**Order through our website to get free 5x Red Rili Shrimp!**
https://riverrootsaquatic.com/
Green Dragon Shortfin Bristlenose Plecos (parents are longfin) are a peaceful, hardy, and unique pleco variety known for their greenish-brown body color, and lighter spotted pattern. They are especially useful for helping keep aquarium glass, driftwood, rocks, and decorations cleaner by constantly grazing on soft algae and biofilm. Their dragon-like pattern, and cleaning behavior make them a great choice for planted tanks, community aquariums, and pleco breeding setups.
These fish are tank-bred in Texas, making them a stronger and better-acclimated option compared with many imported plecos. They are small, peaceful bottom-dwelling catfish that spend their time grazing on aquarium glass, exploring driftwood, and resting under caves, plants, or shaded areas.
The fish currently available are juveniles around 1.25–2.0 inches. Adult Green Dragon Shortfin Bristlenose Plecos typically reach about 4–5 inches when fully grown.
Species Information
Common Name: Green Dragon Shortfin Bristlenose Pleco, Green Dragon BN Pleco, Shortfin Bristlenose Pleco
Scientific Name: Commonly sold as Ancistrus sp. “Green Dragon Shortfin”
Adult Size: About 4–5 inches
Current Sale Size: Approximately 1.25–2.0 inches
Temperament: Peaceful
Care Level: Easy to moderate
Tank Level: Bottom-dweller
Diet: Omnivore with strong vegetable/algae-grazing needs
Lifespan: Often 5+ years with good care
Recommended Tank Setup
Green Dragon Shortfin Bristlenose Plecos do best in a mature aquarium with clean, stable water, driftwood, hiding places, and smooth surfaces to graze on. They are peaceful and usually do well in community tanks, but adult males may become territorial toward other male plecos, especially around caves.
Minimum Tank Size: 20 gallons recommended for one adult
Group Size: Can be kept singly, as pairs, or in breeding groups with enough space and caves
Temperature: 72–80°F
pH: 6.5–7.8
Substrate: Sand or smooth gravel preferred
Tankmates: Peaceful community fish such as tetras, rasboras, guppies, endlers, corydoras, snails, shrimp, and other calm community fish
Driftwood is strongly recommended because Bristlenose Plecos naturally graze on wood and biofilm. Provide caves, plants, or shaded areas so they feel secure.
Feeding
Bristlenose Plecos are excellent algae grazers, especially for soft algae on aquarium glass, but they should still be fed directly. They enjoy a varied diet of:
Algae wafers, sinking vegetable pellets, blanched zucchini, cucumber, green beans, spinach, Repashy, driftwood biofilm, occasional frozen bloodworms, and high-quality sinking foods.
They will graze on algae, biofilm, and leftover food, but they still need regular feeding to stay healthy. A vegetable-based diet is important for good growth, color, fin quality, and digestion.
Why Choose These Plecos?
These Green Dragon Shortfin Bristlenose Plecos are:
Tank-bred in Texas
Peaceful and community-friendly
Great for planted tanks
Unique green dragon pattern
Excellent algae grazers for aquarium glass
Helpful for cleaning biofilm from wood, rocks, and decorations
Smaller than common plecos
Raised locally and acclimated to aquarium conditions
Important Notes
Bristlenose Plecos are much smaller than common plecos, making them a better choice for most home aquariums. They are excellent algae grazers, but they are not a replacement for regular tank maintenance. They still need clean water, proper food, driftwood, and hiding spaces.
Live arrival guarantee. Please acclimate slowly and place them into a fully cycled aquarium.
.gif)