OK, has anybody tried different types of bristlenoses?

[tpl*co]

OK, I see the longfin, common and the albino bristlenoses people try with their discus, but has anybody tried the more exotic bristlenoses, like the starry night, medusa or others?

What other types of bristlenoses are OK with discus temps? Do they all clean algae the same or are some (like the albino and common) better than others?

Tina

[JeffreyRichard]

OK, I see the longfin, common and the albino bristlenoses people try with their discus, but has anybody tried the more exotic bristlenoses, like the starry night, medusa or others?

What other types of bristlenoses are OK with discus temps? Do they all clean algae the same or are some (like the albino and common) better than others?

Tina

I THINK you are lumping all "loricariidae" into "bristlenose cats" ... Bristlenose are generally of the Ancistrus family. If you go to Planet catfish, you will see that there are MANY Ancistrus species (http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/genus.php?genus_id=4).

However, there are (MANY * 10) species of Loricaridae ... which are generally considered the sucker-mouth cats. These include the Plecostomous species, the beautiful Zebra plecos (Hypancistrus zebra), and lots and lots of other sucker-mouthed armored cats. Most are refered to as "Plecos" in common aquarium venacular.

If you are truely interested in the Bristlenose type, focus on the Ancistrus species. These guys don't get too big, and are primarily vegitarians (although they do enjoy bloodworms and such). But, you can see that there are lots of species of ancistrus. The Albino is a color morph of the domesticated ancistrus.

I think you'll find that the smaller loricaridaes will co-exist nicely with discus. Zebras are known to do well, but the going price of these guys is now into the hundreds of dollars.

I suggest you check out the planet cats website.

[tpl*co]

No Jeffrey, I know what I was asking and was focusing on the ancistrus species (just couldn't remember how to spell it at the time of the post). Medusa's and star lights are ancistrus, but I never see anybody posting that they have them in their tanks, just the albinos. I was wondering if this is just a matter of availability or if there is a reason that other types of bristlenoses aren't being kept with discus. (or if anybody has experience with the other types). I know of the planetcats site.

I have also kept the other species like the green phantom and gold nugget, but these are just "looks" plecos that don't do much for algae. Jeez, look at my call name, you think I'd call myself "tpl*co" if I didn't know something about plecos? LOL.

Tina

[lhforbes12]

No Jeffrey, I know what I was asking and was focusing on the ancistrus species (just couldn't remember how to spell it at the time of the post). Medusa's and star lights are ancistrus, but I never see anybody posting that they have them in their tanks, just the albinos. I was wondering if this is just a matter of availability or if there is a reason that other types of bristlenoses aren't being kept with discus. (or if anybody has experience with the other types). I know of the planetcats site.

I have also kept the other species like the green phantom and gold nugget, but these are just "looks" plecos that don't do much for algae. Jeez, look at my call name, you think I'd call myself "tpl*co" if I didn't know something about plecos? LOL.

Tina

Tina,
Good point! But then why aren't YOU answering this question? I, for one, would love to have an answer. btw I will be hiding over ----------->

[tpl*co]

LOL, beware the person that answers their own questions (at least in public) :D

Well, the only ones I have first hand experience with are the regular, longfin and albinos (which are pretty much variations of the same fish :)). I've tried some other types of plecos too prior to Discus (in fact the "tpl*co" came from when I owned a favorite gold nugget named Scooby :)). I like the looks of some of the more "exotic" bristlenoses, but I'm wondering if they are like an expensive sports car, nice to look at and you'd like to have one, but may not get the job done :).

Tina

[AADiscus]

We have tried the longfin albinos. (they are really cool!) They didn't seem to like the higher heat though. We moved them to our indoor Koi pond. They do great in there. We have a female currently that needs a male.

[marilyn1998]

I have 3 right now in my discus tank. One male, that is black with white spots, one brownish female, and lighter brown/almost tan colored female. they actually all came from the same tank/order at the LFS. Got em about 2" and now they are 4"-4.5". I would call them common ancistrus.

