timmyg Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 I have had the the 3 hillsteam loaches since last January (almost 1 year). In the last month all 3 of my hillstream loaches have died. When the first loach died I removed the best algae eaters as they appeared the most aggressive in the tank. Then the second loach died and I suspected the 5" bristlenose pleco I have. Now the third loach died yesterday and I found him floating on top. A few suction marks on his back where he got chewed on. I have observed my 6 smaller bristlenose plecos 1"-2" taking turns eating the second hillstream loach. I don't know if the hillstream loaches died natural deaths or if the 5" bristlenose is the guilty fish. I have never observed the 5" bristlenose acting aggressive towards any fish in the tank however. What are your experiences with bristlenose plecos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesp Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 Sorry to hear the bad news. I had a hill stream loach that died on me. They are beautiful, but I found that they did not go after food very quickly. Mine was doing just dandy until I put in a couple small cats. I did not even think that the loach might not be eating. It died not too long afterwards, maybe a couple weeks. I am not sure if it was actually the cats fault that mine died, but that is what I suspect. Could these BN's be getting big enough now that they are real competition for the loaches and the loaches just couldn't keep up finally? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rayfong Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 My experience with bristlenose plecos are they are opportunists. The Hillstream loaches could've died of natural causes and the bristlenose plecos took advantage of that. I've also read that they do like cooler temperatures. What temperature was your tank at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmyg Posted December 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 tank is at around 76 F. Just thinking might have been insuffecient oxygen. Hillstream loaches love highly oxygenated water. forgot about that. my eheim outflow wasn't creating much ripple because I had filled the tank over the bar. could have been it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kraken Posted December 15, 2009 Report Share Posted December 15, 2009 You need extra air. The Bristles may have had some thing to do with it but I would lean towards air. :smokey: Bristles arn't preditory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jewels Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 I've also read that they do like cooler temperatures. found this calculator long story short - the potential saturation of Oxygen in water @ 18oC is 9.5 ppm and the potential saturation @ 25oC is 8.3 ppm seems like a small number ; but that is almost a 14% difference just food for thought Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.