My name is Tony Smyth and I am a aquarium obsessive. I wanted to create this channel to show you the fish and equipment related projects that I do. This includes (but not limiting to) breeding, fish profiles, homemade equipment as well as outdoor enterprises such as aquaponics. Please join me for the journey and we will learn a lot together.
I wish someone would work on breeding a smaller bristlenose pleco that is about 1/3 the size. If we can breed poodles from wolves, it should be possible.
I just got one on Saturday, he is soooooo tiny, barely an inch long, I bought driftwood for my 20 gallon, but he is in my 9 gallon until the 20 is cycled, another 2 weeks, will he be ok without the driftwood for 2 weeks?
i have a 20 gallon it is perfect for them just have wood, i learned it the hard way and the sad way after i killed 5 plecos not knowing the cause.for my birthday i got some aquarium wood(its not the coolest present but saved some lives) and when i put that in it pooped more and it was happy i searched it up and that was the cause. also know just because they eat algea you don't need to feed them, you still need to feed them and they need a circular shape to hide or some might hide in your filter tube.
I got a couple small babies. I want them to grow. I give veggies and lettuce along with algae waffles. Being small as they are they make the water dirty by eating the veggies. Seems like they produce a kind of enzyme to soft the food and cause it to spread all over and looks like causes some fermentation in the zucchini. What can I do to keep the water cleaner without underfeed the fishes?
Are these fish suitable to be kept in as tank by themselves like only one to two of them max instead of a community tank? How big of a tank would they need?
I bought for my turtle tank. Although they are in a separate tank while they are too small babies. Next year I will have a pond and they will be perfect to clean algae.
We purchased (3) 2" spotted bristlenose plecos from Petco around 2 yrs ago, and none of them have shown any bristles and are around 4" now...wondering if we were sold something else? What are the chances that we have 3 females?
Hi, it could be that it was not mixed well enough so that it was still powdery or too much powder was added to the amount of water. Try different amounts of powder to water to find a good consistency for you.
hey, great video just have a quick question. I hope you or someone else can answer, I have one bristle nose pleco and i have never once seen them eat they are about 2 inches in length I feed them algae wafers, cucumber or lettuce. it has plenty of places to hide and is a good size and seems well there in the tank with some wild guppies. I've had them for around 2 months and only the outside ring of the algae wafers is missing, however, i only ever see the guppys having a go. is this whole situation normal? should I be worried?
Hi, so sorry for the late reply, I have been suffering with Coronavirus for a few weeks. Most types of pleco are quite shy, they will come out at night as well as the day to feed. Your Bristlenose is still small enough to be getting most of its food from algae in your tank (on your glass etc). If you have wood in your tank your BN will munch on that as well. I wouldn't be worried but you could try some other types of food alongside what your already feeding. My BN always enjoy Repashy gel foods, but there are plenty on the market to try. My BN never went for cucumber when I fed it. All fish will get bored eventually if they only have the same kind of food. It would be like us only ever eating burger and chips for every meal, we would eventually lose interest in eating it. Try some other foods would be my main advice. Hope this helps. Tony
@@aquariumobsessions4353 thanks i fo ujnd this every helpfully and ill have a go at what youve sugested. How your doing better now. Just in the time i first commented my pleco has develop a orange sack on it side do you have any ideas? Ive never heard anyone else with this issue. He dose seem to be acting no different. Thanks
I just got a bristlenose, I have a 30 gallon tank. But I'm worried. Hope big will he get? It is a male because it has the bristles. And I plan on getting an eel. I think they should be all right. What do you think?
Apologies for the late reply, ive been suffering with the Coronavirus for the last few weeks. Male BN's can grow up to around 5-6 inches long. I've never kept eels so unfortunately I cant give you any advice on this. Regards Tony
To be honest, I've never tried freezing it. I have only ever made enough to last about a week then make fresh. Once made it is classed as a fresh food, so you probably could, but don't quote me on that as I do not know for sure. If you are making that much that you need to freeze it so as to not waste it, you are making to much. How many fish are you making it for? You can make it in small quantities. Don't ever feel you need to make loads all at once. Regards
@@johnthomas7177 Which repashy food are you feeding them? Your stock are all algae eaters and you don't have a large quantity of each. What size is your tank? I would say your tank inhabitants are feeding mainly on the natural algae in your tank. Have you tried any other types of food?
@@johnthomas7177 Try mixing it with Repashy Community Plus or Grub Pie. It will then cater for all of your fish. I mix 2 or 3 different types of repashy together as I has a mixed stock in my tank. Let me know how it goes.
