What alternative to Bristlenose?

[walker26]

Hi
I’ve had 4 BN’s for about 5 months now and in the last couple of weeks they have taken a liking for my plants and shredded most of them . I’ve been feeding them cucumber a couple of times a week and algae wafers the other days which they have been very happy with. They also pick up the odd bloodworm but once the lights go out they tuck into my plants.

I think I’m going to have to take them back to the LFS as I’m gutted that they’ve destroyed the look of the tank. What would be a good replacement that won’t eat the plants? I’m thinking about getting some Ottos but I’ve been unable to find any near where I live (Norfolk). Thanks for any advice.

[Gingerlove05]

Thats unusual BNs don’t normally eat plants, they can plough through them and break stems but generally they will graze on algae and bits on leaves and might cause damage in doing so. I think my BN tends to cause more damage resting on the leaves and moving by grating them against the gravel.

[walker26]

They’ve had a go at the Sword since I got them, the odd leaf would slowly become more and more transparent. The last 2 weeks though, they’ve started on the Alternanthera, first the older leaves and once they were gone they started on the new leaves. I don’t really want to get rid of them as they do keep the tank clean but I don’t want them to start on any more plants.
Is there a nationwide shortage of Ottos or just in Norfolk?

[DoubleDutch]

It's more.plausible your Swords have different issues.

[walker26]

It's more.plausible your Swords have different issues.

I did think that myself but they were growing perfectly fine for a month or so before I added the little vandals. I’ve had a new leaf every week or 2 which was just about keeping up with what was being destroyed but as the BN’s have got bigger the plant growth just couldn’t keep up. I’ve been trimming the Alternanthera and poking the cuttings into the sand, they’ve rooted and put on healthy growth but now these are also being attacked.

If it’s not the BN’s what else could it be?

[plankton]

Have the plants got algae on?
I've noticed that the anubias in two of my tanks have got less algae, but more damage due to the BNs clearing it.

[Martinspuddle]

Usually the only reason a Ancistrus will start eating aquatic plants is because the plant is unhealthy or dying. Do you feed your plants?

[MasonJ19]

Yeah like other have said its more likely the plant than the bristlenose! I had the same issue a while back on amazon swords. My bristlenose loved spending its time on the leaves because they had algae and they weren't really doing to well so the leaves would develop holes and melt away, especially where the bristlenose spent its time but it wasn't the bristlenose.

[walker26]

I’m not trying to be dismissive but need to know what’s causing it, if not the BN’s.
There is very little algae in the tank in general, the plants have all been very healthy, with quite vibrant red leaves for nearly 6 months, I dose with Easylife Profito, Easycarbo and Ferro, I’ve also used Seachem Flourish tabs. The lower/older leaves went first, then the younger/new leaves. All plants have a good root system and I have to trim the Alternanthera about once a month, the cuttings readily root in substrate.
Water parameters are 26c 0/0/20 pH7.2, KH6, GH6. Light on 7hours.

[walker26]

This was taken just over 3 weeks ago, when the Alternanthera was healthy. The one in front of the intake is the one that’s now just stem and no leaves.