Peppermint Bristlenose 4cm

Peppermint Bristlenose 

Peppermint bristlenose is an extremely popular species of armored catfish native to South America. They are actually not a colour variation of the standard bristlenose catfish and are their very own species however much of their care is exactly the same. These tend to be the first new species that pleco enthusiasts branch out to after mastering the plethora of colours in the standard bristlenose and the peppermints act as a gateway into the world of L number plecos. Peppermint plecos are also great algae eaters and will be a vital member of your clean-up crew which makes them an even better fish to have in your aquarium. 

Peppermint bristlenose especially as juveniles look absolutely stunning with jet-black body colour and bright white spots that run from head to tail. The fins are rimmed with the same white as well. When the plecos mature, they still maintain the contrasting black and white however spots are much smaller and almost look like small stars in a night sky. They do not stand out as much as the white spots on juveniles but are still beautiful in their own way. Peppermint bristlenose tends to have smaller bristles compared to the standard species, aside from this, the temperature and water parameter requirements are all the same. These are tropical fish and need a water temperature of 24 - 26 degrees and a PH range of 6.0 - 7.0

Breeding peppermint bristlenose is possible and commonly done in the aquarium hobby. These fish however tend to not do well with change in the breeding environment, whilst this does not physically harm the fish, it tends to really halt their breeding for quite some time. The peppermint bristlenose really is a set-and-forget style of fish when it comes to breeding, it is best to put in a group that consists of 1 or 2 males and 3 to 4 females into a tank that is littered with pleco caves. 

Tank Recommendations for your Peppermint Bristlenose

A group of peppermint bristlenose can easily be kept in an aquarium with a minimum volume of 75 liters, this would also be the minimum volume for a single fish. These fish tend to max out at around 10-15 cm and will have little to no concern with the aquarium setting as long as they have places to hide. They can be kept with virtually any substrate and hardscape, are very plant friendly, and once settled into the aquarium, they should spend some time out in the open.  

Suitable Tank Buddies

The peppermint bristlenose pleco is extremely peaceful minimal aggression coming out between males during the breeding time however this is kept between the males and never affects any other tank mates. The only consideration is to avoid any fin-nipping tank mates as these will for sure pester the long fin plecos.

Usually Compatible

Tetras, gouramis, corydoras, angelfish, rams, and other common community fish.

Sometime Compatible

Semi-aggressive or territorial cichlids like jack Dempseys, fire mouths, or convict cichlids. Rosy barbs, tiger barbs, and similar fin-nipping fish should be avoided or kept with caution. 

Rarely Compatible 

Large aggressive species such as African cichlids, Oscars, and Jaguar cichlids. These species may try to eat the Bristlenose pleco which could end in death for both fish. These plecos have dense armour-like bones and pectoral spines which can get lodged in the throat of these fish. 

Feeding your Peppermint Bristlenose

Peppermint bristlenose plecos will easily take to a wide range of food and are arguably one of the easiest fish to feed. The Bristlenose are regarded as ‘wood eaters’ meaning they can easily sustain themselves eating aquarium driftwood. The best type of wood is Malaysian bog wood as this is a softer type and breaks down fairly easily. Do keep in mind that plecos feeding exclusively on wood can lead to a lot of wood dust as a byproduct due to them chomping away, however, a palm-sized piece of wood should last a very long time. Aside from this they will eat algae and decaying plant matter but will also eat sinking aquarium foods like sinking pleco wafers. This can be supplemented with blanched veggies like zucchini and pumpkin.