Jim
Member
Do you trust Bristlenose and Plecos in a planted tank?
Do they leave you Sword Plants alone?
Jim
Do they leave you Sword Plants alone?
Jim
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Do you trust Bristlenose and Plecos in a planted tank?
- Thread starter Jim
- Start date
Luck of the draw really.
If they're well fed then the likelihood of them demolishing swords is reduced, but never guaranteed.
If they're well fed then the likelihood of them demolishing swords is reduced, but never guaranteed.
Jim
Member
Thanks for the reply.
I'm pretty sure that my Bristlenose is damaging my newly emerging leaves of my swords.
I think I may catch it tonight with a torch and move it to another tank, then in a month or so I will know if it's the culprit.
I'm pretty sure that my Bristlenose is damaging my newly emerging leaves of my swords.
I think I may catch it tonight with a torch and move it to another tank, then in a month or so I will know if it's the culprit.
ghostsword
Member
Plecos I'm not sure, never kept them, but bristlenoses will make a beeline to your amazons, mine did. 
they were replaced soon after.
.
they were replaced soon after..
Alastair
Member
Touch wood my bristlenose has been great, I pop a long slice of cucumber in every 2 days, and drop a jbl mini pleco chip in each evening and I've never seen any plants nibbled and I have a couple of echinodorous species in too that have remained untouched
i have found that the common sword ( bleheri)is the one they tend to develope a taste for above other species, though i also suspect them of having a bit of a go at E. quadricostatus who's leaves i have always found quite delicate and easily damaged
Stephan
Seedling
I got lots of photos back from customers who lost Alternanthera species to the Plecos in a matter of 10 minutes after they planted them. If the cucumber method fails, just pop in some Parrot Leaf and you're fine . Only joking...
Here's some circumstantial evidence...
Since we're at it: I have also had SAEs and Amano Shrimp inflict some damage on plants. There's some photos of those in the above post as well.
--Stephan
. Only joking...Here's some circumstantial evidence...
Since we're at it: I have also had SAEs and Amano Shrimp inflict some damage on plants. There's some photos of those in the above post as well.
--Stephan
Westyggx
Member
I wouldnt keep them in there for the fact they crap everywhere all over the tank and its not as if its a small crap either!
thats a good reason not to keep them in there! though i can't say i ever noticed that problem, not with ancistrus anyway, you should try keeping water clear and clean that houses large L190's ! now that is a tank if not filtered properly will look like someone shoveled a bag of sawdust into the tank... the best description would be blizard or sandstorm!
Westyggx
Member
bogman said:
Haha i had to move a plec to a tank downstairs with no plants in as it was like a trail of brown string everywhere in the tank and they dont even eat that much!
Alastair
Member
Westyggx said:bogman said:
Haha i had to move a plec to a tank downstairs with no plants in as it was like a trail of brown string everywhere in the tank and they dont even eat that much!
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :?
collins
Member
From my experience my bristle nose went absolutely mad and demolished my tank he was fed on hikari algae tablets etc etc but one night he went mental and created what can only be described as total destruction nearly all of the stem plants were either uprooted and broken or bare stems strangely the swords were the only survivors?
I guess it depends, really. I have a lot of friends who had trouble with theirs, but my best mate had no hassles at all. I remember when I was staying in Amsterdam, my housemate used to put driftwood in the tank, I believe, cause it helps their digestion or whatever and it keeps them away from the swords. And be careful with the anubis.
Or try Alastair's suggestion with the cucumber, heard it works (though it make take a while for them to realise it's food). Not a big expert, though, just sharing what I've heard, so no judgements
Or try Alastair's suggestion with the cucumber, heard it works (though it make take a while for them to realise it's food
). Not a big expert, though, just sharing what I've heard, so no judgements 
jamie_99
Member
When i first set up my tank, sword plants didn't do to well, whether that was down to the bristlenose or lack of plant growing experience, i don't know. But the leaves just disintegrated over time. Needless to say, they're long gone. All other plants have been fine over the last 12 months (crypts, java fern/moss and vallis).
I have to say, having had my bristle-nose for over 2 years now i can honestly say ive not had a single plant of any variety damaged by him (that includes swords and anubias). His diet consists of sinking pellets or algae tabs daily and some cucumber / courgette every couple of days...... He does have bog wood in there too tho...
Jim
Member
No damage to any plants since I moved my BN out of my main planted tank.
They're happy in their new quarters and I have put around 25-30 small pieces of driftwood into my koi pond and they are getting covered in luxurious amounts of algae and I'm rotating them through the BN tank. They clean one impeccably in 24 hours!
They're happy in their new quarters and I have put around 25-30 small pieces of driftwood into my koi pond and they are getting covered in luxurious amounts of algae and I'm rotating them through the BN tank. They clean one impeccably in 24 hours!
