Bristle nose or common Pleco with Africans?

[mdawg75]

IT seems that I have read about many who have Bristle nosed Plecos with thier African (Malwai) Cichlids. My LFS that has been pretty good so far (mom and pop not chain) told me to get a common and when it gets too big for my liking that I could trade out with him for a smaller one. He said they are more hardy and that my Peacocks might kill a Bristle nose? Expert thoughts please

 

[HUKIT]

Bristlnose all the way for a few reasons, much better at cleaning algae, stays way smaller so lower bioload, they dont get lazy when they get older like commons and they're better looking IMO. Now I did have something strange with my mbuna/peacocks, they killed 5/5 albino brislenose but never even through twice about the black ones( maybe they're racist ). I keep a brislenose in almost every tank I own.

 

[mdawg75]

Thanks HUKIT,

I kept thinking I read that a BN was better but didnt know the reasons and I pretty much stay in the Cichlids part of the forums, so knew also others had them.
Just in case my Peacoks are racist I will make sure to get black ones

 

[HUKIT]

I hated keep buying the albino ones but my LFS at the time only had albinos over 4in. So I didnt want to toss in some little baby BN, but strangely they killed them over and over but with the black ones it didn't matter what size from big to smaller they never touched them and even got fry once. I thought for sure for while Holey rock the albinos would blend in better.

 

[toddnbecka]

Mbuna are more likely to hassle pleco's than peacocks, though they will eat BN fry. I have brown BN in almost all my tanks, just provide suitable cover for them. As far as hardy, all my fish are spawned and raised in hard, alkaline water.

 

[mdawg75]

Thanks for more good advice HUKIT and toddnbacka, I think it shall be a BN in a dark color

 

[mdawg75]

Ive got a 55 gallon should I just have one BN

 

[HUKIT]

I would since they are such busy little bee's.