DESCRIPTION ::
A. punctatus is commonly considered a junior synonym of A. hoplogenys however the latter species has long suffered from a case of mistaken identify. A. punctatus is presented here as the large species with a charcoal colouration, light white pinprick spots and a small dark marking just behind the base of the leading dorsal spine. It does not have white edges to the fins and doesn't have an inky black colouration as an adult.
SEXING ::
Typical for the genus with males possessing the so-called 'bushy nose'. Females also may have much smaller growths on the head but to a much lesser extent.
SPAWNING :: by Charles Drew
Ancistrus punctatus is also called the Starlight Bushynose Pleco. It is a mottled brownish colour with tiny little whitish spots. They are a small pleco about four inches long and although easy to keep are a little reluctant to spawn. I bought them in the fall of 2005 and they called them Starlight Bushynose Plecos L182. I took them home and placed them in a tank with three Ancistrus claro and some swordtails. The tank was on a cold water drip system and the temperature varied from the low to mid 70’s. They were fed zucchini and frozen brine shrimp and faired quite well.
In the spring I noticed that the female had grown heavy and obviously was full of spawn. I then setup a 15 gallon tank with a gravel bottom a slate cave and a bamboo tube that remained blocked at one end. I maintained a temperature of 75 degrees F and started reducing the water hardness by doing changes with RO water. This went on for a few weeks and nothing happened. After a while my interest waned and the frequent changes stopped. Soon they were back to getting a once or twice a week change with tap water which is about 7.6 ph and medium hard. Then one day I noticed that the male had taken up residence in the bamboo tube and appeared to be fanning. Yes a peak with the flashlight revealed a clutch of eggs.
The male guarded the eggs diligently and after five days you could see the tiny tails wiggling. A week later the fry started leaving the cave. I started catching them in a kitchen baster and moved them to a bare ten gallon tank with a sponge filter where they were fed snow peas , zucchini and live baby brine shrimp. I find most fry feed better in a bare tank and that they are easier to keep clean. There were about fifty fry and they fared well considering I went on holidays at that time. Now three months later I have approximately three dozen two inches long. I would have thought that the pair would have spawned again by now but it looks like they may make me work to encourage them to spawn. The last few days the male has started hanging around the front of the bamboo tube again so I’ll have to wait and see if I will be presented with another blessed event.
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