# do Bristlenose NEED driftwood?



## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

Hi guys, I am adding 2 albino bristlenose to my 72g african tank, do they need driftwood in their diet? or is it optional? I would like to refrain from using driftwood as it tends to lower ph and soften water, I do weekly 40% water changes, so it may not be an issue, but not sure. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

BN's need to have wood as part of their diet. So my answer would be yes.


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

I have kept BN in an Malawi tank for years that had no driftwood. My tank was spotless and I added zucchini to his diet and occasionally wafers. I have a BN now in an Angel tank with Driftwood and I find I have to sometimes clean algae off the glass.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Check this out

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... cies_id=49


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## Malawidolphin (Dec 15, 2006)

> It is thought that elements in bogwood, particularly lignin, *may* form an essential part of Bristlenose diet. Certainly they have the immensely long guts common to vegetarians, and although they fall avidly on the occasional meal of live food or prawns, the bulk of their diet must be composed of vegetable matter. If a high protein diet is fed constantly, then they will become prone to stomach disorders. Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is *a valuable addition *to this.


With the wording "may" form an essential part and "a valuable addition" leads us to believe just that. If it was a necessary element they would not survive in a tank without it.


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## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

I have a lot of brown algae (diatoms) growing in my tank, so they will have plenty to munch on, I am also wondering the effect a small piece of driftwood might have on water chemistry, if any with the weekly water changes, but in an african tank I don't like the idea of anything that may soften the water or lower ph, it seems that it would be a good idea for the food companies to ad lignen to their wafers, so that it gives the aquarist more options, but that might be a pipe-dream.


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## bigcatsrus (Apr 15, 2009)

Malawidolphin said:


> > It is thought that elements in bogwood, particularly lignin, *may* form an essential part of Bristlenose diet. Certainly they have the immensely long guts common to vegetarians, and although they fall avidly on the occasional meal of live food or prawns, the bulk of their diet must be composed of vegetable matter. If a high protein diet is fed constantly, then they will become prone to stomach disorders. Vegetable roughage keeps the gut in working order, and bogwood is *a valuable addition *to this.
> 
> 
> With the wording "may" form an essential part and "a valuable addition" leads us to believe just that. If it was a necessary element they would not survive in a tank without it.


If you ask on the forum they would say that it is part of their diet and it is a good idea to have at least one piece in the tank. I'm only passing on what I have been told.


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## kmuda (Nov 27, 2009)

Try this....

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/p ... atid=21379

It's an idea I'm suprised is not more common, Pleco food with "wood" included. My Pleco loves the stuff.


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## exasperatus2002 (Jul 5, 2003)

sevmeera said:


> I have a lot of brown algae (diatoms) growing in my tank, so they will have plenty to munch on, I am also wondering the effect a small piece of driftwood might have on water chemistry, if any with the weekly water changes, but in an african tank I don't like the idea of anything that may soften the water or lower ph, it seems that it would be a good idea for the food companies to ad lignen to their wafers, so that it gives the aquarist more options, but that might be a pipe-dream.


If you have diatoms, nothings going to touch it. Diatoms are a single celled algae with a silica shell, it cant be digested.


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## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

Well that is a real kick in the pants! I guess I did my research in the wrong place, I had read that they will eat brown algae, but in researching further it seems that some people say they will, and some say they won't. I did find out that apparently Otocinclus catfish love the stuff, but I think they would be an appetizer in no time in an african tank. Oh well, I guess I have to hope my brown algae turns green.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

I've seen my BN catfish mow through diatoms, but it would not surprise me in the least to find out that they are not digesting it, just basically scraping it out of the way...


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## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

If that's the case I can live with that, I have no experience with BN's so I don't know what to expect.


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## Darkside (Feb 6, 2008)

I doubt that BN plecos actually need wood in their diet. You could try SAEs to assist you with your algae problem. I've used them for years and nothing compares, they don't breed all the time like my BN plecos do though.


