Bn Plecos - The Algae Cleaner For Any Setup?

[marge618]

Well, the topic title and description pretty well sum up my question.
I would like to hear from those of you who keep BN. (Could that be all of you?)

From what I have heard these algae vacuums might fare well in SA, CA, and African tanks.
Which variety do you keep? How many in a tank? How is the tank stocked with fish and plants?

 

[SubMariner]

Well, the topic title and description pretty well sum up my question.
I would like to hear from those of you who keep BN. (Could that be all of you?)

From what I have heard these algae vacuums might fare well in SA, CA, and African tanks.
Which variety do you keep? How many in a tank? How is the tank stocked with fish and plants?[/b]

Marge, the plecos that I have are very effective in keeping my tanks clean. Unfortunately, I can't have one in every tank, even though I would love to do that, but I have 23 tanks. And some of my African's don't like the pleco's because the tend to take up their caves in the rocks and they are constantly fighting over territory, especially if the plecos are the same size.

So I am stuck with personally hand cleaning some of my tanks, which I don't mind. Also, plecos can poop a lot because they are literally cleaning and eating all the algae, so it has to come out somewhere, right? There are the positives and the negatives to deal with so use your best judgment. As far as plants, I don't have any and only use artificial ones. I hope I answered your question, if not sorry charlie.

 

[longstocking]

I've kept them with....

Mbuna
Tropheus
Peacocks
Julidochromis
shell dwellers
Gobies ( central and african)
Cyprichromis
Paracyprichromis
Calvus
Callochromis

Most of these were as a single in a 20 to 125 gallon tank.


Plants:

All hard leaved low light plants do fairly well... I'm horrible at plants names... but I know they were low light.


I've heard discus, rams, apistos work well but never tried it. I'm sure there are a few more cental and south american cichlids that would work.

 

[rsretep]

i have one BN in a planted 40 breeder with some geophagus balzannis ,zebra danios,horse face loach,whiptail cat,two albino cories and a bronze cory...all is well the BN is incredible at algae control and trust me with me being new to plants and ferts there is plenty to go around lol this is my first BN and i would gladly purchase more if the opportunity presented itself

 

[DeeCee]

Don't worry Pete, I'm SURE the opportunity to get more BNs will come up soon for you here!

The only thing I would caution Marge with is to watch what size ancistrus she is putting in her tanks.
We had put 1" polits in a growout tank of 1-1/2" albino BNs and within a few days every single BN was gone.

And be sure to give the BN hiding spaces. They get along with just about everybody, but not
everybody is eager to get along with them!

DC

 

[dogofwar]

Are BNs safe with fry?

Don't worry Pete, I'm SURE the opportunity to get more BNs will come up soon for you here!

The only thing I would caution Marge with is to watch what size ancistrus she is putting in her tanks.
We had put 1" polits in a growout tank of 1-1/2" albino BNs and within a few days every single BN was gone.

And be sure to give the BN hiding spaces. They get along with just about everybody, but not
everybody is eager to get along with them!

DC[/b]

 

[Pat Kelly]

The can only eat something that is not moving in my experiance. I have
them in with fry.

 

[ltrepeter2000]

Relatively safe. They wont actively pursue but if they happen to get in their mouth....welll.....the bigger concern of course is eating the eggs as they do mainly surface feed. Thats not a major concern either IME.

 

[DeeCee]

Yep, we've never had a problem with having BN in with fry at all. That's why we were so surprised when the Polit juvies ate the ancistrus grow outs! Insane. Especially since the BN were a bit larger than the polits, but there you have it.

DC

 

[marge618]

Yep, we've never had a problem with having BN in with fry at all. That's why we were so surprised when the Polit juvies ate the ancistrus grow outs! Insane. Especially since the BN were a bit larger than the polits, but there you have it.

DC[/b]

DC: The juvenile polits I got from you at the Jan meeting are in a tank with some of the juvenile albino BN. Thought I did my research. The BN were supposed to be 'safe' because they have such a tough armor.

I can see 2 of the BN now. They always hide...so who can do a head count?

No other tank for them... Advise. Do I need to set up another tank? Ahhhhh, more tank rearranging. What else is there to do that is fun, indoors, and can go on forrrrrrevvvver?
Later,
Marge

 

[DeeCee]

Hi Marge,

How big are the ancistrus? If they're small & you have nowhere else to put them til they get bigger, I'd make sure you have plenty of rocks so they can hide, just in case.
We have larger ancistrus in with polits and have no problems at all.

 

[marge618]

Hi Marge,

How big are the ancistrus? If they're small & you have nowhere else to put them til they get bigger, I'd make sure you have plenty of rocks so they can hide, just in case.
We have larger ancistrus in with polits and have no problems at all.[/b]

Hi DC, Glad you have time for posting even while preparing for the new job.
Yes, many rocks of many sizes. I watched the polits go right past the BN like it wasn't there. (I Actually sat right in front of that tank with my coffee and watched for 15 minutes twice yesterday. Same BN is still there. Hope he's safe. Those polits might be sneaky though.
Later,
Marge