Decisions, decisions....

[JustOneMore20]

I am trying to decide if I want to add a Bristlenose plec to my Mbuna tank. I put this in the cichlid section, since I want opinions on keeping BNs with African cichlids.

I've heard differing answers....everything from "its fine" to "no the Mbuna will pick out the BNs eyes". So I'm not sure what to think.

My fish are still small...about 2 inches, so if I added the BN in the near future, maybe they wouldn't be aggressive towards it. Also, I'm not planning on keeping any extremely aggressive species...just what I have now, plus some Cynotilapia afra cobue and Rusty Cichlids.

I have tons of brown algae now, so I know the BN won't starve. I have some hiding spots in the rocks for one to feel comfortably. My rockwork is fairly stable, though I'd probably rearrange a bit before adding a BN. The one I have in my other 55g is very clumsy.

Any thoughts? Concerns? Advice?

I get to the point where I'm gonna get one...then I change my mind when I read about one getting its eyes eaten off.

[Phantom_Cichlid]

i know im not much help but the small mbuna i had picked on my bn even though the bn is twice its sice it kept going for the bristles and trying to pull them off

[girth vader]

even as hardy as a BN can be, I dont think it will like the PH as much as it will tolerate it.

[JustOneMore20]

Thanks for the advice!

Well right now my pH is only 7.6. I don't expect it to go up too much more. I'm working on that now. I wouldn't add the BN until my pH was stable....and so far, its not changed at all. I added crushed coral to my filter...added about a handful first, then I'm gonna add another handful tomorrow. So we'll see if it changes at all.

[Gourami Swami]

My african tank's ph is about 7.9, and my ABN plec is fine with it, and has grown. My johanni picked on its fins, but he picked on everybody's fins. After I took him out, the plec is more confident and now nobody bothors him. Id say go for it.

[Osiris]

Just be sure to get a larger BN that's all. Each fish is different I keep albino bristlenose and albino longfin bristlenose with my pea****************s, mbuna, and featherfins, shellies etc. Trust me PH isnt a problem when comes to bristlenose We around here and chicago area have high ph levels and hard ass water and we can't get the bristlenoses to stop breeding here lol. Most adaptive pleco to their enviroment is the bristlenose.....

Are you looking at albino or regular?

[JustOneMore20]

Thanks Marty and GS!

Are you looking at albino or regular?

Either one. I can't get either of the two locally, I don't think...so I dont have a preference.

If I can get the brown algae gone, then I won't actually need a pleco. I just thought since I had some major algae going on, why not get another BN. I would like to have another one and my other 55g is overstocked as it is.

It would be very traumatic to find the BN murdered or without eyes...so maybe I'll just pass on the BN.

[emc7]

I've kept common plecos with my mbuna, no problem, buy them 2" and sell them 12", since they will keep on growing. BN seem a little less bulletproof, I only keep them with small fish in my softwater tanks.

[Osiris]

Hmm I got BN's nice male here