Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus sp. (Super Red)
The Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Pleco (Ancistrus sp. (Super Red)) is a peaceful fish that's easy to keep. Give it a tank of at least 115 litres (30 US gallons), water held at 73-82°F, and a pH of 6.5-7.5.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
South America (tank bred)
- South America
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Pleco Tank Setup
Give them at least 115 litres (30 US gallons) with a piece of driftwood, strong filtration, water at 73-82°F, and a pH around 6.5-7.5. Algae alone won't keep an adult fed, so offer sinking foods too. They reach about 15 cm as adults, so don't be misled by the small juveniles sold in stores.
What Do Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos Eat?
They're grazers, so base their diet on algae, blanched vegetables, and spirulina-based foods rather than high-protein flake. A spotless tank with nothing to graze on leaves them thin and underfed.
Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Pleco Tank Mates
Provide driftwood - essential for grazing and digestion. Long fins prone to tearing on sharp decor; use smooth rocks only. Males territorial with other plecos; one male per tank recommended. Excellent algae eater. The Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Pleco is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. Good matches come down to the whole stocking list working together - temperature, tank size, and temperament - not any single label. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos Good for Beginners?
Reasonable early choice after cycling. Buy after the tank has stable ammonia and nitrite readings, not the same weekend you fill it.
Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Pleco - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos need?
Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos need a tank of at least 115 litres (30 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
What water parameters do Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos need?
Keep them at 73-82°F with a pH of 6.5-7.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos eat?
Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos are grazers. Base their diet on algae, blanched vegetables, and spirulina-based foods rather than high-protein flake. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos good for beginners?
Yes - Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos are a reasonable beginner fish once the tank is cycled and parameters are stable. Add them after ammonia and nitrite read 0 ppm, not the same day you fill the tank.
Common mistakes with Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 115 litres (30 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Fish to avoid mixing with Long Finned Super Red Bristlenose Plecos
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- OscarPredator - Oscar will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Pea PufferPredator - Pea Puffer will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Betta (Male)Predator - Betta (Male) will eat or injure smaller tank mates
