Bristlenose for my 29 gallon?

[King puff]

I have always loved Plecos and algae eaters because of the diversity and interesting looks. Because of the small size of the bristlenose Pleco, I though it might be a good addition for my 29 gallon. The stocking is 5 white clouds, 7 black neon tetras, one kuhlii loach, and one rainbow styphodon. I understand that Plecos and other algae eaters have high bio loads and am not sure how the addition of one will affect this. I have driftwood which is a small part of this Plecos diet. I read that they also eat vegetables. What kind? How often? What else should I include in its diet? I also read that they can be realively easy to breed, is this possible in my tank? If so, what are the differences between males and females?

 

[NickAu]

Yes you can get a BN..

I feed mine
Omega One Veggie Rounds
Hikari Algae Wafers
Kens veggie sticks.
Blood worm
Brine shrimp
Every now and again a tiny bit of OX heart
New Life Spectrum Thera Plus pellets.

And they need fresh veggies.
This is a list of vegetables and fruit that are popular with most plecs.

Zucchini/Courgette
Cucumber
Peas (deshelled)
Sweet Potato
Green Beans
Melon/Melon rind

Aubergine/Egg plant
Avocado
Broad Beans
Broccoli/Stalk
Butternut Squash+ other squash
Capsicum/Bell pepper(not the hot ones)
Cauliflower/Stalk
Carrot
Coconut
Grapes
Kale/Collard Greens
Kiwi Fruit
Lettuce
Lima Beans
Mango
Mushroom (common plecs and goldspots love mushroom)let it float,they will reach it.
Papaya
Potato
Pumpkin
Spinach
Sprouts
Swede
Tomato
Yam

one kuhlii loach,

Get it 6 or so friends.

 

[NickAu]

If so, what are the differences between males and females?

Do I have to sit you down and have " the talk " with you?

Male left, female right.

 

[King puff]

About the kuhlii. You may remember the discussion about the seven neon tetras. Byron told me that I should get 4 neon tetras instead of 5 kuhlii loaches. If this buy is unavoidable, would a group of 4 be ok?

I currently have hilkari algae wafers. Do I need any other food besides this, algae, wood, and fresh vegetables? How much and how often do I feed the algae wafers. What about the vegetables?

Wow, the difference is hardly visible! (Sarcasm)

 

[NickAu]

Being a Kuhli fan I think its unfair on the Kuhli to be on his own.

Bn's need more than just vegies and algae,

Does best when offered a varied diet comprising sinking dried foods, frozen Daphnia, mosquito larvae, chironomid larvae (bloodworm), and prawn/shrimp, for, example, plus some fresh fruit, parboiled potato, etc.

Home-made foods using a mixture of natural ingredients bound with gelatin are very useful since they can be tailored to contain fresh vegetables, Spirulina and meatier ingredients.

http://www.seriouslyfish.com/species/ancistrus-cf-cirrhosus/

I feed mine daily. When I feed frozen I always make sure to put some in his cave.

 

[King puff]

So is 4 kuhliis fine? Will they be fine with the BN. Will it be a problem if they share the same cave?

Hilkari algae wafers, bloodworms and brine shrimp, algae, and fresh vegetables would be a good diet for mine. Will bloodworms and brine shrimp be fed once a week while the algae wafers and vegetables will be fed multiple times a week? What is the feeding schedule for yours?

 

[NickAu]

That will be fine, if you intend to breed them the male wont tolerate them in his cave when hes looking after eggs.

If you intend to breed them dont get standard plecs, Red long fin ones.

 

[King puff]

So if the males are not in a breeding mood, they will not be aggressive toward other fish?

 

[mikey11]

So if the males are not in a breeding mood, they will not be aggressive toward other fish?

any pleco can be aggressive at times.....but every fish has its own personality, just like people

i had a gold nugget pleco that would go NUTS every time i fed my fish, he would chase ALL the other fish all over the tank, and the pleco was only half the size of the other fish.....and it was in a 180 gallon tank, so its not like they were crowded

 

[NickAu]

So if the males are not in a breeding mood, they will not be aggressive toward other fish?

A male plec is always in breeding mood and can be very territorial especially around the mouth of his cave.

This is my guy tending eggs,

 

[King puff]

would you recommend getting a female, or setting up multiple caves. I like the look of the males with the appendages at the end of their nose.

 

[Byron]

Any species of fish you have or intend must have an environment it "expects," be that parameters, aquascape, numbers for shoaling species, or other species. Anything less in inhumane.

So, you need to up the kuhlii loaches (and the black neons) so these species will be more likely to be healthy and free of stress. If you intend keeping them, obviously. There would be no point in getting more kuhlii loaches for example if you are going to have other fish that really don't suit them.

Kuhlii's need sand, and hiding spaces. And not "shared" spaces, that does not work with any fish that needs them. And male plecos are territorial, all species; the level of their aggressiveness in defending their territory can vary, with the individual species, individual fish, or when spawning/rearing eggs/fry. Given the tank space here, and if you do intend a pair of bristlenose, I would forget kuhlii loaches and re-home the lone loach.

 

[NickAu]

Yes males are cool. Females dont really need a cave, Males do.

Heres how it basically works.

The male finds a suitable cave or log with one opening he cleans it out and keeps it clean then waits for a female, she swims in deposits the eggs and leaves the cave or the male pushes her out, the male tends the eggs and fry till he decides they are old enough to leave, then he pushes them out cleans the cave and waits for a female.

This is the same cave as I have.

 

[King puff]

I got 4 more black neons. I now have 7. I could not catch the Kuhlii. If I could I would rehome him. I got the Kuhlii before I knew about different fishes needs. Therefore, I did not know that they need sand or a group. I have tried many times to catch the kuhlii but it is too fast. Breeding the plecos was just an idea, I dont think I will do this. Is a BN suitable for this aquarium?

 

[NickAu]

Kuhlii's need sand, and hiding spaces. And not "shared" spaces,

You tell my Kuhlis that, lol, I have tried and they wont listen, Yes they have their own caves and sand and and bog wood and tons of leaf litter but they insist on sleeping in the BN's cave. Its how I also know I have 14 of them, easy to count in a cave, I did have 15 but one must have died at some stage.

The BN is about 3 years old ( I sold the female as I couldnt house and re home all the fry fast enough ) and shares a 6 foot 100 gallon tank with 5 female Bettas a bunch of cherry shrimp and the loaches.

I would love to see my Kuhlis breed in the big tank.

Heres a good video on Kuhlis