Care and Feeding of Bristlenose Pleco

[Labenator65000]

I have a 55 stocked with Malawi Cichlids (mostly Mbuna). I also have a Syn.Eupterus (Featherfin Squeaker). I recently added a Bristlenose Pleco to the mix. There was immediate positive results on the level of algae in the tank, which is partly why I wanted the Pleco (but mostly just because they are nice-looking and robust). However, now that the tank is pretty much free of algae, I'm concerned about whether the BNP eating enough. I add NLS Cichlid daily, which is gone in about 30 seconds. The Squeaker has learned that if it wants to eat, it has to compete with the voracious feeders of the Cichlids. The BNP could care less about the pellet food, at least so far as I can tell. I drop an algae wafer or two in while feeding, but once the NLS is finished the Cichlids will rather comically compete over the wafers until they, too are gone, while the BNP sucks away obliviously and laboriously at the decor. I have changed my light timers so that they automatically turn on at 8 and turn off at midnight, to encourage natural algae growth. Should I worry about the BNP? What else can I put in there that the Cichlids won't demolish before the BNP has a chance to get to it?

 

[jackwagon]

Bristlenose plecos are omnivores. My two would rather eat my carnivore pellets than algae wafers any day. Mine just suck on the driftwood and the glass all day. I wouldn't worry too much about them.

 

[LyndaB]

+1

I don't offer supplemental food to my BN's. Not sure if they partake of the food that I put in for the rest of the inhabitants, but I've never seen them do so and they all have plump bellys and are growing well.

 

[Tetra1990]

Yeah, just keep an eye on it. They are remarkable cleaners though.

 

[Pckerfreak44]

I've seen my BN eat some flake food while I was feeding.

 

[bettaowner]

My pleco ate some brine shrimp once. Remember to feed him or your plants will get eaten.

 

[boadams87]

I've seen my BN eat some flake food while I was feeding.

Same with mine. I also feed cucumbers

 

[vanimal]

Well I feed mine frozen blood worms, shrimp pellets, algae wafers, cucumber, and bottom feeder tablets. He grows really fast

 

[HUKIT]

There is no way a bristlenose is going to compete at feeding time with the hyper aggressive mbuna. I feed my plecs 12mm New Life Spectrum wafers roughly a hour after the lights are off, this way the other fish are shutting down leaving the plec to forage for food unabstructed.

 

[vanimal]

I do the same for mine. He will have a way better chance of getting the food with the lights off.

 

[Labenator65000]

There is no way a bristlenose is going to compete at feeding time with the hyper aggressive mbuna. I feed my plecs 12mm New Life Spectrum wafers roughly a hour after the lights are off, this way the other fish are shutting down leaving the plec to forage for food unabstructed.

Yeah, that makes sense.