Brand New Hobby, Need Help Please.

[I ♥ Fish]

I know this is a tropical forum, but I have a freshwater tank. I have six white cloud minnows and three plecostomus bristlenoses. I need tons of advice, hope you guys don't mind helping me out. I will number my questions to make it easier.

1. Is my minnow pregnant or fat? Sorry about the pic quality, took the pic at night time.

2. Do Minnows eat the eggs or fry?

3. Can I just leave fish and eggs together, and will I be able to see the eggs?

4. How old is this little plecostomus bristlenose?

5. What can I feed my plecostomus bristlenose? I currently feed them sinking algae wafers, sinking spirulina pellets and zucchiini

6. How long is the fresh zucchiini supposed to be in the tank?

Sorry about all these questions, but I am very very new to all this. My fish seem happy at the moment so I must be doing something right. Both my minnows and my plecostomus bristlenoses are very active and eating well.

 

[paul_219]

AH cool wonderful looking tank.

 

[I ♥ Fish]

Thank you

 

[OldMan47]

Welcome to the forum I Love Fish.
The pleco is very young. A common plec will be far too big for that tank within its first year of life. The zucchini should be removed after 24 to 48 hours if there is any left by then. White clouds will eat fry from other fish but I don't know how they are with their own. Your WCMM looks like it is carrying eggs to me but I have never tried to breed them so can't answer your other questions.
For general freshwater fish care, not specialized for your type, you have come to just the right place. If you just got the tank and added the fish a few days later, as is quite common, there is a link to fish-in cycling in my signature that you need to follow and read the thread it takes you to. It will explain what you have ahead of you in terms of fish care until your nitrogen processing cycle gets established.

 

[I ♥ Fish]

Welcome to the forum I Love Fish.
The pleco is very young. A common plec will be far too big for that tank within its first year of life. The zucchini should be removed after 24 to 48 hours if there is any left by then. White clouds will eat fry from other fish but I don't know how they are with their own. Your WCMM looks like it is carrying eggs to me but I have never tried to breed them so can't answer your other questions.
For general freshwater fish care, not specialized for your type, you have come to just the right place. If you just got the tank and added the fish a few days later, as is quite common, there is a link to fish-in cycling in my signature that you need to follow and read the thread it takes you to. It will explain what you have ahead of you in terms of fish care until your nitrogen processing cycle gets established.

Thanks for that info, I was acually a bit upset, because my petshop said that the fish were borneo suckers that won't get longer than 5cm , so my 60 litre tank would be sufficient. Now I found out it is not borneo suckers but a plec bristlenose. I am very confused, this is my biggest one, how much bigger will he get. How will I know if it is male or female?

 

[OldMan47]

If it is truly a bristle nose, it probably won't go more than about 12 cm so you may be OK that way. My first impression was common pleco with a final size of about 45cm. I no longer will bring home a common pleco because they get too big for my 120 gallon, that's about 450 litres, tank.

 

[I ♥ Fish]

If it is truly a bristle nose, it probably won't go more than about 12 cm so you may be OK that way. My first impression was common pleco with a final size of about 45cm. I no longer will bring home a common pleco because they get too big for my 120 gallon, that's about 450 litres, tank.

Thanks, I have a better pic I just took now.

Wow, i would love to see your tank, it must be so huge.

 

[susankat]

That looks like a common bristlenose, so it won't get to big for your tank. With the white clouds, they are egg scatterers and if you have gravel you probably won't be able to see the eggs. Yes they will eat the eggs if they can find them. Gravel is good for this, or lots and lots of moss.

 

[LauraFrog]

The bristlenoses are too small to sex, they will probably be unsexable for another six months to a year. Females develop small bristles around the sides of the face. Males get much bigger bristles, more of them, the bristles are longer, thicker, they may branch and they grow up the middle of the face as well.

 

[susankat]

This picture will show you the difference between a male and female.

A couple of males and females

 

[pippoodle]

The female definately looks pregnant congrats

Your WC minnows will chase each other in and out of the plants when they are ready to spawn , the males display to the females and then when they are both in the plants they sort of curve there tails together when spawning , the will definately eat their own eggs and their own fry - mine have
If you wish to keep the fry get another little tank with a bare bottom , a sponge filter and a spawning mop - put 2 males and one female in that tank and then after they have spawned remove them , the eggs should hatch in 2 days

I would add the brightest colour males to the tank to ensure lovely colourful young

I love WC minnows especially when they are spawning as my males get very distinct red stripes along their bodies up to and including their mouths , their fins also get really bright red

Sarah xxx

 

[I ♥ Fish]

Thanks for all the info everyone, this really helped me out.

 

[Gill67]

I have brittlenose plecos and they sure do get big.. i have a 240 litre tank so it should be big enough for them.. they are fun to watch sucking along the glass eating the alga

 

[OldMan47]

Resurrected thread.