Easy
Bristle-Nose catfish red+black (Ancistrus sp. red + black)
23–28°C · pH 6–7.5 · 60L
£9.99
Albino bristlenose pleco — a hardy, peaceful algae grazer that suits beginner community tanks. Easy care. 23–28°C, pH 6.0–7.5.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Ancistrus albino
Albino bristlenose pleco — a hardy, peaceful algae grazer that suits beginner community tanks. Easy care. 23–28°C, pH 6.0–7.5.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Peaceful algae-grazing catfish ideal for UK community tanks. Stays small (12-15 cm), loves driftwood, easy to breed. Sent by licensed live-animal courier with Live Arrival Guarantee.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Few algae-grazers are as forgiving for a newer fishkeeper as the albino Ancistrus, the pale colour form of the popular bristlenose pleco. Its soft, washed-out body makes it easy to spot against dark substrate and driftwood, and its calm, unhurried manner means it slots neatly into most peaceful community tanks.
This is a hardy, easy-care catfish that grazes the lower levels of the aquarium and can reach around 12 cm in time. It is primarily a herbivorous algae grazer, so a diet built around vegetable matter and sinking foods keeps it in good shape — and a piece of driftwood to rasp on is always welcome. Given good conditions it can live for a decade.
It tolerates a wide hardness range and a broad pH band, which is part of why it adapts so readily. A tank of at least 80 litres with caves or wood gives it somewhere to retreat during the day. With a hardness tolerance running from 0 right up to 25 dGH, it copes with almost any UK tap-water supply, which is a large part of its beginner appeal.
A frequent question is how long these catfish live, and the answer is encouraging: with good conditions an albino bristlenose can reach around ten years, so it is very much a long-term companion rather than a short-lived stop-gap. It is most active in the evening, doing its quiet algae-clearing work along the glass, rocks and wood.
This albino bristlenose is well suited to mixed community life with small tetras, rasboras, corydoras, livebearers and dwarf gouramis. Avoid large aggressive cichlids, fin-nipping species, highly territorial bottom fish and very large predators that could bully or eat it. As a peaceful, easy-care fish it asks very little beyond clean water, a varied vegetable diet and somewhere to hide, which is exactly why it remains a first-choice catfish for community keepers. We send every albino Ancistrus with a licensed live-animal courier, covered by our live arrival guarantee.
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