Well, I'm pretty sure a BNP can't actually take air from the surface. Are you feeding him enough? who does he live with? and the algae is normal when adding driftwood and giving light that long. I'd say maybe cut down the hours of light.
Bristlenose Pleco taking air from surface, burping, not eating
Hi. Wondering if anyone else has had experience of this. We have noticed last couple of days that Pebbles (the pleco) is scooting up to the surface, taking air, then going to the side/on filter etc and doing a burp. She doesn't seem to be eating like normal (didn't touch the courgette we put in for her yesterday).
Water is
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate virtually 0 (test was clear water that only changed a tiny bit pink long after 10 mins)
ph 7.5
gh 10
Tank was upgraded from 55L to 110L just after Christmas. New U4 filter with old media still stuffed in the middle part with the ceramics (and some more old sponge left in tank). Checked water constantly and we never had a crash.
New gravel put over old gravel.
Existing arch and airstone were used.
Existing plants and a couple of new ones were put in.
New to tank - driftwood bought from fish store, soaked for a week or so.
Light goes on around 7.30/8.00 am, off around 10 pm.
Obviously we have tanins due to driftwood but recently started to get algae, which we never had before. There was a furry coating on the heater and a fair bit on back, sides and front of tank. I read that carbon filter can produce phosphate which in turn encourages algae. Our old filter only had sponge but new one had sponge and carbon. I've taken carbon out just in case and ordered phosphate removing pads.
Currenly running the emergency battery airstone to see if extra oxygen will help (but there should be plenty anyway). I understand algae uses up oxygen so that's one possibility.
Hoping this extra airstone will make a difference because then we will know, but if it doesn't, any ideas?
Many thanks.
Water is
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate virtually 0 (test was clear water that only changed a tiny bit pink long after 10 mins)
ph 7.5
gh 10
Tank was upgraded from 55L to 110L just after Christmas. New U4 filter with old media still stuffed in the middle part with the ceramics (and some more old sponge left in tank). Checked water constantly and we never had a crash.
New gravel put over old gravel.
Existing arch and airstone were used.
Existing plants and a couple of new ones were put in.
New to tank - driftwood bought from fish store, soaked for a week or so.
Light goes on around 7.30/8.00 am, off around 10 pm.
Obviously we have tanins due to driftwood but recently started to get algae, which we never had before. There was a furry coating on the heater and a fair bit on back, sides and front of tank. I read that carbon filter can produce phosphate which in turn encourages algae. Our old filter only had sponge but new one had sponge and carbon. I've taken carbon out just in case and ordered phosphate removing pads.
Currenly running the emergency battery airstone to see if extra oxygen will help (but there should be plenty anyway). I understand algae uses up oxygen so that's one possibility.
Hoping this extra airstone will make a difference because then we will know, but if it doesn't, any ideas?
Many thanks.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
Thank you for your reply. I assumed it was an air/oxygen thing because she comes down from the surface and shortly after "burps". Previously used to devour wafers or courgette as soon as she saw them but seems uninterested. She lives with a couple of plattys, 4 tiny fish (some kind of tetra) and a yoyo loach (who she doesn't mind).Well, I'm pretty sure a BNP can't actually take air from the surface. Are you feeding him enough? who does he live with? and the algae is normal when adding driftwood and giving light that long. I'd say maybe cut down the hours of light.
Will def cut down the light (assume the plants will be okay?) I've just done a full range of tests again tonight and everything is as it should be (assuming kh of 4 and gh of 11 is okay). Fish are hard work and a real worry. Thought bigger tank would make things easier but maybe not. Pebbles has been with us since last April (daughter's first fish) and she is much loved.
Thank you for your reply. I assumed it was an air/oxygen thing because she comes down from the surface and shortly after "burps". Previously used to devour wafers or courgette as soon as she saw them but seems uninterested. She lives with a couple of plattys, 4 tiny fish (some kind of tetra) and a yoyo loach (who she doesn't mind).
Will def cut down the light (assume the plants will be okay?) I've just done a full range of tests again tonight and everything is as it should be (assuming kh of 4 and gh of 11 is okay). Fish are hard work and a real worry. Thought bigger tank would make things easier but maybe not. Pebbles has been with us since last April (daughter's first fish) and she is much loved.
Thank you for your reply. I assumed it was an air/oxygen thing because she comes down from the surface and shortly after "burps". Previously used to devour wafers or courgette as soon as she saw them but seems uninterested. She lives with a couple of plattys, 4 tiny fish (some kind of tetra) and a yoyo loach (who she doesn't mind).
Will def cut down the light (assume the plants will be okay?) I've just done a full range of tests again tonight and everything is as it should be (assuming kh of 4 and gh of 11 is okay). Fish are hard work and a real worry. Thought bigger tank would make things easier but maybe not. Pebbles has been with us since last April (daughter's first fish) and she is much loved.
Thank you for your reply. I assumed it was an air/oxygen thing because she comes down from the surface and shortly after "burps". Previously used to devour wafers or courgette as soon as she saw them but seems uninterested. She lives with a couple of plattys, 4 tiny fish (some kind of tetra) and a yoyo loach (who she doesn't mind).
Will def cut down the light (assume the plants will be okay?) I've just done a full range of tests again tonight and everything is as it should be (assuming kh of 4 and gh of 11 is okay). Fish are hard work and a real worry. Thought bigger tank would make things easier but maybe not. Pebbles has been with us since last April (daughter's first fish) and she is much loved.
I have a pleco in a new big tank showing similar behavior, but after watching, I'm pretty sure he's burping before he hits the surface. His old tank was only ten gallons, so maybe the depth difference is causing issues, but I don't think so, he cruises all over the place, lands on plants and lounges and hides under and behind everything, his behavior is seemingly happy, he doesn't seem to be cleaning the tank as much, but the new tank has a layer of red algae I think he doesn't like, the green is coming in now after a cleaning, I'm starting to see mouth spots...SOOOOO what I'm saying is he may just be adapting still, mine seems happy, there's a lot of plants, so there may be too much oxygen.
1 - 4 of 4 Posts
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