# Bristle nose algae eater is hiding



## Harbrook (Mar 29, 2008)

HI hope you can all help...
I have a bristle nose algae eater in my malawi juv tank.. he is larger then the mbuna that i have in there... i have lots of rocks and cave in the tank, and i never get to see the bristle nose!.. is this normal that he never comes out... ?? how can i temp him to show his spikey face.

any help appreciated,
thanks
Darren.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

How long has he been in there? Are the mbuna nipping at him at all? I did not see mine for days at a time at first, but now I see him every other day or so.


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## MetalHead06351 (Oct 3, 2007)

they hide quite a bit. I only see mine maybe once a week, sometimes less. Algae wafers could get him to come out a little more often.


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## Harbrook (Mar 29, 2008)

he's been in there about 2 weeks. NO nipping form the mbuna, as i can see


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## lab911 (Jan 8, 2008)

They are nocturnal so you may only see him when one of your cichlids finds his hiding place and kicks him out of it on occasion.


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## 748johnd (Jun 30, 2007)

I have 3 bristlenose (2 albino, 1 regular) in a 90g with lots of rock work. I see the albino ones everyday, but only see the regular one when the lights are off. I was surprised that the albino ones come out regularly.


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## Lostiniowa (Dec 28, 2007)

with my Bristlenose i'm very lucking if i see it once a week (and thats just seeing it poking its nose out of a hole or something), i went three weeks once and tore the tank apart looking for it, thinking it was dead but it was fat and happy just hiding in a hollow log. My little rubbernose pleco is always out and about hes almost as active as the mbuna.


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## justin323 (Nov 29, 2006)

748johnd said:


> I have 3 bristlenose (2 albino, 1 regular) in a 90g with lots of rock work. I see the albino ones everyday, but only see the regular one when the lights are off. I was surprised that the albino ones come out regularly.


I've noticed that with mine as well, I wonder why?


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## Donfish (Dec 24, 2007)

Harbrook said:


> HI hope you can all help...
> how can i tempt him to show his spikey face.


Put a slice of blanched zucchini (nuke the slice in a bowl of water for 20 to 30 seconds and rinse in cold water when done) on a clip in the tank after lights out.

If he don't show his ugly mug he's either got a girlfriend or a drinking problem.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

My albino BN are out muuuuch more than my regular. I think that's a bit odd, too. One of my albinos actually "lives" on a big sword leaf rather than under the nice mopani wood I put in there for him. The sword leaf wraps around him like blanket and I just see the tip of his tail or his bristles sticking out. My long-finned albino BN is out and about all the time, and very pretty to watch. My regular BN hides all the time and I'm thinking of sending him back to the LFS and just keeping the albinos . . .

BTW, one of my albinos doesn't realize the zuccini on the side of the tank is for him. I've tried twice and he ignored it both times, so I guess it doesn't always work . . .


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## Hubbynz (May 10, 2008)

I got a bristlenose around a week ago and was getting chased by my convict so only really saw him once a day....haven't seen him in 3 days so starting to get paranoid that the convict got him.


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