Bn Plec Question

[Ferris]

Hi all,

I got a male Bristlenose Plec about 10 days ago and put him in my Mbuna tank. He went straight into a hollowed out tree stump thats in the tank and i've barely seen him since, he's still there and looks fine as i occasionally disturb him with a torch.

I know he needs time to settle in etc (especially with Mbuna around) but is this fairly normal?

I put Algae wafers in last thing at night when the lights go out as i know they are pretty much nocturnal but i can't be sure he's eaten anything as my Sailfin and the Mbuna will soon polish those off.

The Mbuna and the rest have completely ignored him by the way so he's not getting any aggression problems.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Flumpus]

I have a hap/peacock tank, and I put a bristlenose in about a month in. They didn't necessarily bother him, but he would never come out of his hiding spots, and wasn't eating anything as far as I can tell (cucumber, algae discs, etc...). At one point I thought he was dead (was laying on his back in the sand, not moving), and he started moving when I was poking him out from under the rock. I went ahead and got him out, put him in my community tank, and he's done great. The common plec in my cichlid tank (added him a few weeks after the bristlenose left) has done great. He still hides, but is big enough to bully his way into getting some food. I have a feeling they might have bothered him a bit, enough that he was afraid to come out. That's my theory at least.

 

[mikev]

I got mine (slightly more than 2", probably a male) about two weeks ago.

He was mostly out for about three days, removing the algae. Now that the algae is gone, except for the top of the tank where he does not want to go, he spends most of the time inside driftwood.

He does come out for food, at least.

Maybe I should look for a way to make the algae grow so he has some job to do...

 

[a.i.m]

i was told that the higher Ph cichlid tank water car'nt be tolerated by Bn plecs they prefer a slightly lower Ph . i was advised to buy a common plec which are more adaptable to a wide range Ph.

 

[Ferris]

Thanks for the replies guys.

The Ph of my tank is only 7.4 so shouldn't be an issue. He's currently about 4 inches long, my only real concern is that i haven't actually seen him eat anything, he may well do after lights out. I'll probably switch all the lights out early one night and see if he emerges from his hiding place.

Thanks again

 

[Ginge]

I got a bn as well ferris on friday night and i have all the same issues as you.
P.S Can anybody tell me how big rusty plecs get and if they are good algea eaters.
Oh quick question for you ferris i see you have a saflin plec in your tank wont he get to big for the 55G

 

[Ferris]

Oh quick question for you ferris i see you have a saflin plec in your tank wont he get to big for the 55G

Yeah would be a tight squeeze in the 55 gal, he's going in the new 125 gal i'm getting hopefully next week.

 

[Ginge]

What else do you plan to stock in there??? Africans or are you going planted.

 

[Ferris]

1 Albino Oscar, 1 Green Terror, 3 Bala's (probably), the sailfin and my 3 port Hoplo's. (unless i change my mind again)

 

[Ginge]

Oh your going amarican cichlids. Should be a nice new challange. I purchased a rustly plet today see thread in this catfish section.

 

[Ferris]

Yep, nice looking fish, something a little bit different aswell.