when feeding young fry, as it helps them rasp off the food stuff. User data.
Furniture	In the aquarium they prefer a strong water current with lots of oxygen, and require plenty of hiding places. Bogwood is ideal for this, as it is not only attractive to look at and provides plenty of shelter. Although they are vegetarian, they do not feed on water plants either naturally or in the aquarium, and your treasured collection of cryptocorynes will not only remain uneaten, but the Bristlenose will carefully and gently graze each leaf, removing any covering of algae that may form.
Compatibility	They are gentle and unassuming fish, and can be kept in community tanks with the most timid of inhabitants. Even tiny fry will be left unharmed once free-swimming.
Suggested Tankmates	All community fish, small to medium sized cichlids.
Breeding	See catfish of the month article. Several man-made variants exist, e.g. piebald, albino and long-fin (veiltail) varieties which have all been line bred in captivity.
Breeding Reports	There are 85 breeding reports, read them all here.
Further Information
Registered Keepers	There are 1315 registered keepers, view all "my cats" data.
Wishlists	Love this species? Click the heart to add it to your wish list. There are 16 wishes to keep this species, see who wants what.
Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There are 281 records of this fish being seen, view them all.
Forum BBCode

	Search for A. sp. (3)
	Look up A. sp. (3) on AquaticRepublic.com
	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.4.4.49
Last Update	2025 Feb 17 11:34 (species record created: 2001 Apr 26 00:00)