The Bristlenose Pleco is a very peaceful and hardy addition to almost any aquarium. This fish will not bother most plants, but it will likely help with algae control, especially as a juvenile. It will also scavenge and consume most uneaten fish food. They have a unique appearance as well as plenty of personality. They are mainly omnivore, but meatier foods should only be fed sparingly (once a week or less). They are generally solitary, but will socialize somewhat, especially during breeding. They are indigenous to South America. A generally peaceful and hardy species, the Bristlenose Pleco is an excellent, undemanding candidate for most aquariums. Unlike the widely-seen Common Pleco (Hypostomus plecostomus) and Trinidad Pleco (Hypostomus punctatus), which easily reach a monstrous size of 18 to 20+ inches, the Bristlenose Pleco grows to a size of only 4 to 5 inches. This smaller size makes for a much more manageable (and less messy) pleco that can thrive permanently in a well-maintained aquarium as small as 30 to 40 gallons. Male plecos may be somewhat territorial with other males of their species, but disputes can usually be diffused by providing ample territory and hiding places for each fish. All other tankmates will be generally ignored, although it is possible that small dwarf shrimp fry might fall prey to the Bristlenose Pleco. They are primarily nocturnal, but will often become active during daytime hours once established in an aquarium with plenty of driftwood, rockwork, and other hiding places. It is not known to eat wood heavily like some plecos, but it may benefit from some supplementary wood (or bio-matter on driftwood) in its diet. The Bristlenose Pleco will not bother most plants, but it will eat plenty of algae in the aquarium, especially as a juvenile. Feed the Bristlenose Pleco a diet heavy in vegetable matter, including high-quality vegetable flakes, sinking algae wafers and pellets. It will also appreciate being fed some fresh vegetables such as shelled peas, spinach, zucchini and cucumber. Occasional meaty foods such as bloodworms are also beneficial when fed very sparingly. This fish eats constantly, so too much meat/animal protein in its diet can be unhealthy for the fish as well as the level of waste it produces in the aquarium. All livestock sold at mgaquatics.com are all breed and raised in northeast Florida as we do not import livestock.