Super Red Calico Bushynose Pleco
Super Red Calico Bushynose Pleco
Super Red Calico Bushynose Pleco (Ancistrus sp.) is a high-color designer form of the Bushynose Pleco with a deep orange-red body patched and speckled with darker calico markings. Ancistrus Bushynose Plecos are the ideal pleco for most aquariums — staying small (4–5 inches), genuinely effective at algae control, easy to keep, and remarkably easy to breed.
Bushynose plecos are native to rivers of the Amazon and Orinoco basins, where they graze algae and biofilm among rocks and wood. Provide driftwood and caves; they are peaceful with fish and plants.
Ancistrus are cave spawners — males guard and fan the eggs inside a cave until hatching and guard the fry for several weeks. Males develop the prominent tentacle-like odontodes on the snout; females have odontodes only around the snout edge.
Feeding & Care Tip: Hikari Mini Algae Wafers placed on glass and surfaces are the ideal staple. Supplement with blanched zucchini or cucumber, Sera Nature Pleco Chips, and Hikari Sinking Wafers. Driftwood in the tank provides essential grazing and shelter. Add Hikari Frozen Bloodworms 2–3 times per week.
Care & Ideal Parameters
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperament | Peaceful |
| Adult Size | 4–5 in (10–13 cm) |
| Group Size | Singly or a pair |
| Minimum Tank Size | 20 gallons |
| Ideal Temperature | 73–81°F (23–27°C) |
| Ideal pH | 6.0–7.5 |
| Staple Food | Hikari Mini Algae Wafers |
| Treat / Supplement | Sera Nature Pleco Chips, Hikari Sinking Wafers, Frozen Bloodworms |
| Lifespan | 10+ years |
| Origin | Farm-raised (genus native to the Amazon & Orinoco basins) |
| Notes | Excellent algae eater. Driftwood recommended. Easy to breed. |
