New Bristlenose

[death]

hi i purchased a new bristlenose for my 20 gallon tank yesterday and have been trying to read up on the species...it is currently only about 2 inches pretty small however some sites i have been on say that they need wood is this true? as i dont have any in my 20 gallon can they survive without wood thanks for your replies joe

 

[Teelie]

I would get some wood as they do need the roughage to help keep their gut in working order. You could try fresh vegetables to supplement the diet as well.

 

[death]

I would get some wood as they do need the roughage to help keep their gut in working order. You could try fresh vegetables to supplement the diet as well.

ok thanks for that as i didnt know about the roughage thing so i will get a bit of wood when i next visit the lfs next week and as for the fresh veg i am trying this just now but he aint intrested wether this is due to him getting used to the tank or what im not sure but i know my other plec likes cucumber

 

[smithrc]

bristlenoses are not a species that eats wood....

they will be fine without.
we're breeding and raising in tanks without wood

 

[death]

bristlenoses are not a species that eats wood....

they will be fine without.
we're breeding and raising in tanks without wood

really thats cool cheers for the advice................just one more thing i know he is small but if i put an algae wafer in will he smell it as he hasnt really been on the gravel yet so i dont know if he is eating properly i did try cucmber yesterday but i woke up today and it was untouched? and just a bit weary as to his eating

 

[smithrc]

if he's just gone into an other wise un cleaned tank, eg no other 'algae eater' in there - it'll be a while before he'll need to eat...
he'll be busy cleaning.

sit down tonight after lights out in the tank and watch... hopefully it'll put your mind at rest

 

[death]

if he's just gone into an other wise un cleaned tank, eg no other 'algae eater' in there - it'll be a while before he'll need to eat...
he'll be busy cleaning.

sit down tonight after lights out in the tank and watch... hopefully it'll put your mind at rest

ok thanks smithrc he was on the glass yesterday so i suppose he is in the cleaning stage just now lol cheers for your help

 

[celaeno]

bristlenoses are not a species that eats wood....

they will be fine without.
we're breeding and raising in tanks without wood

is that really true? i hope it is, as i don't want a piece of driftwood in my already cluttered tank that will also lower the pH of my very soft water. so many other sources say bristlenoses need wood as part of their diet.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

bristlenoses are not a species that eats wood....

they will be fine without.
we're breeding and raising in tanks without wood

is that really true? i hope it is, as i don't want a piece of driftwood in my already cluttered tank that will also lower the pH of my very soft water. so many other sources say bristlenoses need wood as part of their diet.

no this is not true!
they do need bogwood, as there is an element of bogwood that forms an ESSENTIAL part of their diet whis is lignin, they cant get this from mopani wood!!

 

[rocknurworld2006]

Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is a valuable addition to this.
and thwie diet must be vegetarian with the occasional meat treat!!!

 

[indigoj]

Bristlies are not, as Smithrc said, one of the species that NEED wood. They do like it but it is not essential for them, there are many plecs that it is essential for though - the Panaque family for instance.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

Bristlies are not, as Smithrc said, one of the species that NEED wood. They do like it but it is not essential for them, there are many plecs that it is essential for though - the Panaque family for instance.

you are wrong do some research and you will see!!

 

[xingumike]

you are wrong do some research and you will see!!

can you point us in the direction of your research that disproves this?

Russ is not the only person i know that breed Ancistrus spp in tanks that have not one piece of bogwood in. Although they are the guppies of the Lori world i wouldn't have thought the tank i have seen in person would churn out healthy fry with a very low (if not zero) mortality rate if they needed bogwood.

 

[indigoj]

Actually, I've just read the Planetcatfish info on Ancistrus....

"It is thought that elements in bogwood, particularly lignin, may form an essential part of Bristlenose diet. Certainly they have the immensely long guts common to vegetarians, and although they fall avidly on the occasional meal of live food or prawns, the bulk of their diet must be composed of vegetable matter. If a high protein diet is fed constantly, then they will become prone to stomach disorders. Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is a valuable addition to this."

I'm guessing that a varied diet with plenty of veg is a more than adequate substitute.

 

[smithrc]

Actually, I've just read the Planetcatfish info on Ancistrus....

"It is thought that elements in bogwood, particularly lignin, may form an essential part of Bristlenose diet. Certainly they have the immensely long guts common to vegetarians, and although they fall avidly on the occasional meal of live food or prawns, the bulk of their diet must be composed of vegetable matter. If a high protein diet is fed constantly, then they will become prone to stomach disorders. Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is a valuable addition to this."

I'm guessing that a varied diet with plenty of veg is a more than adequate substitute.

You've just proved your statement correct!

There are no hard and fast facts or certainties in this game - the clue to this is the opening words "It is thought..." and "may form"


I still stand my my statement thats now 2 years old... they dont "need" bogwood. In fact more so now since breeding different types of plecs.
While I'm not saying that PlanetCatfish are wrong... I have bred and raised 100's of healthy BN fry (common and starlight) in tanks with no bogwood
So a good diet should mean a healthy BN plec with or without wood.

rocknurworld2006
Please try to keep an open mind - just because one site says one thing - don't take it as gospel, there will be lots of opposing opinions.
It was only a few days ago that you were made aware of this information about bogwood yourself...
and now your stating things as fact and that other members are plainly wrong...
Chill out and take some time to form your own opinions from more of the information that is out there....
and of course from your own experience breeding and raising plecs.