Water Flow and Bristlenose question. Updated Question!!!

rde1959 · Post by **rde1959** » 08 Mar 2005, 18:43

I have an older 30 gallon tank, Measures 36 inches long X 12 inches wide and 14 inches deep. I have an Aqua Clear 70 HOB filter on the tank. This filter output is 300 gallons per hour. The tank is planted and has driftwood and stones for caves. There seems to be a lot of water movement. Do you feel this is enough airation and water movement for an Ancistrus Temminkii (Temminck"s Bristlenose)? I have seen in other post that people have put power heads in their tanks for more water flow. Does anybody feel this is needed with the set up I have?
The other fish in the tank is a small school of 6 Harlequin Rasbora.
Thank you

Post by **Silurus** » 08 Mar 2005, 18:48

Ancistrus do not generally require a strong current, since many of them don't come from hillstreams.
The harelquin rasboras would also not like too strong a current.

rde1959 · Post by **rde1959** » 09 Mar 2005, 01:17

Thanks. Just was not sure. He seems happy and eats like a horse. How often should I feed fresh veggies per week? I might be over feeding him. He is getting fat. Water conditions are fine so am not over feeding to the point of excess nitrites or ammonia. I am used to my Clown plec that I hardly see but eats his veggies at night in my other tank. Being I see this guy more often, the temptaion to give him more food is tempting.
A rule of thumb on feeding would help. Thanks

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 09 Mar 2005, 10:30

I don't think you can, realisticly, overfeed an Ancistrus.

Aside from veggies, what are you feeding? Algae wafers?

They need some rough bits in the food to keep their very long intestines in order, so make sure that there's skin on the vegetables too. They will eat that (but not as effectively as the clowns).
--
Mats

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 09 Mar 2005, 13:25

When they've had a big meal they sometimes lie on their backs, which is alarming the first time you see it.

(Of course humans such as I do that too).

rde1959 · Post by **rde1959** » 09 Mar 2005, 19:56

Besides the vegtales I feed them Wardley Algae Discs, Hikari Algae Wafers and Aquarium Bottom Feeder shrimp pellets. The tank that has the clown plec also has Zebra Loaches, I do not think that the clown gets a chance at the shrimp pellets but I know he does eat the Algae Wafers, Prefers the Hikari more than the Wardleys.
I did not know about keeping the skins on. In the future I will. Is that the same for the sweet potatoes?
Thanks for all the help

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 10 Mar 2005, 09:34

rde1959 wrote:Besides the vegtales I feed them Wardley Algae Discs, Hikari Algae Wafers and Aquarium Bottom Feeder shrimp pellets. The tank that has the clown plec also has Zebra Loaches, I do not think that the clown gets a chance at the shrimp pellets but I know he does eat the Algae Wafers, Prefers the Hikari more than the Wardleys.
I did not know about keeping the skins on. In the future I will. Is that the same for the sweet potatoes?
Thanks for all the help

As long as the food gets eaten, I don't think you need to worry. If there's food left over in the morning, I'd take it out and consider feeding a bit less...

I haven't seen any fish eat the skin on Sweet potato, so if you want to bother with peeling them, I don't see a reason to stop you, but I also don't see a reason to peel, it's just more work.

--
Mats

rde1959 · Post by **rde1959** » 11 Mar 2005, 01:44

The BN seems to love the sweet potato. The skin and all. I put it in his cave and he has not let it alone. I also have a snail problem in this tank,they are all racing to the potato, so besides using lettuce to catch the snails the S.P. will work too. I did add a smaller peace to the other tank for the Clown Plec. Will see how much is left in the morning.
Thanks to all.