How Good Are Bristlenose Plecos For Eating Algae?

[amy1994]

I am thinking of getting a bristlenose pleco for my discus tank to eat some of the algae
Although i could keep scrubbing it off when i do water changes, it's stressing out my discus
Was just wondering how good they are with algae

 

[Hunterprey]

IME theyre the best algae eaters. Mine also eats shrimp pellets n algae wafers.

 

[amy1994]

Okay thanks
And yeah i'd would also give them other food, do they eat cucumber?

 

[minnnt]

Hi Amy. Make sure you get the smallest/youngest BN's you can find. They eat twice as much algae as an adult as they're growing faster. I would feed cougette maybe once a week as it is slightly more nutritional than cucumber imo. Also feed an algae wafer once or twice a week.

Don't feed them too well until they have got on top of the algae though

 

[amy1994]

Hi Amy. Make sure you get the smallest/youngest BN's you can find. They eat twice as much algae as an adult as they're growing faster. I would feed cougette maybe once a week as it is slightly more nutritional than cucumber imo. Also feed an algae wafer once or twice a week.

Don't feed them too well until they have got on top of the algae though

I might actually be going today
I've never seen big bristlenose's in shops only the small ones, just hope they're not too small to put in with the discus...
Okay i haven't given them cougette before
I think i might try and get an albino longfin bristlenose, lol this will be the one day they don't have any...

 

[peterclarke666]

Hi Amy. Make sure you get the smallest/youngest BN's you can find. They eat twice as much algae as an adult as they're growing faster. I would feed cougette maybe once a week as it is slightly more nutritional than cucumber imo. Also feed an algae wafer once or twice a week.

Don't feed them too well until they have got on top of the algae though

I might actually be going today
I've never seen big bristlenose's in shops only the small ones, just hope they're not too small to put in with the discus...
Okay i haven't given them cougette before
I think i might try and get an albino longfin bristlenose, lol this will be the one day they don't have any...

id be very carefully putting bristlenose and discus in the same tank as once bristlenose get a taste for the discus mucus/slime they eat and attack the discus and eat this off of them .... which then the discus have no mucus to defend against infections etc and i have seen cases where the bristlenose dont stop abd just eat the discus completly

 

[Graham26]

id be very carefully putting bristlenose and discus in the same tank as once bristlenose get a taste for the discus mucus/slime they eat and attack the discus and eat this off of them .... which then the discus have no mucus to defend against infections etc and i have seen cases where the bristlenose dont stop abd just eat the discus completly

Utter rubbish bristlenose will never bother discus always mixed the 2 and never had any problems

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

id be very carefully putting bristlenose and discus in the same tank as once bristlenose get a taste for the discus mucus/slime they eat and attack the discus and eat this off of them .... which then the discus have no mucus to defend against infections etc and i have seen cases where the bristlenose dont stop abd just eat the discus completly

Utter rubbish bristlenose will never bother discus always mixed the 2 and never had any problems

Graham26, while you may have mixed the two fine, I would not be so quick to write off Peter's replies dismissively. Given I recognise his username from other fish forums, I doubt he would raise this caution without good reason.

 

[peterclarke666]

the thing you have to remember is fish are like humans they all have different personalitys etc and all different you may even get the odd discus that would kill everything in the tank .. as niether are unheard off ..... do a bit of reasearch into it as the bristlenose eating the discus mucus isnt a rare ocasion

im only giving opinon not fact .... as yes you can mix the two without problems i have ... untill the discus went into showing off for breeding and the mucus built up more and then i have 30 bristlenose in there and that was it was like they turned to attacking the discus as all they need is that one taste

so all im saying is be carefull and if you do see it happen then you have to make a choice on what ones you want to keep the discus or bristlenose as after that one taste of the mucus you cant put that bristlenose in with discus again

ask around on other forums and see what others think on the subject

 

[Fish are AWE]

Try otos they do quite a good job too.

 

[peterclarke666]

Try otos they do quite a good job too.

yh i just got 40 in this week there small but they got rated as the best algae eaters in this months pfk mag ... that and there quite affordable if you get them from the right place