was given a Rubber Pleco. Info Please?

SunshinePuppies

SunshinePuppies

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Dec 23, 2008
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I was given a rubber pleco by a friend. Her boyfriend gave it to her and she thinks it's ugly. so now it's with me. lol I think it's cool looking. :) and I am curious how big it will get and its care requirements. what fish can it live peacefully with? Would it be ok with shrimp and snails??
 
I have one of them, he is a pretty slow grower, but a great looking fish. He sometimes chases my smaller cories away from food, but other than that does not bother anyone in the tank.

Feed them vegetables, wafers, etc, just make sure that he gets fed. I had 2 and one was not getting enough to eat, by the time I noticed it was too late.
 
Rubber- as in rubber mouth AKA Bulldog Pleco?

I've got one, Fluffy is her name. They can be very shy... although she seems to go through cycles- she hides all day for a few weeks- then she'll be active for a few weeks.

She's going through an active cycle now- last time she got active like this she got heavy with eggs.

Literature you read online say they don't need driftwood... maybe they don't need it- but I noticed a lot of difference in her after adding some to my tank... For several days after putting it in she was all over the wood- as if it were something she had longed for and finally had. (never see her on it now... but she is mainly nocturnal).

A very peacefull fish- excellent for a community tank. Mine does a fantastic job cleaning the glass... I almost never have to.

Like's current. Mine lives in the bubbler... these come from river's so they like flow.

They seem to feed mainly of algae/biofilm. I put zucchini in the tank for her (and the snails) and it seems to disappear at night... I presume that would be partially due to her (although the briggs are eating machines). I've never actually witnessed her eating anything other than biofilm/algae.

If you have woody bulbs she may eat the outer-surface of them- otherwise they will most likely leave plants alone.
 
Ahhh... one thing I should perhaps add.

I say they're good community fish... HOWEVER... when I was doing research on mine I read someone say they should never be kept with other species of Pleco- because they will attack other Pleco species- even one's larger than themselves.

Personally, I can't imagine my peacefull little Pleco being aggressive- and most places I read said nothing about this so it could be a mistake... but you might want to use caution if it's going in a tank with another Pleco.
 
I have one too! and after doing research I rescaped my tank to include rock caves i attached a bubbler blowing in to the caves to create a flow and now its camped out there all the time :)
 
Wycco said:
Ahhh... one thing I should perhaps add.

I say they're good community fish... HOWEVER... when I was doing research on mine I read someone say they should never be kept with other species of Pleco- because they will attack other Pleco species- even one's larger than themselves.

Personally, I can't imagine my peacefull little Pleco being aggressive- and most places I read said nothing about this so it could be a mistake... but you might want to use caution if it's going in a tank with another Pleco.
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Actually, a lot of the smaller plecs will squabble if they feel cramped. It tends to happen more often between fish of the same species though.

Nothing deadly either...
 
Pappy,

I can't find the original post I got that from- nor anyone who said the same thing. Post had the comment that Bulldog's were called bulldogs due to how they attacked other Plecos.

HOWEVER- since I've searched extensively and can't find anyone else saying the same thing- I'm willing to believe that that was made up carp and to completely discard it as fiction! ;)
 
That is what I have been told. I've personally seen a bulldog mixed with an Ancistrus spp. in a larger tank. I think it was a 90 gallon.

However, I believe there have been topics here about smaller species of plecos attacking each other. I cannot be 100% sure as I do not have the threads either.
 
Rubber plecos are most commonly Chaetostoma sp.. They like fast moving current and well oxygenated water. They can be picky eaters because most of the specimens are collected from the wild.
 
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