Choosing Bristlenose Pleco Tank Mates
Good Bristlenose Pleco tank mates share the same temperature and pH window, will not be eaten by (or eat) the Bristlenose Pleco, and do not compete for the same swimming zone or feeding time. Each pair guide below scores those factors from 0 to 100 and gives the minimum tank size for keeping both species together.
Start with the highest-scoring pairs; anything under 45 is listed so you know what to avoid, not as a recommendation.
Care baseline
Hardy armoured catfish that grazes on algae. Peaceful with virtually all species; tolerates a wide temperature range.
| Temperature | 60–80°F |
| pH | 6.5–7.5 |
| Adult size | 5 in |
| Minimum group | 1 |