Bristlenose Pleco in a Acrylic Tank
Bristlenose Pleco in a Acrylic Tank
Came across this forum and thought you experts maybe able to advise. I am considering adding a Bristlenose pleco to my tank to help control brown algae. My concern is that since my tank is made out of acrylic, the pleco would end up making scratches all over the tank? Is this really the case? Has anyone had experience with a pleco in an acrylic tank?
- Barbie
- Expert
- Posts: 2964
- Joined: 03 Jan 2003, 23:48
- I've donated: $360.00!
- My articles: 1
- My images: 15
- My catfish: 2
- My cats species list: 58 (i:0, k:0)
- Spotted: 8
- Location 1: Spokane, WA
- Location 2: USA
- MatsP
- Posts: 21038
- Joined: 06 Oct 2004, 13:58
- My articles: 4
- My images: 28
- My cats species list: 117 (i:33, k:0)
- My aquaria list: 10 (i:8)
- My BLogs: 4 (i:0, p:164)
- Spotted: 187
- Location 1: North of Cambridge
- Location 2: England.
We had a cheapo acrylic tank for Freia (goldfish) and Gus (female bristlenose) when we first got them, and there were certainly scratches on the tank when we decomissioned(sp?) it. But there were certainly more scratches created by my attempts to remove hard algae, than Gus had caused by cleaning off the soft algae.
To keep an acrylic tank from scratching is hard, but I doubt that the biggest damage will be from the bristlenose. They don't have that sharp teeth, and they don't grow that big (strong), so should be reasonably ok.
[But please, make your own judgement. If the tank is scratched beyond use in 5 years time, I'm not going to pay for a replacement when you sue me.
]
--
Mats
To keep an acrylic tank from scratching is hard, but I doubt that the biggest damage will be from the bristlenose. They don't have that sharp teeth, and they don't grow that big (strong), so should be reasonably ok.
[But please, make your own judgement. If the tank is scratched beyond use in 5 years time, I'm not going to pay for a replacement when you sue me.

--
Mats
Thanks for all the replies thus far. Anyone else? I am still debating whether to add them or not to my 300G Moba Frontosa tank. Yes, I agree initially I may not have problems but over time you will start to notice something. I plan on keeping my tank for long time as it is the cornerstone of my living room, so additional advise would be greatly appreciated.
- Barbie
- Expert
- Posts: 2964
- Joined: 03 Jan 2003, 23:48
- I've donated: $360.00!
- My articles: 1
- My images: 15
- My catfish: 2
- My cats species list: 58 (i:0, k:0)
- Spotted: 8
- Location 1: Spokane, WA
- Location 2: USA
Let me revise that to a LARGE chance they'd get eaten by the Moba. I keep them and even my good sized Ancistrus was looked at as a tasty morsel when I initially added him. I definitely wouldn't want to be trying to pry the pectoral fins from a dead or dying oto back out of a fish that cost that much, personally.
You can always have the tank buffed out, if you should get scratches, I'd think. With that said, my 190 acrylic Tropheus tank has no bristlenose, even though I currently raise 5 species.
Barbie
You can always have the tank buffed out, if you should get scratches, I'd think. With that said, my 190 acrylic Tropheus tank has no bristlenose, even though I currently raise 5 species.
Barbie
- Barbie
- Expert
- Posts: 2964
- Joined: 03 Jan 2003, 23:48
- I've donated: $360.00!
- My articles: 1
- My images: 15
- My catfish: 2
- My cats species list: 58 (i:0, k:0)
- Spotted: 8
- Location 1: Spokane, WA
- Location 2: USA
I have fry from Ancistrus claro, L183, Ancistrus triradiatus, standard and albino, and I'm working with L182 right now, but don't have any fry, just one infertile spawn so far. They were still in our tap water conditioning, but evidently they thought they were in FINE condition ;). I also have another species, L89 that I have high hopes for, but they are currently just eating and staring at me
.
I've seen tanks that a scotch brite hazed pretty badly. I'm glad you haven't had that problem with yours!
Barbie

I've seen tanks that a scotch brite hazed pretty badly. I'm glad you haven't had that problem with yours!
Barbie