# More advice needed



## Relle (Jul 17, 2009)

Yesterday I went to the LFS and picked up a bristlenose pleco. The girl said one would be enough in my 33 gallon. At the moment the tank also houses 8 bloodfin tetras. Is one enough? Should I try adding some corys and otos? 

At some point I'd like to add a few mollies for colour.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

You could get another one if you wanted. As well you could also add the cories, otos and mollies.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

In a 30 gal I would suggest only 1 bristlenose. Maybe add 3 or 4 cories, You really won't need any otos unless you just want some as their bio load isn't that much.

Make sure you have a piece of wood in the tank and a cave for your bristlenose.


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## jrodriguez (Jul 20, 2009)

the plecos grow prety large...but the cories are an awsome species to have in a tank because they are compatible with pretty much everything

*Glasses*


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

jrodriguez said:


> the plecos grow prety large...


That's the good thing about BNPs....they are small....just a few inches. *Glasses*


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Bristlenose will max out at 5 1/2 to 6 inches unless you get the dwarf species. Which will max out at 3 to 4 inches.


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Don't depend on cories to be tank cleaners either. They are carnivores but bottom feeders. Everyone thinks they are algae eaters because they eat off the bottom but they like bloodworms, shrimp pellets and other protein foods, not algae. They scavenge the bottom but will not eat algae.

Rose


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Chickadee said:


> Don't depend on cories to be tank cleaners either. They are carnivores but bottom feeders. Everyone thinks they are algae eaters because they eat off the bottom but they like bloodworms, shrimp pellets and other protein foods, not algae. They scavenge the bottom but will not eat algae.
> 
> Rose


interesting...never heard them referred to as algae eaters. Learn sumpin new every day.


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## Shotgun (Mar 1, 2009)

BNP's get to about 3-4 inches. You could get away with putting another one in there though.


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

shotgun13249 said:


> BNP's get to about 3-4 inches. You could get away with putting another one in there though.


yeah...i got two in a 29. awesome little guys i must say.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

shotgun13249 said:


> BNP's get to about 3-4 inches. You could get away with putting another one in there though.


Apparently mine are giants then, as they are hitting 5 - 6 inches without the long tails. You must remember there are several species of bns. Which I have 3 of. I also have some of the dwarfs that reach about 3 inches without tails. Most commonly what you find in fish stores, unless they are high end will be species 3 which can range anywhere from 3 inches to 6 inches full grown. The dwarfs fit into this catagory as with the calicos. They are the more common species of bns.


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## Relle (Jul 17, 2009)

Thanks for the replies everyone. My little BNP is going nuts in the tank. He seems very happy there! My husband is convinced I didn't get one. He hasn't seen it yet! He hides whenever he comes in the room! lol! 

I'm pretty sure he's a dwarf. The girl at the LFS said he wouldn't get too much bigger. I'd say he's probably about 1.5 inches including the tail.


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## Mermaid (Jul 23, 2009)

Do Ottos need wood to munch on as well..?


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## James0816 (Jun 19, 2009)

Mermaid said:


> Do Ottos need wood to munch on as well..?


No...Otos do not need wood to munch on. Be sure to suppliment with veggies like zucchini however.


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## Mermaid (Jul 23, 2009)

Awesome, will do!


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Otos do need some real plants to do well though. For some reason they just do not do well without them. I have never been able to keep them in a tank without them in some form and the more the better.

Rose


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## Relle (Jul 17, 2009)

I need more advice! 

Should I remove the fish from the tank when I do a water change? And when I vacuum the gravel? 

I know this stuff should be pretty obvious but I'm just not sure!


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## jrodriguez (Jul 20, 2009)

you really dont need to becuz you dont replace ALL the water at the same time...at the most you replace about 50% at a time...and u dont have to take out the fish either of the times...*Glasses*


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

Yes jrodriguez is right. You never do more than a 50% water change unless there is a real tank emergency like a foreign substance getting into your tank or some reason that the water is corrupted. Otherwise you risk losing or compromising your cycle.

The one exception to this is when you have a container that is not filtered or cycled in any manner and then you still do not do a fish removal as every time you net or handle them you disturb their slime coat and open them up to injury and disease. The most you usually remove at this instance is about 75% of the water but this is only when you have an UNFILTERED container and it has HIGH ammonia or some other high parameter that you are attempting to correct in a hurry.

Rose


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