Rubberlip plecos

[Maxkolbe]

I Was at the local petsmart and they had rubber lip Plecos there. I was looking for a catfish to keep in the lake Malawi setup (60 gal) that I am building so I was wondering if these would work. I am going to be doing a variety of mbunas with rocks and some artificial plants. I also know that plecos are hardy so do you think they would do Ok in a fish-in cycle. Lastly do they require driftwood or would they be OK with just rocks. Thank you for any help that you can give me!

 

[Mogurako]

I would skip the pleco for fish in cycle they produce allot of waste and you will have to supplement their diet allot on a tank with no algae. I would go for the rubber lip or bristlenose once the tank has been set up for awhile, do your fish in cycle with 2-3 fish.

 

[Maxkolbe]

I already have two mbunas that are going in so that will work out great, Thanks

 

[Mogurako]

If you go bristlenose just get the normal type not any of the fancy ones they tend to get beat up on. Also the normal ones tend to do better with the higher PH

 

[garfy]

I would go for a synodontis there are some great looking species and they get on with African cichlids just fine

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Haha ya i agree! Get a african featherfin catfish! I love mine

 

[Bully405Customz]

+1 on the feather fin. I'd get a couple of them though they tend tto like company.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Well they get pretty big, so 2-3 max would fill up the bottom of your tank in my opinion

 

[Bully405Customz]

I just saw the tank size. Lol yeah 2 would fill it up nicely but they dont eat algae really, mine nibbles on it but that's it.

 

[Maxkolbe]

I would love to do feather fins but wouldn't they be terrorized by the mbunas? I just can't get over the thought that wouldn't survive with as long a dorsal fin as that. I also thought that they were nocturnal, my upside down catfish hides all day so I never see him. He's an awesome fish though. He hid under the roots of my java fern and when he left he knocked the whole thing over (Maybe he's part Oscar)

 

[Bully405Customz]

I have mine in with all my Malawi. They can hold their own no problem. Mine act like he's not even there, and he's always out swimming around in my tank. Just feed him at night when all the others are sleeping.

 

[garfy]

My cuckoo catfish has no probs with my mbuna and he comes out all the time

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Hahaha i dont think they would be messed with by the mumbas, but who knows. Mine is nocturnal, but hes really cool! I love him

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Also: mine eats everything!!!!! Haha

 

[Bully405Customz]

They love earthworms! Also you might want to check out*Synodontis Multipunctatus. They are smaller and less nocturnal. But they like to be in groups of 5 or 6 though

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Wait do you just dig up worms and put them in the tank??

 

[Bully405Customz]

Well I'd buy the fishing works and cut them up into bite sized pieces but I quit doing that because it was mainly for my eels that I don't have anymore. plus I was afraid of my cichlids eating to many of them and getting bloat. Plus you never know wwhat pathogens they could be carrying. But digging up is the best way if it's an options.

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Awesome! Haha i will pm you a question.

Anyways, i definitly reccomend the feather fin he and my eel are the two coolest fish i own. If you dont like them you could get pictus catfish, bristlenose plecos, or something like an eel

 

[Bully405Customz]

Okay. Imo I wouldn't add the eel ffor a decently stocked cichlid tank. But it might work better for you than it did for me

 

[Nu-Nu the eel]

Even something big like a freshwater *snowflake* eel