Home / Fishes / Catfish / Bushymouth catfish
No federal permit to keepBushymouth catfish
Ancistrus dolichopterus
Fishes › Catfish (Siluriformes) › Loricariidae (Plecos)
The bushymouth catfish (Ancistrus dolichopterus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Loricariidae, the suckermouth armoured catfishes, and the subfamily Hypostominae, the suckermouth catfishes.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.7 in / 14.5 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–81°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 6–8.
- Hardness: 5–19 dGH.
- Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: soft, acidic water, 79–86 °F, pH 5–7, 1–10 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament territorial; in a pair; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Not difficult to maintain under the correct conditions; we strongly recommend keeping it in a tank designed to simulate a jungle stream with a substrate of sand and tangles of driftwood roots and branches.”
- Diet: “Wild specimens are probably omnivorous foragers but with a preference for aquatic invertebrates and suchlike.”
- Tankmates: “Relatively peaceful but territorial with conspecifics and similarly-shaped species.”
- Breeding: “Cave-spawner with the male responsible for brood care.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Plecos (suckermouth catfish)
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: South American rivers. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Driftwood (some species rasp it for fiber), caves and good flow.
- Common plecos reach 18–24 in; many smaller species stay under 6 in.
Diet
- Algae wafers and vegetables for herbivores; meaty foods for carnivorous species.
Health watch
- Starvation if they're expected to live on algae alone.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This catfish is found in South America.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Bushymouth catfish” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Stays near the bottom. Aquarium keeping: feeds on plants and roots; minimum aquarium size 80 cm. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–81 °F (23–27 °C), pH 6–8, hardness 5–19 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Behavior to plan for | Breeding: clutch tenders. |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–81 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 90°F (up to 93°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 71°F (down to 63°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 78–81°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 82–85% on average (driest month about 79%) |
| Rainfall | about 2260 mm a year |
Measured at 57 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | The bushymouth catfish (Ancistrus dolichopterus) is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Loricariidae, the suckermouth armoured catfishes, and the subfamily Hypostominae, the suckermouth catfishes. This catfish is found in South America. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Reproduction | The male guards the clutch which is usually hidden between roots. — FishBase |
| Appearance and size | The bushymouth catfish reaches a standard length of 14.5 cm. Ancistrus species develop soft, bushy tentacles on the snout when sexually mature. These are better developed in the males than they are in females. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Facultative or obligate air-breathing; Aquarium keeping: feeds on plants and roots; minimum aquarium size 80 cm. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The bushymouth catfish was first formally described in 1854 by the Austrian ichthyologist Rudolf Kner, with its type locality given as Manaus, Brazil. Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes classified the genus Ancistrus in the subfamily Hypostominae, the suckermouth catfishes, within the suckermouth armored catfish family Loricariidae. It has also been classified in the tribe Ancistrini by some authorities. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
Researched care notes
Researched care notes
Findings checked against veterinary, zoo, welfare, keeper and peer-reviewed sources. Air, basking-surface and water temperatures are kept separate, and where sources disagree both are shown. “Study” notes report what a paper measured, not a universal rule.
Bristlenose Pleco
Researched for this genus; applies to its species unless a species note says otherwise.
- The common aquarium bristlenose has uncertain ancestry; do not automatically identify every trade specimen as confirmed Ancistrus cirrhosus.1
- For the common trade bristlenose profile, Seriously Fish gives water temperature 21–26°C, pH 5.5–7.5 and hardness 1–15 dGH.1
- Provide well-oxygenated water and plentiful cover rather than treating the fish as a substitute for aquarium maintenance.1
- Bristlenoses can be territorial toward conspecifics and similarly shaped fish; a peaceful community reputation does not guarantee compatibility between males.1
- Offer dedicated sinking foods with vegetable components and other appropriate variety; the source does not present incidental algae alone as a complete ration.1
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Typical adult weight
Average adult body mass in each database (FishBase gives the maximum recorded weight).
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 US gallons).
Veterinary & husbandry research
Veterinary & husbandry research
- Ichthyological ethnoknowledge of the "piabeiros" from the Amazon region, Brazil da Silva Ladislau D et al., Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine 2021
- Chlamydia vaughanii sp. nov., a novel Chlamydia isolated from a tropical fish (bushymouth catfish) Marquis B et al., International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology 2025
- Capillostrongyloides Ancistri sp. n. (Nematoda: Capillariidae) a new pathogenic parasite of aquarium fishes in Europe Moravec F et al., Folia parasitologica 1987
Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Ancistrus sp. “3” / common bristlenose identification Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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