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

I have a planted African tank with peacocks, s. lucippinis and two small albino bristlenose plecos. I have a small piece of wood tucked in the back of the tank for them. It has had no affect on the pH. I love my BNs, so I'd rather err on the side of providing it rather than not . . .


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## dwarfpike (Jan 22, 2008)

As far as I know, only the _Panaque_ group and _Cochliodon_ group has been studied and known to need wood in their diet. That doesn't mean other pleco types don't need it, I just haven't found a study done on bristlenoses or others. A small piece won't really affect the water in a mid sized tank too much so I'd toss one in to error on the side of caution. Mine deffinately knawed on maylasian driftwood.


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## naegling23 (Jan 4, 2008)

I dont think they "need" wood. I've heard reports that they may need some in their diet, but I have not noticed this myself. Some pleco's do eat wood, but they tend to be less effective algae eaters. The wood likely would provide some nice hiding spots as BN pleco's are nocturnalish, and hide during most of the day.

They are a south american species though...I wont say that they will not survive in an african tank, but it is at the least less than optimal. I know some of the african cichlids will graze algae from rocks, and possibly even the glass. African tanks also usually lack plants, so perhaps adjusting your tank conditions (light intensity, time on, and type of bulb) might keep the algae low enough for your fish to take care of and eliminate the need for an algae eater.


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## jeaninel (Nov 1, 2009)

It's my understanding that wood helps with BN's digestion. I know mine is constantly gnawing on the wood (They also mow through the diatoms). I have not found driftwood to change the Ph in my tanks at all. I believe if you have a very low Kh or 0 Kh that is when it may affect the water.


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## BillD (May 17, 2005)

exasperatus2002 said:


> sevmeera said:
> 
> 
> > I have a lot of brown algae (diatoms) growing in my tank, so they will have plenty to munch on, I am also wondering the effect a small piece of driftwood might have on water chemistry, if any with the weekly water changes, but in an african tank I don't like the idea of anything that may soften the water or lower ph, it seems that it would be a good idea for the food companies to ad lignen to their wafers, so that it gives the aquarist more options, but that might be a pipe-dream.
> ...


Oto cats will consume diatoms.


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## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

I have heard that as well, I am afraid though that with their small size they will be eaten in an african tank. I think they also like softer water and lower ph.


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## jh82 (Oct 26, 2007)

I would say no. I have all African tanks. I started out with a few albino and a few plain brisltenose plecos. No I have literally hundreds of them, albinos, plain and some that look like a mix of the two. They're like cockroaches. They spawn and grow out in the same tanks as my cichlids. None of my African tanks have driftwood.


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## tankhead (Aug 8, 2008)

I have 3 BN in my 125 and have one medium sized piece of driftwood. I NEVER see them on the wood.


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## sevmeera (Aug 8, 2009)

update- I put the larger of the 2 bristlenose in the 72 this past week, he seems to be doing fine, I decided to put a small (3" long) piece of wood in the tank with him. He found it quickly and sits on it for a couple minutes at a time throughout the night. I was expecting him to be almost exclusively nocturnal, but I see him out in the light a fair amount.
As for algae eating, I didn't see him eat any of the brown algae for the first couple days, but after being away all weekend we came back to see almost half of the lace rock in the tank completely clean! So he is definitely eating it, whether he is digesting it or not.
The other fish in the tank just ignore him, or briefly inspect him before moving on. I am hoping to put the other bristlenose in soon, he (or she) is quite a bit smaller and I don't want him to be lunch. I also have a 3" Syno. Multi hat is going to be introduced to te 72 soon as well. Hopefully it will work out ok.


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## jzdanows (Jun 20, 2010)

I have a huge piece of swahala driftwood and it has not adversely affected my Tanganyikian tank. my ph is around 8.3 and total hardness about 9 degrees. I would like it around 15 but still working on it. when I added wood it did not affect water parameters, but I soaked and boiled it for a week to get all tannin out.


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