Bristlenose

[fry_lover]

Hoping to get approx 3x adults of one peep and 1x adult off another peep, not quite sure of the sex ratio's but i think it will work out as 2x males and 2x females

my question......

i got 2x 300 litre / 67 gallon tanks, one will be packed with bog wood, the other will be packed with ocean rock, slate and plant pots perhaps.

I am tempted to put all the 4x Bristlenose in the "bog wood" tank as i believe they like bog wood to munch on?

Am i better off putting them all in the bog wood tank or 2x in the Bog-Wood tank and 2x in the Ocean Rock tank?

Tank mates (in either tank) are mostly Mixed Cichlids, ranging from 2" to 7"

Thanks

 

[KathyM]

Bristlenoses don't eat bogwood but they do like bogwood to hide in. Is the ocean rock tank a high pH/African tank? I've heard of people keeping bristlenoses in them successfully but they'd need to get used to a pH change gradually over time.

 

[fry_lover]

cheers Kathy

Yes the ocean rock tank will be malawi dominant, but the pH difference between my previous bog wood set-ups and ocean rock set ups, has been minimal

averaging about 7.6 for the Bog Wood and 7.8 for the Oceon rock

The Bristlenose are from 7.8 tap water

 

[xingumike]

id go for the bogwood set up every time, i am pretty sure that it aids with their digestion

 

[fry_lover]

id go for the bogwood set up every time, i am pretty sure that it aids with their digestion

i think you might be right. I hear they like "rasping" on the bog wood, and that its beneficial for there health

If i had 2x males and 2x females, would a 48" long, 20" deep (67 gallon) tank be big enough? i an guessing yes, but want to see what peeps think

 

[KathyM]

Yes, it would be great

 

[Teelie]

I have 5 BN's and they all rasp on my wood. They seem to like the large piece made from a lighter wood type than the usual mopani stuff I get but they'll rasp it as well. Definitely get it if you can.

 

[CLOSSIE]

Silly question - But is there a difference between the a BN Catfish and a BN Pleco?. Everytime I look around, I get confused and am concerned that the plec side of the gene grow quite large.. You see, I am looking to get a BN Catfish and I do not want anything that is going to grow bigger that 4-6 inches...

 

[fry_lover]

good question, i always thought they were one and the same, lets see

love your avatar pic, what is it? some kind of dwarf cichlid? An apistogramer (spelling?)

 

[Teelie]

There are several species of Bristlenoses. They're in the catfish family but not all (if any) are true plecos. They are Ancistrus which is a close relative. Catfish or Pleco are the commonly used names for any number of the most often seen ones.

Here is a list of all the ones at Planet Catfish.

 

[KathyM]

There are several species of Bristlenoses. They're in the catfish family but not all (if any) are true plecos. They are Ancistrus which is a close relative.

All members of the Loricariidae family ome under the term "plecos", and Ancistrus species are Loricarids.

Silly question - But is there a difference between the a BN Catfish and a BN Pleco?. Everytime I look around, I get confused and am concerned that the plec side of the gene grow quite large.. You see, I am looking to get a BN Catfish and I do not want anything that is going to grow bigger that 4-6 inches...

The most commonly sold Bristlenose Catfish/Plec is Ancistrus sp. 3, and these grow to about 5-6". There are hundreds of species of "plec", and many don't grow big at all.

 

[CLOSSIE]

OK - So what you are saying is that the ancistruc sp3 is the best... What I am looking for is as follows



- - If this is one and the same, I am onto a winner.
I will have to have a look at what my lfs has (SWALLOW Aquatics - Rayleigh).
Thanks for the guidance all

Fry_lover - Its a double red Apistogramma Cacatuoides... Once of my more favourite fish - The males display the colours, the females are yellow with black stripes. A lovely fish for a cichlid tank..

 

[Teelie]

My mistake. I had thought pleco and Ancistrus were split into two seperate groups or familys, whichever. The nomenclature changes so often I don't keep up.