16 replies to this topic

[viid]

G'day,

Very new to the hobby. Just started collecting tanks and I recently grabbed some bristlenoses from my LFS because someone suggested they'll keep the tank clean. Now a few days later it's just struck me they dont eat the flakes I give the rest of the cichlids. I've managed to find some people discussing zuchini and cucumber in breeding threads but i cant determine if that should be a regular thing. They are tiny 3cm lil' fellas and currently spend all day sucking the bottom of the filter and the glass. Thanks guys and gals.

-viid

[Flossie]

Go to your LFS and get them algea pellets,waffers or bloodworms.

[Fish Antics]

Bristlenose catfish are a great addition to the tank. They act as cleanners, eating both excess food left by your cichlids plus algae that grows in the tank. The only thing is to make sure thye do get enough to eat while also making sure not to foul the water by feeding to much. zuchini and cucumber are a great alternative to algae and as Flossie suggests algae pellets/waffers and the ocasional blackworms will be perfect for them.

Tony

[DaveK]

yes i agree algae pellets r good and u could give them cucumber or zuchini 1 a week.

davek

[4x4xfar]

Another thing BristleNose like......Fresh.....Dead......Tropical Fish!!!!! ha ha ha *evil*

Every now and then, a tropical fish will throw in the towel, they all do, but, everytime one does my Bristlenose Cats are all over it! Most of the time when I find a dead fish there will only be half of it left with 3 BN's hanging off it! Little Carnivorous Cannibal Buggers! Ha

[muscle-man]

Hi Viid,

I usually feeds my bristlenose catfish flakes. What I do is I pinch a little bit of flakes and dip this into the water. Then when i release it into the water the flakes usually remains in the same place. All the bristlenose will scuffles out to eat it. They love it.

Also i feed them Zucchini and Peeled prawns. I usually skew it through using a fork so the food stays in one place.

Hope this helps

MM

[Neakit]

just a thought for you, i see all my bnose and plecos eat flake when it goes in.

[viid]

just a thought for you, i see all my bnose and plecos eat flake when it goes in.

yer i reckon they would to if they didnt have to fight their way thru the aceii frenzy to get there. Does anyone else have a problem with white mould stuff growing on the algae cookie few hours after entering tank (planted tank) ?

[CICH-BRO]

yer i reckon they would to if they didnt have to fight their way thru the aceii frenzy to get there. Does anyone else have a problem with white mould stuff growing on the algae cookie few hours after entering tank (planted tank) ?

Isnt that fungus because its been there too long and the bacteria are already trying to break it down? Could mean you have fed them too much or they are not hungry enough to finish it all.
I beleive its best to remove excess food before it gets to this stage.

[Feesh]

When feeding the bristlenose zucchini do you need to boil it first or blanch it in the microwave at all? or just just peel it and drop it in ?

[Cicolid]

Some people microwave it for a minute, others boil it, this is done just to soften it.

Do not remove the peel as this holds it together, in fact some cats prefer to eat the skin.
Just remove all the pips, as these will clog up any filters.

Some people push a fork or similar thought it to weigh it down.
I tie mine onto a 5cm square of slate which does the same thing.
As bristlenose etc are night feeders I place it in the tank in the evening & remove any uneaten pieces in the morning.

Others may do it differently, but this works for me.

HTH

Col

[Donna]

Hi Everyone,

I have just been given a huge, male bristlenose. I was eating my dinner, watching my fish, I forgot it was in there and it appeared on the glass. It is such an ugly monster I threw my dinner in the air and screamed....my husband thought I had seen a ghost..but it was just this lumpy, hulk of a thing. Anyway, to my feeding question, it lives with three pairs of little SA dwarves and a breeding pair of kribs. What should I feed it?? It can't eat left overs because it is the biggest bloody thing in the tank, and the left overs from these fairly small fish (except the kribs) doesn't amount to much anyway.

Thanks for your help,

Donna

[Cicolid]

Hi Donna,

In addition to the post above.
I also use Algae & Spirulina discs with the odd Carnivore pellet which are fed at "lights out" .

HTH

Col

[Trekrider]

As bristlenose etc are night feeders I place it in the tank in the evening & remove any uneaten pieces in the morning.

After our PM about this the other day Col, I tried the Zucchini in both my community tank (20+ Bristlenose) and my Cichlid tank (1 Pleco). Next morning I removed it all completely untouched - nothing would eat it I even saw Bristlenoses swim over it several times - more because it was in the way than for any other reason.

I tried it raw so could give boiling it a go (don't have a microwave).

I use the Hikari algae wafers, the Bristlenose love them but now have to fight the Silver Dollars for them - they swim round with them sticking out of their mouths like cigars - so funny to watch

[Trekrider]

just a thought for you, i see all my bnose and plecos eat flake when it goes in.

Do you have Bristlenose and Plecos in the same tank? I thought about adding a Pleco to my 6' tank but was told they are not suitable for a tank with Bristlenose as they fight.

[Trekrider]

Another thing BristleNose like......Fresh.....Dead......Tropical Fish!!!!! ha ha ha *evil*

It's funny to see these innocent looking little vegetarians suddenly turn into Hannibal Lecter when there's a death in the tank

[ibm450]

Zucchini and Peeled prawns.

raw prawns? what type of prawn? do you leave it in there for about 12hrs or 80% eaten?



cheers