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Hi. I have not idea how or why, but my bristlenose catfish diead. I have a 60ltr tank, with some angels, platies, whitclouds, and a bristlenose. I found the bones on the bottom of the tank. The heat has been going up excessively the last couple of weeks, but everything else has survived just fine! The nitrate ammonia etc is aok. I change the water weekly and vaccum fortnightly.

The bristlenose was 6cm long


the earlybird gets the worm.... but the second mouse gets the cheese...

A number of thoughts, Jimbooo.

1. Your bristlenose (bn) might have starved. Generally this catfish needs supplementary feedings of spirulina algae, spinach or squash to thrive. The spinach and squash should be par boiled for the fish to eat it.

2. The water parameters may not be "aok". The bn is a great wast maker (poops a lot), at the same time it enjoys the same water parameters as discus. Are your nitrates under 20 ppm?

3. "The heat has been going up excessively the last couple of weeks..." The temperature swings may have stressed the fish and it resulted in its death combined with diet and water conditions.

4. It was old and infirm, dying a natural death from old age.



__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Your probably right...I think the starvation thing may have something to do with it..................

I have spirulina pellets for catfish... I only used them occasionally to supplement for the lack of algae in the tank. The fish probably ate all the algae, and I didnt realise it. If it was the nitrates, I dare say that the other fish would have been effected (angels, platies).

the earlybird gets the worm.... but the second mouse gets the cheese...

First why is the heat going up? If you have any bottom feeders they must be fed every day. Have a look at My Profile to see my stock and what they are fed.
Do you have any old drift wood or areas where it could hide if not this would/could have caused stress. I also think they are not a loner fish and like their own company.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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Jimbooo,

A last thought... did you have any wood in the tank? Ancistrus, hypostomus and other sucker mouth catfish frequently require wood as part of their diet.



__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

Yes, I did have wood in the tank. I have a nice thick piece of drift wood sitting at the bottom of the tank.

Cheers

the earlybird gets the worm.... but the second mouse gets the cheese...