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i recently purchased a bristlenose pleco to help keep a check on algae in my 55 gallon fancy goldfish tank.

the goldies always see the bottom-feeder pellets and get to them before the pleco, and i can't tell if the pleco has been able to get at the zucchini i leave in the tank about once or twice a week.

can my bristlenose live on algae alone?

thanks in advance -

It is possible to do so, but I wouldn't recommend letting a bristlenose eat *just* algae. Have you tried feeding the algae wafers at night, when the goldfish are asleep? Plecos are nocturnal, so your bristlenose will have the advantage finding the food when the tank is dark. And, how can you not tell if the BN eats the zucchini? Do the goldfish pick at it as well?

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I think it all depends on how much algae is in the tank. If there's plenty, then I wouldn't worry about it for now.

I'd cultivate my own algae rocks when the rest of the tank algae runs out, and I'd also feed sinking wafers/pellets at night, when the tank lights are out. Like Nick said, the BN will be able to find the food. They're tricky like that. Try lettuce, cucumber or Romaine lettuce weighted to a rock too.

HTH

-Formerly known as the Ferretfish

AZ Fishman

What size is your tank, and are there many plants?

If you can feed all over the tank not just in one area he might have a very good chance then.

I have to break all my Algea pieces up otherwise the Clowns. Silver Sharks, & the Pictus will get them and take them to their cave.

I spread my food over a area 2ft X 4ins.

I also feed flakes, various pellets & Algea pieces, at each feding time.

This allows for all to get a good feed.

Keith

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I usually feed a little extra to my other fish and the plecos (bristlenoses and several other types) will eat some of the leftovers. for instance, most of my tanks have cichlids which get a variety of floating and sinking pellets. if I'm feeding the sinking pellets I feed just a little extra. I've seen my bristlenoses eating sinking shrimp pellets, spirulina pellets and sunken cichlid pellets as well.

I had similar problems with my BN and I did what was said before and just drop an algae waffer in the tank at night before I go to bed. I wasn't sure if he was getting it and I just sat by one night to make sure, and sure enough he came out of his cave cave and went for it. I try to drop the waffer around the same place every night so he knows where to come back for it.

They can definitely survive on a diet consisting only of algae. My BNs won't touch any other forms of food, even blanched vegetables, and yet they're all fat and healthy.

thanks for the replies, everyone. i feel a little more relieved.

the tank algae is pretty well cultivated - i usually only wipe off the front and two sides of the tank, leaving algae to grow on the back, along with a few ornaments.

the zucchini gets picked over by the goldies, so i'm never sure if the pleco gets it. i'll keep trying with the sinking wafers and see if i can catch "spike" in the act of feeding.

thanks again -

I feed some Frozen Herbivore (has some protein too though) called Formula One By OCean Nutrition..my BNS come out for some of that..and some complete flake.. and Nutrafin Sinking tablets.. and will take some frozen bloodworms and assorted other frozen food as well.. Not that they need it all..but they are in a community tank, and this is what they share with the rest of the fish.

I rarely see my BN eat. But man she sure poops like crazy, so I guess she's getting something. And don't just stick to algae wafers, they'll eat meatier foods too. I've seen mine sucking on shrimp pellets as well as the wafers.

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Back in the saddle!

BN often eat when the lights are off. You must feed them as soon as you switch off the lights & yes, you must do alot of cleaning after them.



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Yes, your goldies will eat the zucchini and just about anything else. Feed your BN at night to give him a chance at some other food besides algae.