Breeding Bristle Noses

[mells]

Hi,

My Breeding pair of Bristle Noses arrived today, the lfs said that I should lower my tank ph down to 6.5 to breed them, what Ph and other conditions do they req?

My Ph is at 7, do I still need to lower it?
Tank temperature is a 28. (cannot go any lower as spotted medusas req it)
Thanks

Mells.

 

[Bloo]

Mells, as I’ve explained these guys aren’t your bog standard bristlenoses. I have found mine (from Trimar) to be extremely sensitive to PH changes and have lost 3 as a result. As you’ve only had them a couple of days, I’d say hang ten for a few weeks and make sure the settle in before starting to fiddle around with your PH.

These particular fish are far more difficult to breed than others - just take it easy and make sure they actually stay alive for a few weeks before thinking about breeding.

The problem with lowering your pH with chemicals is that this is not stable. These fish do not do well in unstable water.

Mells, I don't mean to be rude, but honestly I almost feel like I’m speaking to a brick wall and really do hope you actually take in what I’m trying to tell you and that you've made an effort to read the previous threads I've posted on these fish

 

[breezer40]

I have been keeping/breeding these for quite a while and bloozoo2 is giving you very good advice. For what its worth I have never altered my PH which comes out of the tap at 7.6 and they are healthy and produce fry when THEY feel like it.

 

[Bloo]

thanks Breezer. I'd just like to add that my remaining ONE is now nicely settled at a PH of 7.4 and seems to be doing well. I might buy a couple more in the future, but I'll now know better how to handle them - and hey, if they choose to breed at 7.4, great for them - if they don't, well then c'est la vie. I'm not fiddling with my PH.

 

[mells]

Bloozoo, sorry if I may have offened you by coming across with simular questions,

I was actually on about Bristle Noses, not Medusas hence me starting a new thread.

The reason I posted a thread was because everyone I talk too espcually the LFS contradicts what I have already been told! Where when you post on this forum everyone can share their experience and advise, not just you but others.

Everyone has different conditions for these plecs and I just wanted to know if the LFS was advising me correctly, because their profile does not mention the ph being at 6.5. I also wanted to check that the ph couldnt harm them, with all the info from the lfs contradicting itself as you can see I was confused with the conditions.

Your not speaking to a brick wall, and for your nfo I am taking in your information.

I just wanted to check that my tank conditions are the best they can be until the new tank is ready and wont cause any harm to them.

I dont expect them to breed straight away, of course I want them to settle and stay alive.

Anyway on another note thanks for the info

Mells

 

[breezer40]

Regular bristlnoses will be just fine in your PH of 7 and the only real requirement they need is good water quality and a rock/piece of wood or some place to hide when they feel like it. Breeding happens when they are ready and normally when you are not expecting it

 

[MAM]

Their profile at Planet Catfish
http/www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loric...cistru/48_f.php
says a ph of 6.5-7.5 for just keeping them.

I don't know personally about the ph for these fish, but mine is kept in my tapwater's ph of 7.6, and is doing fine.

My advice is to check what the lfs was keeping this pair in. If its extremely different than yours, try to match it and slowly acclimatize them to you tap's ph over a period of time.

Now, it could be that for breeding, the ph requirements may need to be changed, I really don't know. Many fish can live in one ph, but will be more likely to spawn in a different ph. Same goes for temperatures. Something you'll need to research further on. Hopefully a BN expert out there will come along shortly and give you some more advice

 

[Bloo]

I'm very glad to hear. Your PH is absolutely fine and I really wouldn't worry about it at the moment. I hope they've settled in well and hope you snapped some pics of them while you could still see them - as I'm sure they are now hidden forever unless you have a bare tank.
I've even tried to install a moonlight system, but it still did not help to lure them out

Like you, I too was confused by all the contradicting information I heard about them. But from what I now know, I would say to give them time to feel at home and in time do all you can to encourage them to breed (enough hiding places and small caves just big enough for the male to fit in, strong filtration and good quality clean water at around 28, lives foods etc.) - all of this I think you already have set up anyway.

In a few months time, you can re-evaluate the situation and obviously depending on their size and maturity, gradually adjust their water parameters if need be.

In the mean time, good luck ! I certainly hope you will have more success than I've had so far

 

[Bloo]

My advice is to check what the lfs was keeping this pair in. If its extremely different than yours, try to match it and slowly acclimatize them to you tap's ph over a period of time.

Unfortunately those fish were only just wild caught and only recently imported by Trimar. That means they came from the wilderness into a fish shop (already a temporary differing PH) and then were shipped out again to Mells (same as mine) - again a different PH. That's what makes these fish more "delicate". Yes, lots of fish gets shipped this way, but not all fish react in the same way or take well to getting from Brazil to the UK shop to their new owners. Just look at all the fish Paul MTS recently lost on his shipment from Peru