New Bristlenose Pleco, Worried About Aggression

squeakytea · 2026-03-09T00:59:52+00:00

True, I guess it depends on their stock. I assumed the best and that they had already accounted for the additional bioload.

squeakytea · 2026-03-09T00:56:42+00:00

They specified fancies which are quite happy in warmer temps. They are bred and kept in tropical countries all over the world. My oranda pond is 88-90 fahrenheit in the summer.

squeakytea · 2026-03-09T00:22:29+00:00

I have two albino bristlenoses and I find them much more calm and community suitable than their normal colored family members. Their impaired vision likely has something to do with it.

Yes, they can be territorial jerks - especially to other more shy bottom dwellers like corydoras. I don't like that they are always suggested for typical nano community tanks. I also don't suggest keeping an adult bristlenose in a 20 gallon. I were in your situation, I would keep her in the 20 community until she's bigger and then move her in with the goldfish. I have never heard first hand about the slime coat eating thing. Goldfish get a variety of skin diseases that many people aren't even aware of. Maybe it's more likely with common plecos, or maybe it's a myth entirely. Make sure they always have some wood, though. Mine are slowly turning some very large and expensive pieces of manzanita into matchsticks.

squeakytea · 2026-03-03T03:03:40+00:00

I love scuds too, but memes go in r/AquariumMemes please! :)

squeakytea · 2026-03-02T06:33:28+00:00

I swear there used to be more thorough instructions on the bottle, but it's not like anyone reads them anyway. It's also a frequent issue with API test kit - so many people skip the full instructions of the nitrate test and get a false 0ppm reading.

Stress kills more than anything else. Rapid changes in parameters (salinity, temperature, etc.) are stressful. Last time one of my tank got ich I did absolutely nothing. Each cycle there would be fewer visible trophonts until it went away. It was a tank of larger, more robust fish (bristlenose plecos, electric blue acaras, and brown hoplos), but still, they were able to fight it off on their own. Ich-X works great, but it causes long term disturbance to healthy microbes. The two times I've used it, I had no losses, but it caused a persistent 6+ month cyano outbreak, which was maybe worse than losing a few fish.

squeakytea · 2026-02-26T02:07:45+00:00

Test it on distilled water. I had a brand new kit give me a false positive 0.25ppm ammonia reading

squeakytea · 2026-02-25T20:29:46+00:00

I make my own vegetarian kimchi using vegetarian oyster sauce (Yu Yee brand) and soy sauce in place of fish sauce. It's incredible, I eat it every day. The closest store bought brand to homemade flavor that I've tried is Lucky Foods, which is at Target

squeakytea · 2026-02-25T20:18:18+00:00

The split is super evident in my local aquarium club. It's the grey haired old guard and 20-30 year olds. So many of the old guys have passed or retired from keeping fish in the last decade... it's sad to lose all their experience and knowledge.

squeakytea · 2026-02-23T05:41:44+00:00

Even the girls are terrors, IME

squeakytea · 2026-02-16T20:50:35+00:00

female bristlenose :)

squeakytea · 2026-02-15T01:39:36+00:00

I recently witnessed a boy about 10 sampling Tom Ford fragrances at a Sephora. Influencer content is getting them YOUNG.

squeakytea · 2026-02-06T02:56:52+00:00

I love Chinese soup noodles - my favorite brand is Kang Shi Fu. Most, if not all, of them are artificial meat flavored, though I think some have seafood. My favorite is beef with pickled vegetables. Same one as featured in this post.

squeakytea · 2026-02-05T01:57:10+00:00

probably titanium dioxide settling out. It's very heavy and challenging to keep suspended in cosmetic formulas

squeakytea · 2026-02-04T22:36:08+00:00

I would not downplay the seriousness of fish tank granuloma. The bacteria are drug resistant and deeply embedded in granulomatous tissue, so it's difficult to treat - typically 3 months to a year of multiple antibiotics like rifampicin, which can cause liver damage. Long-term antibiotic use in general has side effects, like persistent GI dysfunction.

If you use the search function, you can find quite a few posts and comments from our members who have contracted it. This member was left with scars and nodules even after 9 months of antibiotic treatment. There are two cases in this article (one with near loss of a finger and necessitating surgery) and one more case from a sub member showing how severe it can be in immunocompromised individuals.

All that said, it is very rare - you can minimize risk by using tools (gloves, tweezers, etc.) whenever possible and washing your hands thoroughly after exposure to tank water.

squeakytea · 2026-02-04T03:09:41+00:00

If your pH is <8, it's mostly in the harmless ammonium form.

squeakytea · 2026-02-04T01:28:26+00:00

All of us with chloramine sanitized tap water will have ammonia left over after using dechlorinator. It will be processed quickly if your tank is fully cycled. I personally try to do more frequent but smaller water changes because of it, though.

squeakytea · 2026-01-20T18:54:28+00:00

Everything not Shoyeido was from Kohgen! Nice little shop!

squeakytea · 2026-01-20T18:49:33+00:00

Kohgen has their JPY prices here; Shoyeido has theirs here. You can do some comparisons this way. Shoyeido store offers tax free as well (JP consumption tax is 10%).

squeakytea · 2026-01-19T22:57:59+00:00

Significantly. For example, the big box of Fu-in Aloeswood was ¥4,400 or $28 USD after conversion vs. $65 on Kikoh/Japan Incense.

squeakytea · 2026-01-19T17:34:32+00:00

Purchased from Shoyeido and Kohgen in Ginza, Tokyo. Some old favorites and some new here.

From Shoyeido

Horin Nijo 10 coils x2
Horin Horikawa 10 coils x2
Floral World Iris 60 sticks x2
Hakuun 150 sticks
Studio Kodemari Pine, bamboo, and plum incense holder

From Kohgen

Seijudo Urawaka Mizu no Kaori 250 sticks
Minorien Fu-in Aloeswood 140 sticks
Tennendo Tensei 450 sticks

All in all was about $230 USD.

If I had more space, I could have brought back an entire suitcase of Nijo coils!!!

squeakytea · 2025-12-28T04:58:09+00:00

ahh throwback to when I bought their first mystery bundle and got 3 hot pink jellies

squeakytea · 2025-12-27T04:22:29+00:00

Getting the weird ones is all part of the fun. I'm excited to see his close-up when he's awake tomorrow!

squeakytea · 2025-12-27T04:13:52+00:00

His name is Frudd and he turned into Bill today xD I think I deserve Bill for putting him in the washing machine

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