Substrate Question For Bn's

[Tiamat79]

I have a 10 (UK)gal Tank, I have just begun to cycle the tank.
I got some Black Glass sand from the LFS and I was wondering if this is OK for the soft underside of the BN's.
I still have time to change the substrate if I need to before getting any fish and I would like to get a pair of BN's first.
I love their twisty noses

Thanx for all your help

 

[JenCliBee]

I have a 10 (UK)gal Tank, I have just begun to cycle the tank.
I got some Black Glass sand from the LFS and I was wondering if this is OK for the soft underside of the BN's.
I still have time to change the substrate if I need to before getting any fish and I would like to get a pair of BN's first.
I love their twisty noses

Thanx for all your help

Im afraid the tank really isn't big enough for 1 bristlenose never mind 2, i would either chose a more suitable bottom dweller like cory's or not have any at all.

Not really what you wanted to hear but at least now you have time to chose something which is suitable

 

[Tiamat79]

Im afraid the tank really isn't big enough for 1 bristlenose never mind 2, i would either chose a more suitable bottom dweller like cory's or not have any at all.

Not really what you wanted to hear but at least now you have time to chose something which is suitable

Really?

I had a male and female Ancistrus SP3 with 5 Neon Tetras and a Male Beta before I Split up with my ex.
I have just managed to get my tank back and found out he gave my BN's to his brother. (He had managed to kill all but the BN's and didn't want to keep feeding them any more.) I'd had them for about 3 years.

I was told that they are quite small and would help keep down algae in my little tank.
I use to feed them algae wafers and fresh Cucumber and apples slices with the seeds removed.

Are there other algae eaters that I could have to help keep my tank clean or is it to small for them all?

 

[fishnovice]

Im afraid the tank really isn't big enough for 1 bristlenose never mind 2, i would either chose a more suitable bottom dweller like cory's or not have any at all.

Not really what you wanted to hear but at least now you have time to chose something which is suitable

Really?

I had a male and female Ancistrus SP3 with 5 Neon Tetras and a Male Beta before I Split up with my ex.
I have just managed to get my tank back and found out he gave my BN's to his brother. (He had managed to kill all but the BN's and didn't want to keep feeding them any more.) I'd had them for about 3 years.

I was told that they are quite small and would help keep down algae in my little tank.
I use to feed them algae wafers and fresh Cucumber and apples slices with the seeds removed.

Are there other algae eaters that I could have to help keep my tank clean or is it to small for them all?

Look up the useful guide 100 Plecos under 8iches pinned at the top of this section to select a suitable plec. In such a small tank a bulldog plec is probably your besy option. I think tey are about 2 inches, smaller than BN

 

[JenCliBee]

Really?

I had a male and female Ancistrus SP3 with 5 Neon Tetras and a Male Beta before I Split up with my ex.
I have just managed to get my tank back and found out he gave my BN's to his brother. (He had managed to kill all but the BN's and didn't want to keep feeding them any more.) I'd had them for about 3 years.

I was told that they are quite small and would help keep down algae in my little tank.
I use to feed them algae wafers and fresh Cucumber and apples slices with the seeds removed.

Are there other algae eaters that I could have to help keep my tank clean or is it to small for them all?

Unfortunately yes they can get to 6 inches and the average size 10 gallon tank is usually around 12 inches?. That's not saying they wouldn't survive in that size tank but they wouldn't fulfill a happy full life in such a cramp conditioned tank, the other thing to consider is the amount of waste that 1 BN produces so to is very drastic for a standard 10gallon tank filter and that may be alot harder to control with water conditions than it's worth.

Even that size tank i would only probably try pygmy cory's, cory's have been known to eat algae but IME they are from from the best option to do it.

Oto's are a good option but usually require a very matured tank otherwise they tend to perish very quickly, other than that algae wise really should be solved by sorting the actual reason your getting it rather than trying to control it with a 'algae' eating fish.

Look up the useful guide 100 Plecos under 8 inches pinned at the top of this section to select a suitable plec. In such a small tank a bulldog plec is probably your besy option. I think tey are about 2 inches, smaller than BN

I think you mean pitbull not bulldog/rubberlips, bulldogs can still get to 4-5 inches which in that tank will be to big. Other than the pitbull there isn't a species really suited for a 10 gallon tank so looking at the species list is quite pointless, Really all the smaller species need a 2 foot 60l minimum tank for them to live in permanent and as the OP only has a 10G i would steer her away from plecs rather than making him/her search for no reason

 

[Tiamat79]

the average size 10 gallon tank is usually around 12 inches?.

I just re-measured my tank with a sewing tape measure The Dimensions of my tank are
16" Length 14" Depth and 14" High. Approx 52 UK Litres.
It has a bowl front so I measured across the back of the tank.

I don't have an algae problem. (Yet.)
But I have been told that you will still get a small amount of algae even with a low Nitrate levels of between 5-10ppm and most tap water will contain some nitrate so water changes wont get it all. I was hoping to get a cleaning crew in the tank to help keep it clean before getting other fish.
I thought BNs looked cuter than the Algae magnets

I'll have a look at some of the other options and Keep BNs in mind in case I get a larger tank later on.
Thank you for all your help.