Triradiatus Bristlenose Care Guide
Ancistrus triradiatus is a hardy bristlenose from Colombian and Venezuelan streams, a peaceful, mostly herbivorous algae grazer for community tanks.
Overview
Ancistrus triradiatus is an armoured catfish of the family Loricariidae and one of the more commonly traded bristlenose plecos. Seriously Fish gives a maximum size of about 12 cm; FishBase reports around 9.2 cm standard length. It is a hardy, bottom-dwelling, facultative air-breathing fish.
Taxonomy
- Family: Loricariidae
- Genus: Ancistrus
- Scientific name: Ancistrus triradiatus
- Order: Siluriformes
Habitat
Seriously Fish records the species from Colombia and Venezuela. FishBase details middle and lower Orinoco tributaries, the Valencia Lake and Los Guayos River basins, and southern tributaries of Lake Maracaibo. It inhabits flowing streams and tributaries with rocky substrates.
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, caves and rocks with moderate flow
Diet
An omnivore with a strong herbivorous bias. Seriously Fish recommends a primarily vegetarian diet of fresh vegetables such as cucumber and spinach plus dried foods like algae wafers and Spirulina tablets, supplemented occasionally with live or frozen bloodworm or Daphnia.
Compatibility
Seriously Fish describes it as peaceful and suitable for most peaceful community tanks, with characins, peaceful South American cichlids and small catfish as ideal companions. It is territorial toward conspecifics, though multiple can coexist in larger setups; other territorial plecos are best avoided.
Breeding
Seriously Fish reports it as an easily matured cave-spawner in which the male guards the eggs and fry. Eggs hatch in about 4-5 days, with broods often numbering 40-50 or more fry that need abundant vegetable food once they leave the cave. Males develop full, bushy head tentacles, while females have few or none.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern, assessed 2020 (per FishBase).