{"product_id":"brown-bristlenose","title":"Brown Bristlenose","description":"\u003cp\u003eBrown Bristlenose plecos hail from the fast-moving water systems across South America, predominantly the Amazon River basin. Growing to around 15cm in length, bristlenose plecos are a popular choice for many hobbyists due to their hardiness, manageable size (relative to common plecos) and ability to eat algae.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is worth noting that whilst bristlenose plecos are excellent algae eaters and will certainly graze their way through lots of algae, they do eat a lot and produce a large bioload as a result. To manage the bioload, consider regular partial water changes to keep your aquarium clean.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBristlenose plecos can usually be sexed at around six months of age. The males develop bristles from their snouts, the females generally have no bristles or if they do, they appear across the top lip.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBristlenose plecos are prolific breeders. If you are not planning on having fry, bristlenose plecos can be kept as a single specimen alongside other fish, or in groups of single sex plecos.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt is essential that plecos have access to bogwood in their aquarium as they rasp on it to help their digestive tract stay healthy. Bristlenose plecos also require areas that offer shade in the aquarium, as they are technically nocturnal. It is advisable to provide caves for your plecos, if you opt for a male group of plecos, be sure that you have more caves than male bristlenose plecos in your aquarium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBristlenose plecos are generally clumsy, they do not intentionally dig up plants but they do knock them over, or attempt to sit on them to graze for algae. If you’re considering plants in your aquarium, explore epiphyte plants which can be attached to wood or rock such as Java fern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt Wirral Aquatics we feed our bristlenose plecos EBO Spirulina Tabs, algae wafers and cucumber. Very occasionally we give them frozen brine shrimp but only occasionally as too much protein can cause fatal bloating.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wirral Aquatics","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53918856773960,"sku":null,"price":12.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0865\/1364\/7944\/files\/d97a4f0d-e383-41fd-a8a5-b68abceb7c03-a19f10c1.webp?v=1794359317","url":"https:\/\/www.wirralaquatics.co.uk\/products\/brown-bristlenose","provider":"Wirral Aquatics","version":"1.0","type":"link"}