Jumbie Bristlenose Care Guide
Ancistrus cirrhosus is a small armoured catfish from the Parana basin, a peaceful cave-spawning bristlenose that grazes on algae and aufwuchs.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Ancistrus cirrhosus is a small armoured catfish of the family Loricariidae, one of the bristlenose plecos. According to FishBase it reaches about 9 cm standard length, while Wikipedia gives a comparable figure of roughly 8.9 cm. Like other Ancistrus it is a facultative air-breather and feeds primarily on algae, with FishBase recording a low trophic level of about 2.0.
Taxonomy
- Family: Loricariidae
- Genus: Ancistrus
- Scientific name: Ancistrus cirrhosus
- Order: Siluriformes
Habitat
FishBase places the species in the Parana River basin of South America, and Wikipedia notes records from Argentina and Uruguay. Seriously Fish refers it to the Argentine portion of the Parana drainage. It is described as a demersal, bottom-associated fish of streams ranging from turbid standing water over clay to clearer flowing water over gravel.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 150 L
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (75-82 °F)
- pH: 6.0-7.5
- GH: 2-12 °dGH
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
- Decor: driftwood and a network of caves and shaded refuges
Diet
It is an omnivore that grazes on algae and aufwuchs in nature. Seriously Fish recommends a varied captive diet of sinking dried foods, frozen Daphnia, mosquito and chironomid larvae and prawn, alongside fresh vegetables, parboiled potato and gelatine-bound preparations containing Spirulina.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish describes the common bristlenose as relatively peaceful but territorial toward conspecifics and similarly shaped species. It is a bottom-dweller well suited to peaceful community tanks; small characins and Corydoras make appropriate companions, while other territorial plecos are best avoided.
Breeding
Ancistrus are cave-spawners in which the male guards the eggs and fry, and Seriously Fish notes that juveniles may appear without intervention in mature, well-maintained tanks. Adult males develop pronounced odontodes on the pectoral fins and opercle plus fleshy tentacles on the head, while females lack these structures.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed 2020 (per FishBase).
Ancistrus cirrhosus Breeding Guide
Overview
Ancistrus cirrhosus is a wild-type bristlenose pleco reaching about 8.9 cm standard length, recorded from the Parana River basin in Argentina and Uruguay. It is a cave-spawning loricariid in which the male guards the brood. Species-specific captive accounts are limited, so the well-documented breeding biology of the genus Ancistrus is the most reliable guide here.
Sexing
In Ancistrus, adult males develop fleshy tentacles on the head and evertible cheek odontodes, while females lack head tentacles or show only small ones along the snout margin (Wikipedia on Ancistrus). This makes mature fish straightforward to sex; specific descriptions for this species are limited.
Breeding Setup
- A tank with driftwood and several cave or tube spawning sites
- Clean, well-oxygenated freshwater with good circulation
- Moderately soft to neutral water suiting a wild-type Ancistrus
- Cover for territorial males to reduce conflict
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Genus-level data indicate that breeding takes place in hollows and caves: the male cleans the site, courts the female by expanding his fins and escorting her to the nest, and she deposits an adhesive clutch (roughly 20-200 eggs) on the cavity ceiling. The female then plays no role in parental care; the male takes over. A large water change is the usual stimulus across the genus.
Egg & Fry Care
The male cleans the eggs and cavity, removes diseased or infertile eggs, and aerates the clutch by fanning with his pectoral and pelvic fins. Eggs hatch in about 4-10 days, the male guards for roughly 7-10 days after hatching, and fry absorb their yolk sacs in 2-4 days before becoming free-swimming and grazing on biofilm and fine foods.