Ancistrus

Ancistrus
Ancistrus sp.
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Siluriformes
Family:	Loricariidae
Tribe:	Ancistrini
Genus:	Ancistrus Kner, 1854
Type species
Hypostomus cirrhosus Valenciennes, 1836
Synonyms
Pristiancistrus Fowler, 1945 Thysanocara Regan, 1906 Xenocara Regan, 1904

Ancistrus is a genus of nocturnal freshwater fish in the family Loricariidae of order Siluriformes, native to freshwater habitats in South America and Panama. Fish of this genus are common in the aquarium trade where they are known as bushynose or bristlenose catfish. In the aquarium hobby they are often referred to as bushynose or bristlenose plecos instead, but this may lead to confusion as "pleco" usually is used for Hypostomus plecostomus and its allies and is often used as a catchall term for any loricariids remotely resembling that species.