Getting a Bristlenose pleco from Maidenhead aquatics

[Naughts]

Apologies to @Fishkeeper123 for the tangent, I know you’re only shopping at Maidenhead!

 

[seangee]

RM do allow "invertebrates and insects" so they will deliver shrimps and snails.

This may have changed but RM used to be allowed to deliver fry - but not fish

 

[Essjay]

This is from a pdf saying what they allow and what they don't (my highlighting)

https://www.royalmail.com/sites/royalmail.com/files/2024-05/prohibited-and-restricted-items-english.pdf

They did used to allow fry but not now.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

I'd add the zebra danios first as they have less bioload so won't overwhelm the cycle as much to add on to it. Wait a week, then I'd add the garra, only because they're not as easy to find as your other fish, and then the bn pleco. I'd also suggest adding 3 or 4 pleco caves around the tank, offering location choices where there's too many locations to bicker over if the garra want to claim a specific area.


That said, I'd move everything from the current tank over to the new tank to transfer over an existing biofilm source over for both the garra and the pleco, as both are biofilm and algae grazers. Let it sit without adding new fish for a couple weeks first to ensure there's no spikes in cycle from being moved over (should be alright, but can never be too careful) but also for it to gain some biofilm source before adding the biofilm eaters.

Are you talking about adding my current fish first or the new fish I will get first?

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Apologies to @Fishkeeper123 for the tangent, I know you’re only shopping at Maidenhead!

It’s fine it’s helpful to know as I have looked at getting fish delivered through websites before. Has anyone had any experience with aquatics to you door and were they good?

 

[seangee]

It’s fine it’s helpful to know as I have looked at getting fish delivered through websites before. Has anyone had any experience with aquatics to you door and were they good?

I've used Tropco and never had an issue. They use (or used???) APC for as couriers.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Also I have had a look at centrepiece fish and like the look of the kribensis and have this with what I’m planning( maybe reduce shoal of danios)

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Would this suit my fish tank and inhabitants?

 

[CassCats]

Are you talking about adding my current fish first or the new fish I will get first?

New fish, is what I'm talking about

Would this suit my fish tank and inhabitants?

Unfortunately no, because kribensis are bottom level fish and will have issues with the territorial behaviors of the garra and they can be territorial in themselves as well.

 

[MattW]

It’s fine it’s helpful to know as I have looked at getting fish delivered through websites before. Has anyone had any experience with aquatics to you door and were they good?

I second Tropco. Even though I did have some fish die after delivery they were very helpful with refunds and advice. One thing I will say is to be wary of weather conditions when ordering fish especially this time of year in the UK. Even though most packages will include insulation and heating elements, the outside temp can impact the water inside after longer periods of being shipped. Tropco did delay my order twice due to bad weather which I was grateful for as I knew the fish were being looked after properly.

 

[seangee]

I know tropco and pro shrimp suspend deliveries if it is too cold (or hot)

 

[Fishkeeper123]

I second Tropco. Even though I did have some fish die after delivery they were very helpful with refunds and advice. One thing I will say is to be wary of weather conditions when ordering fish especially this time of year in the UK. Even though most packages will include insulation and heating elements, the outside temp can impact the water inside after longer periods of being shipped. Tropco did delay my order twice due to bad weather which I was grateful for as I knew the fish were being looked after properly.

I was more interested in ordering fish for species that I haven’t seen in Maidenhead aquatics but think I will stick with them for now unless I get problems.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

New fish, is what I'm talking about


Unfortunately no, because kribensis are bottom level fish and will have issues with the territorial behaviors of the garra and they can be territorial in themselves as well.

Is there any centrepiece fish that would work well as I’m undecided on increasing my school of danios or a centrepiece fish. Even though my Bristlenose will kind of be my centrepiece fish, I do like the look of a dwarf cichlid of something like that.

 

[CassCats]

Unfortunately every dwarf cichlid are bottom level fish that won't do well with other territorial bottom dwellers and not get stressed out.

There's relatively few that are compatible with your current tankmates and conditions they'd be happiest with.

 

[Fishkeeper123]

Unfortunately every dwarf cichlid are bottom level fish that won't do well with other territorial bottom dwellers and not get stressed out.

There's relatively few that are compatible with your current tankmates and conditions they'd be happiest with.

Being a newish fish keeper what are other tank mates as want to try a some new fish( Bristlenose and another) to go with leopard danios( long finned) and my garras( and the other 4 I will get).