"Rubber Pleco" ?

[Burks]

Recently I was browsing the fish selection at Pets Supplies Plus. They had a tank with some plecos in there labeled "Rubber Plecos". Not knowing anything about them I decided not to buy.

Search and really didn't find much, mainly stuff about Rubber Lips and Bulldogs. The pictures I found on Bulldog Plecos sure look a lot like those at the store. Are they the same species but with different common names?

May get one for my 10g, I like the way they look.

 

[joannde]

www.planetcatfish.com is a good resource - go to the "cat e-log" and type in pleco - you'll get a big list

they do have a "Rubber Pleco" listed - take a look at the pics. They get to be 9" so that would be too big for a 10G.

Looking at the "cat e-log" both the rubbernose and the bulldog have the same species name (Chaetostoma milesi) and get to be about 5".

I don't keep plecos as they are high waste producers (waste:body size ratio) - so I'm not sure either species would be suitable for a 10G tank, but hopefully some of the pleco experts will chime in.

 

[lmw80]

My guess is that it's a rubberlip pleco, which is different from the rubber pleco. I remember having a hard time finding information on it as well. I *think* the rupperlip and the bulldog are most likely considered the same species.

 

[Pleco]

rubberlip and bulldog are the same, just depends what LFS you go to. It should be fine for your tank so long as you keep up with it. I would do 15% PWC every week, and make sure that you get around the plecos hiding spot as that will be a poo spot.

I think no tank is complete without a pleco gracing it But hey, im biased

-Pleco

 

[hc8719]

everyone should have a pleco, theres no reason anyone shouldnt have a pleco

but ya, rubber plecos are rubberlips

 

[JustOneMore20]

Rubber plecos and Rubber lip/nose plecos are not the same. Rubberlip/nose plecos are the same thing as bulldog plecos....like stated above.

I'd go with something smaller than a Bulldog. A 5 inch poop machine is a little big for a 10g IMO. Some of the fancy plecos get a tad smaller than 5 inches...I'd go for one of them....or see if you can find what is called a Pitbull pleco. Its like an oto but a little bigger. They are cute and stay around 2 inches...perfect for a 10g.

 

[Pleco]

All plecos are cute, they are all poop machines too even if they get a smaller one they would have to commit to PWC's every week otherwise the poop could get the water parameters out of hand quite fast.

-Pleco

 

[JRagg]

everyone should have a pleco, theres no reason anyone shouldnt have a pleco

but ya, rubber plecos are rubberlips

Plecos eat eggs. No pleco for me!

But if I didn't have a spawning pair, I would have one.

 

[Mosaic]

Oh man, I just have to say those rubber plecos are the coolest things I have ever seen, especially the orange coloration. They're on my list now.

 

[Burks]

Yup, it's a Rubber-Lip Pleco. Almost 100% sure of that.

Thanks for all the help. The ones at the store are still fairly small, about 2.5-3", so I may get one. I'll have the 40g breeder up and running pretty soon. PWC don't bother me a bit. I do enough work on the tanks as it is. A little more won't kill me!

 

[jibboo]

I've had mine for about a year and he doesn't appear to have grown at all ... he's at most 3"

 

[Burks]

I've had mine for about a year and he doesn't appear to have grown at all ... he's at most 3"

Cool!

What kind of pleco is that as your avatar? I noticed one at one of the local shops similar to that but without the gold fin tips.

 

[jibboo]

Its a Gold Nugget Pleco - L-18 ... I believe there are a few other L-numbers which is why you can find some with the gold edges and others without.