# 2 BN's in a 20 gallon?



## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

Question about the plecos again. my second one seems to be male. They are each in a 20 gallon community tank. Today my old lyretail molly had very badly damaged fins one one side of her body. the top lyre also was badly damaged.
I am assuming that the BN tried to inhale her during the night. She is most reluctant to try and use her fin so I have moved her into my fry tank. Anyway I am wondering if a 20 is too small for 2 male bn's?? They are both pretty territorial about food.The older male has a massive head and mouth. I guess it is a problem for aging slow fish to get caught at night while resting.


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## elvis332 (Dec 29, 2007)

does BN mean bristlnose pleco?


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

yup it does


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## StripesAndFins (Dec 31, 2008)

if they are territorial then try trading one in for a female so they wont be as territorial. otherwise try sepperating them to different tanks. i have never had this problem so i dont know what else to do. hope everything works out :lol:


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

mousey said:


> Question about the plecos again. my second one seems to be male. They are each in a 20 gallon community tank. Today my old lyretail molly had very badly damaged fins one one side of her body. the top lyre also was badly damaged.
> *I am assuming that the BN tried to inhale her during the night.* She is most reluctant to try and use her fin so I have moved her into my fry tank. Anyway I am wondering if a 20 is too small for 2 male bn's?? They are both pretty territorial about food.The older male has a massive head and mouth. I guess it is a problem for aging slow fish to get caught at night while resting.


ms: *very highly unlikely!*.

BN's are fairly passive fishies and I have never, never observed one trying to consume another fish.

I have observed the large males "chasing by just wiggling" other fish away from clumps of my home my made recipes when they are hungry but that is all.

IMHO a male and a female BN in a 20L or H should work if planted and with some rock or wood caves and holes.

TR


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

if you have 2 males,put one cave at each end of the tank.females do not normally go in caves;but do like to hang under a piece of driftwood..i have never had a problem with them harming other tankmates.


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## Fishnut2 (Jan 18, 2005)

I agree with Jones and John...highly unlikely it was the BN. What else do you have in the tank?


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

platies, cardinal tetras, an angel fish,cories.

Currently the plecos are in different tanks, but I wonder about getting them together as they seem to make the water 'dirty'-- lots of bits floating in the pleco tanks, and one has many skirmishes with the SAE.
If I could get them in together I think I would have one cleaner looking tank and less plants uprooted.


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