THey do great as long as I remember to feed them their algae pellets ands sometimes some veggies. My rams think the pellets are just for them. They pick the pellets up and move them to under the driftwood so it is hard for anyone else to eat them. (so I dump two more in at lights out. ;) )

[Kindredspirit]

Angela is this a Longfin Albino? I cld have sworn someone told me that it was at the lfs when I got my africans the other day but now some are saying itz a Chinese somethingarather....lol!


Thanks ~

Marie ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_4_11.gif

[marilyn1998]

That isnt a bristlenose, Marie. It is some kind of SAE.

[Kindredspirit]

A Bristlenose is a Longfin Albino? Im confused:confused: ....and neither one is what I have but a SAE?


I knew it. and an SAE is??


M ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_4_11.gif

[Ryan]

SAE = Siamese Algae Eater. I'm not sure what you have. It looks sort of like an SAE, but I don't know if there's another name for it or not.

Ryan

[tpl*co]

A Bristlenose is a Longfin Albino? Im confused:confused: ....and neither one is what I have but a SAE?


I knew it. and an SAE is??


M ~ http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/29/29_4_11.gif


Marie, SAE stands for Siamese algae eater, the picture you have there is an albino chinese algae eater, They get mean and don't eat much algae when they grow up. Longfin and albino bristlenoses are variations of the regular brown bristlenoses :). Tried to take a picture of my albino but he wasn't being totally cooperative, LOL.

[tpl*co]

regular brown bristlenose:

http://www.petresources.net/fish/catfish/anc_sp1.html

[lhforbes12]

Tina,
Thank you, I was going to tell Marie it was a rock... looks to be quartz


I'll be --------------------------------->

[tpl*co]

LOL, a chinese algae eater on quartz Larry,

Here are some posts on different types of algae eaters:

http://www.elmersaquarium.com/10algaeeater.htm

http://www.fishpondinfo.com/sae.htm

http://network.bestfriends.org/friends_of_fish/news/3676.html

Tina

[Ed13]

I' tryed several times the starry night L-183 and eventhough and they don't seem to live for very long in planted tanks. They come from blackwater and can take the higher temps but seem to need higher amount of dissolve oxygen which seems to be the factor affecting Loricaridae in warm waters.

[tpl*co]

I' tryed several times the starry night L-183 and eventhough and they don't seem to live for very long in planted tanks. They come from blackwater and can take the higher temps but seem to need higher amount of dissolve oxygen which seems to be the factor affecting Loricaridae in warm waters.


I agree with the dissolved oxygen part, I lost Scooby when I had a filter go out, and the oxygen went down in my tank. Ran air stones and everybody else made it except Scooby. :(. I have my bristlenose in a lower temp tank now with lots of current and it's happy. Wondering if I want to risk putting it in my discus tank.

Tina

[Ramon Anastacio]

Tina,
I keep regular Medusa (L34) and the spotted variety (L255) with Discus and they are fine together. The Medusas do require lots of current and aeration and they are poor algae eaters.
Ramon

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y112/ranastacio/HW5R1872.jpg

[Apistomaster]

Marilyn,
You have a xanthanistic common chinese algae eater, Gyrinocheilus ayomoneri, not recommended for discus or angelfish tanks because of obnoxious behavior, up to and including sucking on their sides and extreme territoriallity. They can get 6" long and dig holes and are just plain bad news.
Larry

[AmberC]

Marie,

THIS is a longfin albino bristlenose pleco lol

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/CristaMeganMommy/DSC06082.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y280/CristaMeganMommy/DSC05844.jpg

Amber

[russell]

Here is Ancistrus Claro LDA08

[Beta123]

How often is the bristnose breed?

[kaceyo]

Keep an eye on those bristlenose once they get large. So far I've had to remove 3 out of 10 BN from my discus tanks due to their trying to feed on the sides of the discus. These are both the browns and albinos. I watched as one latched on to a discus and left a long scrape along it's side as the discus shook it off. I'm going to set up a breeder tank just for BN and then add only those under 2.5" to discus tanks.

Kacey