Please be warned make sure the pleco you get is a bristle nose and not a sail fin I got sold a tiny “bristle nose” but it was a sail fin it got bigger and bigger and I had to keep buying bigger tanks when it got to 2 and a half foot long I had to give it to a very good home I missed mr grumpy pants so much he was so so funny but please be careful and make 100% sure of what your getting mine was the size of my pinky nail when I got him and was still growing at 2 and a half feet long and it broke my heart to have to give him away please also do your own research peace ✌️ 🌈 to you all and a great 2020
@@aquariumobsessions4353 Hi I found out the problem. I was making too small quantities. I used to make one tbs of powder to 2 1/2 part water. The hot water would evaporate too quickly meaning the gelatine could not set no matter whether I leave it in the fridge overnight. I tried again this morning and worked perfectly. Used 2 1/2 tablespoons this time
No fish eats fish poop. Scavengers, like otos and plecos, are used for algae control. They still need to be fed, and they still give off waste like other fish. If you have issues with waste management, increase water changes, add more plants, or optimize your filter.
Hi, thanks for the question. Although I have never tried housing these 2 types of fish together before, I have heard it been done. However you need to consider some things first. 1. Is your tank big enough to house both types. 2. What filtration do you have as both of these types of fish are very messy. 3. What temp do you keep your tank at. Goldfish enjoy slightly cooler water and BN plecos slighlty warmer. There is a sweet spot that both will be comfortable with. Do your research for each fish. 4. In some cases BN plecos have been found to suck the slime on the scales of goldfish. This can lead to health issues for the goldfish. 5. Dont get a small young BN as he may get picked on by the goldfish. I hope that this helps. I wont pretend to know all the answers but this is what I would be looking at if I were thinking of housing these 2 fish together. Please let me know how you get on if you do decide to try this.
@@aquariumobsessions4353 i have a 60 gallon with two goldfish in it that ive had for a couple years now..theyre pretty big.ive had the pleco for maybe a year now in a smaller community tank with two dwarf frogs, 5 neon tetras, 4 danios..there was a betta in there but she died after a couple years..its only a 10 gallon tank so i was just thinking about maybe the pleco would enjoy having more space if i put him in with the goldfish but i wasnt sure if i should.
oh also i was considering moving the pleco with the goldfish cuz sometimes the frogs sit on the pleco and annoy him..i dont think they realize hes a fish😆 so i think maybe hed be happier without the frogs trying to invade his space..the goldfish dont have a heater so the tank is room temp..im in n.y. but we have heat in the winter etc and if i had to get a heater then i would,no biggy.
@@aquariumobsessions4353 thanks but i think im not gonna put the pleco with the goldfish based on what you said..cuz hes quite smaller than the goldfish and i do think they might pick at him thinking hes food or just being curious which could hurt them or him..plus you said he could try to suckle off their slime coat so i just think ill upgrade the community tank and give the pleco some more space and add another tree or something the frogs will like to hopefully keep them happier and off mr. pleco..i appreciate the info though cuz i didnt know the things you told me.👍💕
Nope I’ll never think I’ll get one just cause one dies if I want a new fish I go out and get another aquarium my bristlenose has been with me for two years now and I love her so much she let’s me kiss her and give her pets ...you’d think this is a slimy fish but it’s skin is like a shark it’s very sand papery
You can actually marry your pets ya pervert having kissing sessions with a fish but hay ho each to his or her own thing ya pervert sorry for some reason I can't stop myself thinking your a pervert having kissing sessions with a pleck
Don't pet your brittlenose! They have slime coating that protect them from Diseases and if you touch them, the slime coat will go away thus making them vulnerable to diseases
would be more subscribe tempting if you focus your channel covering different types of fishes, & what environment its suited for, tank size, tank mates, water types, preferred substrates, & everything you covered about bristlenose. great video
Hi, thanks for the question. These are common bristlenose. You can get a few colour variants. You will find that if you breed them yourself you may very well get a different colour or two in a single batch, even if the parent fish are the same colour. This is mainly because it is hard to find pure colour bred fish now a days.
i dont see an issue with the music.i could hear what he said in the video perfectly fine.the music may not be everyones preference but its his channel,his video so too bad ☺
Hi, I agree with you about being underrated and the mess, but a little extra tank work so we can keep these fascinating fish is worth it in my opinion.
Hey nice video! I have a question: can you have 2 males in ONE tank with a few hiding spots or will they fight? Im not sure if i have a female or male but mine is brown or yellow with black ish but is only like 4-5 centimeters and he or she has no bristles at the time. Pls reply
Hi, apologies for the slow reply. Yes you can have 2 males in 1 tank as long as it is large enough. And as you rightly suggest, lots of hiding places are best. They are very peaceful so you will be ok. If you are looking to breed, 2 males to 1 female is a good ratio.
Thanks for the comment. I enjoy making videos but with work commitments and family life I don't have much time to make more. I wish I did. Hopefully in the future I will be able to.
Plecos are Scavengers so they only eat dead fish. Your fish probably died and then your pleco ate them. Clearly you're a Beginner but that's fine. We all make mistakes.
Hi tony I have just bought a albino female and she is beautiful I have got many plants and Bog wood and Glowlight Tetras I am thinking of breeding her with a chocolate male i love her her name is lola
