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Finally found a nice, healthy, fairly mature female bristle nose plecostomus. I snatched her up right away because bristlenose in my area aren't all that easy to find. Especially one that is this size/mature (she's probably around 3.5 inches). I'm very excited.

My question is this (and it might be another dumb one): In light of her "maturity," what is the liklihood that she might spawn with a "younger" male in the future? Would they see eachother as potential mates, or are some species particular about "age."

In other words, as long as both fish are sexually mature, does age matter at all, in any way; if you hope to breed, would you be better off with two fish roughly the same age?

"I am a believer in punctuality, though it makes me very lonely" EV Lucas

I don't see why age would have anything to do with it, as long as they are happy and are given what they need, you should be good to go...You did get the little girl didn't you? How large is your tank? Do you already have a male or is he in the future at some point? heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

I don't see any problems in the future. Just try to find a male, as soon as you can & give them a try.



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I don't think that fish consider age with their mates, just sexual maturity.

Thank you all for responding.

The female I purchased is about 3 inches right now, maybe a little bigger. She's in my 20 g at the current moment. The addition of a male will be in the future sometime (in a larger tank, btw).

I know that the concept of "age" as we think of it is completely irrelevant to other species, but hypothetically, if you had one male BN and 2 female BNs, one being just barely mature enough to spawn, and the other being old enough to have spawned many times already, would the male prefer one over the other? I wonder how 'maturity' factors into fish mating and courtship rituals. Would a male (or female) choose a mate that is older or proven and experienced over one that is not yet?

Thought provoking. Just wanted to see what you all thought.

"I am a believer in punctuality, though it makes me very lonely" EV Lucas

If your male is smaller, he's not yet reached sexual maturity yet.

Yes age does matter in almost all cases. The male needs to reach full size to be sexually mature and needs a cave with a bit of current in the water.

Not really. 3" is usually a base line minimum.