Just Got My First Bristlenose Pleco

[blackers92]

Ok so yesterday I just got my first BN

I was a little nervous to how he would react but less then an hour after I put him in my tank he was already swimming around and sucking on the glass weaving in and out of my bogwood feeling at home.

What i wanted to know was, when he (or she lol) is like sucking on wood or glass, is it eating algae? I cant really tell because i dont have really thick algae or anything, I also put some cucumber in my tank hoping that if he was hungry but so far only my danios have pecked at it, I also have some algae wafers arriving on friday.

I am also paranoid about the little guy just sucking to my heater, he hasnt done it yet and I watch him go near it and get all nervous.

Could someone tell me a little bit about the behaviour? there is only so much I kind get from a book and websites, i find opinions and experiance much more reliable.

thanks,
adam

 

[bricko]

Hi Blackers92,

My BN's are permanently sucking on bogwood, glass or rock. This is perfectly normal behaviour, not sure if they are always feeding or sometimes just latching onto something while they rest. Only time they are not attached to something is if they are chasing another tank occupant away!

I have never known obe of my BNs get burnt on a heater but then again my juwel used to have the internal filter with the heater secured inside and now I use a hydor external heater on one of my canister filters.

I have a small tank with BN fry in which has a heater in it and have yet to suffer any injuries / casualties in this tank. I would not worry about it too much to be honest.

How big is your tank? What other bottom dwellers do you have? Mine occassionally chases my cories but usually just the other BN's, He / She will take cucumber if they are hungry so do not panic about him/her starving.

HTH,

Regards,

Mark

 

[Ethan040]

Mine sucks onto my 200w heater and hes fine mine also sucks bogwood he loves it lol.

 

[blackers92]

well that is a relif, it is a 140 litre tank, i plan on adding 5 yoyo loaches so i guess they are bottom feeders aswell.

thanks for all your advice

 

[blackers92]

i am freaking out, it has been a day and i havent been able to see him

i presume he is hiding, hope my danios didnt eat him lmao

 

[fishnovice]

Don't worry, it#s normal for BN to hide. My BN babies disappeared for days when I fist got them and I really paniscked but they are still alive and I see them ocasionally sucking on tank glass. They love courgettes, cucumber and lightly boiled potato as well as algae pellets

 

[blackers92]

haha i only just saw him today, they must sleep alot lol

 

[tom130691]

had mine a few days he does laps of the glass efore chewing the wood the ornaments and the filter

 

[sangah10]

regarding a common question about the colour of these bn plecos.

u know how sometimes they're brown with spots and sometimes they're a very light colour. Mine is usually half half with patches of light skin.

i've read this is because they are trying to blend into the environment but is this true ? i keep thinking im stressing mine out. my bn is the patchy colour most of the time.