Rubber Lipped Pleco

CoryCatLover · Post by **CoryCatLover** » 14 Aug 2006, 20:15

I bought a pleco, about 1 inch long, that the person tending to the tanks said will not get as big as a average pleco, They were labeled "Rubber Lipped Pleco", they are Grey and you can see the creases in thier armor, it likes to hide out in side a decoration in my tank, and goes back in when frightened (dosen't take Much), can anyone give me a scientific name?

Post by **Marc van Arc** » 14 Aug 2006, 20:28

With that name, it's probably a species. Have a look.

the_letter_J · Post by **the_letter_J** » 14 Aug 2006, 22:51

Two of the commonly found available are and

The ones I have like fast moving water and the occasional veggie.

- j

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 15 Aug 2006, 10:04

Assuming the above ID is correct (and I have no reason to think NOT), the fish is also better of with slightly cooler water, on the low side of 70's rather than the now quite usual 80's temps that many tanks are.

Lots of water movement, and feeding with vegetables as said before.

--
Mats

CoryCatLover · Post by **CoryCatLover** » 15 Aug 2006, 19:53

He Kind of Looks Like them, why is he so easily frightened, at the store all of them where hiding in a log and the guy flipped the log over to find them

He Like the water temps in our tank, ranging fron 76F-80F depending on the room temp.

CoryCatLover · Post by **CoryCatLover** » 15 Aug 2006, 20:03

The First time someone walked by the tank when he was in, he sped with lightning speed into a decoration in my tank, in which my Chinese algae eater sleeps in, he shoved him out and stayed in there him self, my chinese algae eater found himself sleeping elsewhere very often. No he has found a new better hiding place, another decoration in my tank, but my chinese algae eater hates him now, and chases him, he can't hurt him can he?

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 16 Aug 2006, 09:52

Chinese algae eaters are well-known to be territorial and "mean". If your Chaetostoma is smaller than the CAE, then it's a problem. Chaetostoma's are able to defend themselves tho', so as long as they are about equal size, I'd just keep an eye on them and see how it develops.

The fish is easily frightened because that's part of it's natural behaviour - they live in fairly shallow, fast-flowing rivers, and to avoid being eaten by birds for example, it's a good defence to hide whenver something big is moving around...

I don't agree that it "likes" your 76-80'F - that's very much on the warm side for all of the Chaetostoma species that are commonly imported. If you look through all fo the species, you'll find that there's one single fish that is listed with a highest temperature of 80'F. Admittedly, many of them haven't got a temperature listed at all, but they are commonly found at high altitude [if you look at Fishbase, there are some listed at 6000 ft, and the rivers/streams at this level will carry water that originates even higher up, so will be cooler than the 6000 ft says it would be. If you've ever been at high altitudes like this, you'll know that the temperature drops quite a bit from the height.

--
Mats

Rubber Lipped Pleco

Rubber Lipped Pleco

My Chinese Algae Eater