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Asking for advice about getting another pleco. Because of the size and availability (and the vacation days) I am tempted to get this little fellow (now). They are labeled as Claetostoma thomasii, and look just like Chaetostoma sp. (1).
I like that little turned up nose!
I have a 29 gal tank with one adult angelfish, tho I plan to also get a young angelfish as well. I have read the cat elog and CotM and realize the tank temp might need to come down a degree, and water movement up a bit as well. Most concerned about the pH right now, as it is above 7.4 (I assume from the unusally high levels in the tap water, -therewith the water changes I have done over the last 7 weeks but perhaps also due to the medication used for 'Plecie'). I'm not inclined to use chemical pH adjustments as I don't know what nightmares that might prompt.
Should I get 2 of the little guys?
Or, is there a better, small and fairly common pleco (that seems a little like the P disjunctivus )
My substrate is currently about 5 mm sized gravel but I could add sand (playsand) if strongly advised. At least I don't think angels mind sand substrate.
Thanks for any ideas...

The Ph should be fine for most chaetostoma, they live in water which has quite a bit of dissolved minerals and very little organic stuff hence the slightly higher ph than normal amazonian fish, Ideally it should be about neutral Ph 7.
However I would read this article first:-
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... cle_id=446

I don't think this is a fish that you should keep with Angels.
I have a few different species of rubbernoses and they all live in tanks with massive current which your angels won't like.
Keeping them in this way they have produced fry, but unfortunately they never got bigger than about 5mm and then just disappeared so I never found out which species they were. There are plenty of other small plecs that would be better suited to your set up, have a look at the cat-e-log and if you get stuck I can suggest some realistic options.
I have to say it's good to see alot of interest in chaetostoma species lately as they are a fish deffinately worth setting tanks up just for themselves.
They, unlike most, loricarids, come out during the day and have fab personalies and are fasionably eco friendly, they don't require heaters in their tank and are often tank bred.
Horrah for rubbernoses!

Matt

Thanks Matt, - for the info and link. I do love mountain streams and babbling brooks - but not sure I can re-create one (or should at least have another tank).
...So this is how it all starts...
Maurina

Indeed it will creep up and the next thing you have loads of tanks. I once had 23 tanks, to be honest it was hell, all I ever seemed to be doing was changing water.

Matt

Indeed it will creep up and the next thing you have loads of tanks. I once had 23 tanks, to be honest it was hell, all I ever seemed to be doing was changing water.

Over the years I have seen many people go through this, either they just can't stop filling tanks or they sell a brood of fish and figure it is the road to riches, two or three years down the road unfortunately they sell all.
It is important to put some thought into what you can handle and how far a person wishes to go with it all.

grokefish wrote:I have to say it's good to see alot of interest in chaetostoma species lately as they are a fish deffinately worth setting tanks up just for themselves.
They, unlike most, loricarids, come out during the day and have fab personalies and are fasionably eco friendly, they don't require heaters in their tank and are often tank bred.
Horrah for rubbernoses!
Matt

I second that. I have two that I got when I set up my new 110 gal. They are not only out a lot and entertaining to watch, but they tirelessly feed on the algae. Between them, the BN's, Otos and SAE's I have, I hardly ever have to clean algae.