Bristlenose Pleco and Seachem Excel

[deonild]

I want a pleco and I was planning to get a Bristlenose Pleco because they eat algee more than other 4-5" plecos instead of just gravel sifting, from what I've read. I'd like to have a pleco sticking to the wall of my tank occasionally. For my tank I plan to have live plants, with 2.6 watts per gallon and use Seachem Excel instead of co2 injection. I just recently read that Excel kills algee. I was planning to give some algee tablets beforehand, but does this mean that my pleco will never be on the wall if algee is killed? Do they hang on the wall for fun with no algee?

[rich311k]

He will be on the walls. Excel does not kill all algae, in can help control some types. You will never have enough algae to keep your pleco fed any way. Mine eat their veggies and wafers and are often on the sides of the tank.

[KingFisher]

Other than to eat, they will only hang out on the wall if there is no other place for them to hang out that they like better. I have a large piece of wood in my tank with three BNs. Two of them hang out behind it, and the third hangs out on the front, or on the glass, or on a rock. If there are hiding spots that they like, they will hang out there regardless of whether there is algae on the glass or not. Mine come out and feed mainly at night, and you are more apt to wake up to clean glass and a hiding pleco. Some do feel comfortable hanging out in the open all day though, I guess it depends on the individual fish and how comfortable they feel.

[deonild]

Very cool, I think I may reconsider which type of pleco I get, BN being based purely on algee eating, from like 2 sources.