Bristlenose catfish

[FBCoach]

Hello All,

I posted this question over in the Newbie forum and it was suggusted that I repost the question here. Please don't think I'm trying to spam the boards.
I have a 50 US gal. tank that is almost complete with a fishless cycle.
I have been reading about different fish to put in it and would like to have a male/female pair of bristlenose cats someday. I have read that they need bogwood in their diet.
Is there a difference between bogwood and driftwood? If so where can I get bogwood?

Thanks for any help you can provide,

Coach

 

[valerie]

I don't think there is a difference. I have driftwood in my tank with my BN and she is doing fine.

I think as long as they is any kind of wood its ok.

 

[JamisonBWolsh]

Is it really needed?

I dont have ANY wood in my 20 gallon or 10 gallon tanks. Yet, to the eye, they seem healthy. On top of that, they are breeding often. In fact, they are on their 4 batch think? 10 gallon is FULL of babies... Try to get albino Bristlenose. IMO, they are the better looking pleco. Of course, there are more exotic types of bristlenose out there that you may want to get. etc. Starlight bristlenose..what not... But get a male and a female and a cave where only the plecos fit in and no other fish and they will breed like rabbits for you...

 

[Argento13]

Driftwood IS a natural part of their diet and it also provides a very good media for algae to grow upon.

 

[delmore]

Originally posted by Argento13
Driftwood IS a natural part of their diet and it also provides a very good media for algae to grow upon.

wrong. It is a natural part of Pleco's diet, but not the common bristlenose. IMHO bristlenose are better than Plecos. THey stay smaller - less than 5", eat lots of algae, even when they get older and don't produce the huge amount of long stringy cr*p like the common plecos. If they run out of algae, they can eat other kinds of food, not just the algae wafers. And the females don't have many bristles.

 

[JamisonBWolsh]

stringy poop? My albino bristlenose has these ALL THE TIME!

I feed mine algae discs and zuchinni. NO WOOD!

Female has NO BRISTLES..Males have a few bristles. They are EXCELLENT breeders though. I get 2 batches of eggs a month. Each batch is about 25 eggs.

If you want a small pleco that EATS algae..then the bristlenose is your answer. HOWEVER, there are MANY plecos that stays under 6 inches such as the zebra, golden nugget, and the candystrip just to name a few....

 

[FBCoach]

Thanks All,

If I'm understanding everyone, I can use bogwood or driftwood as long as it comes from a fish store.

Thanks again,
Coach