BN water conditions?

[canerod]

Hi all, just need a bit of advice.

I just bought a male and female common bristlenose about 8 to 10 cm which i've housed in a 100 lt tank, when i bought them i was told that if i want them to breed i should keep water changes to a minimum and do occasional large changes only when the tank gets really grotty. Whats the general opinion on this style of tank management, i wouldnt do it in a cichlid tank but i dont know much about BNs. From what i've read BNs are polygamous, do i need more females to go with my male or will a pair be ok.

Thanks

Bob

[Eaglebarret]

Hi canerod,

I have never had a problem breeding bristlenose even after doing waterchanges once to twice a fortnight. I wouldn't worry to much about it if you change the water, they can tolerate dirtier water but i wouldn't leave it till it get's really dirty.

Having them as a pair is fine but if you have an extra female the chance of breeding is higher, although there may be some chance of territorial behaviour. If i were you i would stick with the pair.

Good luck with the breeding.

[phatoscarlover]

Hey bob,

I personally breed them in trio`s but pairs are fine also, if you can get another female cheapily though i would. I just do normal water changes fortnightly for the BN and they breed plenty when i leave together and just leve them alone. I choose to take the babies into a fry saver about 2 days after they hatch and ive had them spawning again within a week but some people like to grow them out with the parent. Good luck with it and even after a few years of breeding BN i still get a kick out of every new spawn! Cheers Andy

[rosco]

Bob,

Two weeks ago I got my first BN spawn they were in a mixed cichlid tank. The tank had neglected a bit (well a lot ) over the past couple of months due me trying to get my fish room up and running. It was really quite disgusting black hair algea everyway, minimal water flow as the cannister was 1 month over due for a clean, and they bred (50+ hatching) . I would not however not recommend that approach, as I am still thinking that I am lucky that they are still alive.

I left the Dad with the bubs in a fry saver for a week and half until everyone was reasonably happy and eating and then put him back in the main tank again. On Saturday (2weeks after htching) I decided that enough was enough I scrubbed the rocks, drift wood, cleaned the cannister and did a 30% water change and last night they were at it again .

So I think once they start they don't stop (I waiting 18 months for the girl to grow up to breeding size), and they will breed if they are happy.

HTH

Cheers

Rosco

[Eaglebarret]

Does anyone know whether they do better in higher ph levels e.g a african cichlid tank or a ph neutral tank?

[Aquaman]

I believe they do better in neutral Ph, however I've had them spawn for me in netural and high Ph tanks...

Cheers

Richard

[wormboy]

The idea of letting the tank go grotty and then doing a large water change is intended to induce spawning, not realy for general care. Even given that this is the case, like paparossco indicated, I wouldn't reccomend letting the tank go really grotty!

healthy water = happy fish = good babies = $$ and good reputation

My pair of breeders are in a 4 ft lge with a reasonably large canister filter and I do monthly water changes of about 1/3 to 1/2 with nice clean water (treated with good conditioner as I havent got a R/O unit or anything like that). This regime will invariably induce spawning and means that my female gets 1 months recouperation time between spawns (male gets just over two weeks). This is an is important consideration for prolonged breeding.

pH wise, BN are very unfussy and will live in almost anything, but i think that around neutral is where they are happiest.

good luck

-worm-