# How to feed bristlenose with african cichlid.



## smellfry (Jun 3, 2013)

Hi, I just recently bought 2 bristlenose (6-7 cm) for my 125 gallon malawi tank. They're probably still adjusting but I've never seen them come out and eat at the algae. When they do come out, the cichlids (a little bigger than the bristlenose) always try poke at them. At night when the lights are off, I drop in 2 algae wafers but the cichlids always eat at them and I'm not sure if the bristlenose get any. The cichlids sometimes have green waste the next morning. What can I do to make sure that the cichlids are well fed?


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## amcvettec (May 11, 2012)

My BN were coming out to eat pellets. They were doing a good job on the glass/rocks at night with lights off. When I would feed NLS pellets, they came out and actually snagged a few before the mbuna got to them. It took a little while (~2 months) for them to get brave. The mbuna stopped bothering them after a while.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

You will need to supplement the bristlenose plecos diet with algae wafers or fresh vegetables, especially if they are in a tank with greedy fish. Adding the algae wafers a couple hours after lights out will help a great deal. I like to use fresh zucchini or cucumber (seeds scooped out) for my plecos. You will have to weight the veggies with a fork or similar item to get them to the bottom in a 125G tank and this method also helps to keep the veggies from being lost in any rock piles in the tank. Remove any uneaten veggies after 24 hours to prevent them from just adding to the waste load of the tank.

The Mbuna cichlids will also eat the zucchini and cucumber, after all, they like fresh veggies too.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

This is why I think plecos shouldn't be kept with Malawi cichlids. The cichlids are just too aggressive and eager feeders. Something you can try is rigid airline tubing. Cut a length of it (the fat 1" stuff) so that it's just long enough to touch the bottom of the tank and still stick out the top, then just pop food in the tube and it will sink to a spot of your exact choosing on the bottom. Try to aim it into the plecos' hiding spot. Honestly though, I think synos are better suited to living with africans.


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

I have one each with mbuna in a 55g and a 75g. They don't get anything other than what they can snag while feeding the mbuna. I don't clean the sides or back glass and only clean the front once a month or so. The rocks are always algae free.


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## smellfry (Jun 3, 2013)

Ok many thanks for the replies guys. I'll see how they go. They have become more outgoing over the past few days.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

As long as their bellies are plump (not concave) they are fine. Mine get no special feeding either. It's easy to see their bellies as they work their way up the glass on occasion.


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## smellfry (Jun 3, 2013)

Ok thanks I'll look at their bellies next time


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## StangG20 (Aug 12, 2013)

my bn is in my 75. i rotate a couple rocks a week from my other 2 tanks into the 75 and she wastes no time going to town on the new rocks when i put them in there. i actually took a before and after the other day. this was literally a couple hours.


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## smellfry (Jun 3, 2013)

Holy ****. Unfortunately I don't have a lot of algae because the tank is quite tall. Are those live plants? Don't the cichlids eat them?


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## StangG20 (Aug 12, 2013)

i bought the planted tank already setup with the bristlenose. so far i've only added a small group of acei and they dont seem to bother with the plants. 2 of them actually hide inside one of the plants.


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## littlejohnjkn (Jun 28, 2012)

I have a 150 gal tank with 40 Mbuna African Cichlids and 3 Albino Bristlenose Pleco's (2f 1m) for a year now. They get along fine with each other. The ABN"s come out after the lights go out and I put a couple wafers in at that time. My tank is loaded with lots of slate and other flat rocks that created a problem with hundreds of cichlid babies but thats another story that I won't bore you with, LOL.It involves removing everything and catching the babies and putting it all back, ugh!


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

I haven't purposely fed my BN Pleaco since I got him, but I am pretty sure he is eating. I see him maybe once a month.



A view from the other side.



That poo poo hanging out was around 16" long


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Hey Jim... Are you feeding your Pleco Taco Bell?


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Hey Jim... Are you feeding your Pleco Taco Bell?


 :lol: :lol: :lol:
I'm afraid to ask how he determined the length...


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## JimA (Nov 7, 2009)

You really don't want to know!!


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