bristlenose issues..... cant keep em alive

[DIY]

Do you add anything to your tank other than say prime? bristles are vey sensitive to anything with copper in it for example and copper toxicity increases as the pH drops. Snail-rid would be an example, or maybe even a copper fitting on the tank somewhere?. Sorry if it's a newb type question and I don't want to offend but sometimes the most obvious things are overlooked

[Hassles]

A fish breeding friend of mine keeps Peppermint Bristlenose with her Discus at PH 6.8 and 'never' allows the temp to rise above 28 for the sake of the BN

[gav]

not temp, as it sits at 28. not copper or the like, as nothing is out of the ordinary, and i use safe on all water going in.

illusn had a suggestion when he was here that possibly it is poison wood. so, at some stage i will test that with the piece i suspect out of the tank.

[abyss]

hay there
I have 7 discus in a 4x2x2 with over 60 neon's and 20 odd glowlight's as well as 2 12' sailfin plec's i had trouble with bn in there so switched to plec's there more tolerant and leave the discus alone, the L20 and L21 are a bit cheaper.

[Suncoastscott]

In nearly 20 years of breeding bristlenose I have never lost a fish due to heat, although I never keep any of my bristlie tanks anywhere near that temp. My tanks sit in a non air conditioned garage and temps often reach 40+ during summer. My bristlies however are happiest when temp is in the low 20's and as a breeding trigger I often let the tanks drop to 18 degrees. I have seen common bristlies breed in everything from discus tanks with low PH to cichlid tanks with 8ph. Nothing usually phases them.

8 hours in 30 degree temp really shouldn't be an issue as they are a very hardy fish but in this instance my guess would be that this is your problem. Either that or you are being sold dud fish.

[Barracuda]

yeah turn the temp down for sure, your cookin them

I keep mine around 26degrees. You should be ok with 28 but thats about as hot as they seem to like IMO.

Where abouts in syd you at??? If you want to try again of got plenty of these guys 4 sale and not for $9.95 like in the shops. $3 each.

Not sure about pleco's and what temps they can handle but would get very pricey..

Anyway good luck with your tank and your bristlenose.

Cheers,
Glen.

Where abouts in Sydney are they sold for $3 each?

[G_TAMMA]

Shops are $9.95 each or more.

Mine are $3each.

[Scat]

Ive had peppermint bristlenose bloat up as you decribe by leaving uneaten food in bare bottom tank too long and they eat it and bloat due to a bacterial infection in the stomache, I changed my feeding habits and the problem went away.

Cheers
Craig

[shell42]

I always keep my BN's at a higher PH 7.4 and 8 in hard water they breed happily in it.

I also keep them with alot of driftwood and they seem to do fine.

I didn't think you could keep them at a lower ph, in the stores here even they mostly keep them at 7 or higher.