PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 Can these two be in the same tank together with out fighting or damaging each others fins?? I hear that they are really good for eating algae in the tank and would like to get one. Also do these fish require bog wood in the tank? I don't want to crowd the bottom of the tank with to much stuff but would a piece of drift wood be any good? If so how do I go about preparing it for the tank or can I just add it?? One thing I have been told is to put the wood into a bucket of water for a week or so to let all the colour and stuff leach out of it? Should I do this to the drift wood? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 Hi PenneJane Yes they most certainly can, the normal Bristlenose will get along with most fish - you name it and I've just about had it in the same tank as my BNs. They do need wood in their diets but if you don't have/want driftwood you can buy the PlecoChips that have 10% wood fibre in them. A lot of LFS sell driftwood that are already in their tanks, ask at your local shop. Otherwise it can be soaked for a couple of weeks, especially if it turns the water brown otherwise it only takes a few days in the water to sink to the bottom. If you're not worried about the colour leaching then yes it can be added to the tank straight away with a rock on top of it for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 Birstlenose and Guppys will be ok together. With regards to drift / bog wood it would be advantageous to place them in a bucket of water first before putting it in the tank. Bristlenose eat the wood to get the fibre in their diet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 awesome guys. thanks a heap. I am now off to full the bucket. I ain't to sure when I will get the bristle nose yet. cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 I agree with Dawn and Wok and would recommend a piece of driftwood, even a small piece. Try to find one that gives them somewhere to hide in the middle of it e.g. hollow underneath or has a couple of 30-40mm holes in it, as i notice mine love lounging around/playing/hiding inside the driftwood and some wood is essential in a B/Nose's diet. They are a cool fish and usefull as well, although there are some types of algae they wont eat. They breed relatively easy as well if they have good water conditions and a good hiddy hole with reasonable flow. This is where my male Golden Blackeyed B/Nose prefers to look after the eggs. This is my male Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 awesome pics Snowman. I have got two ornaments that are hollowed out with plenty of space inside. One is a fake rock formation with a large cave hole inside and the other is an old wrecked boat which has holes in the side which is totaly hallow inside also. But I shall get this driftwood sorted and soak it in a bucket. One more question if possible. Should I have the wood in the tank before I get the BN or can it last a few days with out it? I was looking at going tomorrow to get one but I know the driftwood wont' be ready in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 one more thing. Do I need to get extra food for this fish or will it be ok eating the algae,left overs from the guppies and the wood?? :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 The B/Nose prefer JBL Novo Pleco Chips (as these contain 10% wood), i feed mine these, shrimp pellets, and they love Courgette/Zuchini or Cucumber. I soak the Courgette in a small bowl first to remove excess juice as it can foul the water. The Courgette/Zuchini or Cucumber should be changed approx every 24hrs as it goes soft and will make a mess in your tank and filter. My standard B/Nose in the community tank only gets Courgette once a week but as i'm breeding the Gold they get it daily. If you have the Pleco Chips they will be ok until you get the driftwood into the tank, i would recommend Pleco Chips as the shrimp pellets can be a bit messy as well. They will also eat any excess flake left by the Guppies. Hope this helps Those ornaments sound great for B/Nose Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 so when I get the fish I should get the Pleco Chips also? How much do they cost roughly as I know at the fish shop that I am going to the BN's are $15 and would like to know what to expect for total finances lol. We don't ever buy thoes vegetables so will the BN be ok with out them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 Your LFS should have the pleco chips, i think i paid about $15 for a 140 gram container which would last for ages. I think they would survive without the veges, but not sure how healthy or how well they would grow. Even one Courgette a week would do the trick and they would love you for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 cheers. Thanks for that Snowman. Next time I am doing the food shopping I will see if I can find one. I think they are seasonal veges but I know that cuecumbers are available Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 Mine get Nutrafin bottom feeder pellets, shelled cooked peas and cucumber. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 One thing I was thinking of. If I got a bristlenose catfish, will it eat holes in the side of the net breeder that I have currently inside my tank with my guppy fry in it? There are also a small number of fry swimming about the tank that I can't catch. Will it eat these to?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowman Posted April 11, 2005 Report Share Posted April 11, 2005 No it wont eat holes in the breeding net and it wont eat the guppy fry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 brought my first bristlenose today. Its about 3 cms long with whiteish spots and a white strip at the end of its fins. Have no idea yet wether its a M or F but I am sure time will tell I just hope that my guppies will be nice to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted April 12, 2005 Report Share Posted April 12, 2005 The guppies won't even notice it's there - and vice versa! The boys start to develop their bristles at about one year of age so you'll know then what it is - although sometimes the girls might have a few short bristles too but nothing like the males ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 thats a long time to wait to find out the sex of a fish lol keeps the kids attention though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted April 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 while it was sitting on the side of the tank today I measured it and its 2.5 cms long. How old would that be roughly and does its spots/colours change slightly as it gets older? I have been looking hard out for a picture as to what species it is and I havent' found any yet. Its a real dark brown/grey colour with white spots/blotches and the two fins on its back/tail have white tips and its tail is white at the end. Any ideas as to what one it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 BNs here are usually named Ancistrus lineolatus Colour doesn't change particularly with age but they do change pattern for no apparent reason sometimes, usually due to mood or camouflage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawn Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Sounds like the normal run of the mill ancistrus to me PeneJane. The size you have would probably be about 2-3 months old I would guess. But then I have some from the same brood who are about half the size of some of the others so who knows! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRSkz Posted June 9, 2005 Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 Penejane, I'm new to this fish keeping stuff but seem my BN has been doing fine on just shrimp pelots, the drift wood from the shop and cruzin round the side of the tank. I'll tell ya the library has lots of good books, most of wich I've checked out, on aquariums. After my first mistake, purchasing fish that I didn't really want (Never take a 3 year old with you when buying fish!!) I made sure I've read up on any fish that even slightly interests me. I'm still wondering what else to add with my cory's, guppies and BN. I'm still reading though so who knows what I'll end up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted June 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2005 I am not even registered with the invercargill library yet so I can't check any books out (should go in there tho). I started my research Nov/Dec of last year and didn't get my tank till Easter this year. The only fish I was interested in were Guppies. But have discovered a lot of other things like B/N's and how they help maintain the algae in the tank (its doing a wonderful job) and I am soon to get two bumblebee gobies which will be interesting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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