Bull Dog Terror

[betta blue]

Help! I love Plec's and bought a bulldog (rubber lipped) plec for a 5 gal. tank to share it with an African dwarf frog to clean the algae. He is roughly an inch long. He is terrorizing my frog. He has a cave but chases my frog everywhere in the tank. I'm worried about my frog. She lost her male a couple of months ago. I would like to get a friend for her but with the "holy terror", the bulldog plec in her tank, I think I should be moving her to another tank. But then who does this bulldog get along with especially in such a small tank? Does anyone else have problems with the rubber lipped, bulldog plec, agression for "territorial rights" in a small aquarium? What fish can deal with his territorial agression...he is a terror! Really would appreciate your advise. Thx

[grokefish]

other rubbernose plecs.

Matt

[Richard B]

Bulldog plecs are reknowned for being very territorial for their size particulalrly in small tanks - personally they are a lovely fish bit i think a bad choice for your set up. A trio of otocinclus or a lone bristlenose would have been better perhaps.

[betta blue]

I screwed up...though he was small enough and I had the temp and water flow happening for him. A little overwhelmed here...started with a betta bowl two and a half years ago and now have 2-5gal, 2-10gal, 1-45 gal, 1-90 gal and negotiating for either a 120 or 150 gal. for my common plec. Does this mean I need to get another rubber lipped (bulldog) to keep him company? Guess he gets the tank for himself and I need to get him company...I will move Froggy...she's a gem! Have had her for two years but just lost her male that I only had for one year...out of town at the time...have no idea why. I'm getting a little overwhelmed with the aquariums...work long hours, have a cat and dog that are easy to take care of, and plants that are 20 to 30 years old that thank god are established and handle some neglect. I do have another question, everyone talks about water changes. Why don't they ask about the filter changes? Guess that's why everyones asks about the chemistry...I can't afford to check my tanks regularly on ph etc. I know my fish keep living and I ended up needing 2 african butterfly fish to take care of the babies from the mollies and platys I had bought to be "dither" fish for my clown loaches...honestly, I think they would have come out of hiding without them. Oh well, I now have Mollies, Platys and African Butterfly Fish. I have a log book to tell me when I changed water, different filter media...for which aquarium. I do have 2 bristlenoses for 2 tanks...a male and a female albino. Just thought I'd do variety...also have a 4in. Apple Snail in another tank.

[betta blue]

Also have an albino Chocolate Plec. She's lovely and 6 inches now and in the 45 gal. And of course my favorite common Plec whose now 12in. and in the 90. I hadn't planned on one aquarium for a bulldog plec. My question is should I put him in either my 45 gal or 90 gal? The temperature is 80 degrees in both of them. That is higher than rubberlipped plecs like. I'm not sure if I want to reduce the temperature in the aquariums cause the fish in them are doing well. Guess I'm committed to this little guy...just trying to sort it all out to keep all fish safe and happy!

Thank you,
Shar

[Richard B]

Perhaps the store will take it back & exchange it?

[betta blue]

Thank you Richard...but I commit to my fish with exception of the Siamese Algae Eaters that were sold to me as otocinclus and did return them when the two of them got to between 3 and 4 inches long. I need to figure out what I have to do to take care of my new rubber lipped. I should have asked before...but now I am...it's how I learn. I want him to be happy. With the answers before, I realize Mrs. Froggy needs to be moved to a friendlier aquarium. But now if I can get some info on how to make my new Bulldog (rubber lipped) catfish happy other than temperature and waterflow. Does he like to be alone or do I need to get another one of the same for him. Or are there any other fish that can handle his territorial instincts...agression? Appreciate more info regarding him and how to take care of him. Again, thx for any input....

[grokefish]

Seriously get another chaetostoma.
They will be too busy chasing each other to bother any other fish.
I have kept them for years and have quite a few now.
They are much happier in twos and even happier in threes.
It's in their nature to bug each other, so by not allowing them their favorite hobby they get frustrated and take it out on other fish which cannot take the beating.
These fab little fish very rarely really hurt each other, they are hard as nails, just make sure they each have a hidey hole and all will be well.

MAtt

[betta blue]

Thank you Matt! I will get one more...worried about the size of the aquarium for two so one should suffice and I will attempt a second space in it for territory. Guess I now have a tank especially for rubber lipps . Afraid I lost the two aquariums I was negotiating on (120 and 150 gal). Afraid I need a deal for a larger size aquarium and have tried for awhile now. I do have an area that can handle the weight but afraid funds are not what most want for that size. Sigh!!! It will happen...just need patience. Sorry if I sounded a little frustrated with tanks and fish, etc. Thank you again for you info. Guess this little guy (my bulldog) will get another of his own to keep him company. And I will continue to look for a used tank for my 12in big guy (common)!

[andywoolloo]

I have two rubbernoses and they are great, I have not witnessed them harrasing anyone. They do squirell around with each other a bit if ones gets on the others driftwood or cave area.

I found them very hard to accilmate, as far as getting them to eat. I finally saved two by discovering, thanks to some smart posters here, the feeding article here on the egg white and crushed food painted onto a smooth stone. I had read it prior and loved the articles but when they suggested that it really saved their little lives. That and a hideous feeding block which is all they would eat forever. Now they eat veg and fruit and sinking tabs of all sorts and all sorts of Hikari frozen.

[betta blue]

Thanks! My guy(girl)...can you differentiate? has a wonderful appetite. On the glass constantly and eats Wardley algae tablets. When I got him, I was concerned about water flow and upped it on the filter. I reduced the temp to 76 degrees...so probably best that I moved Mrs. Froggy. Now that she's gone, should I reduce the temp more? Still haven't gotten a mate for him...this week will cause the tank looks pretty lonely with only plants and him and I hate to see a fish by themselves. He's very active all day. Any more info regarding him would be appreciated. Yes, I had gone on to check stuff about him (actually prior to buying him) but there's something special with hearing stuff from people that actually have one...or should I say two or three:-)

[andywoolloo]

My guy(girl)...can you differentiate?

I know the boys have longer back fins, to fan eggs with. So if they are on the glass the bottomest fins, if they are long they are boys, if they are short they are girls. it says in here: scroll down to sexing

http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/sp ... ies_id=407

Mine are always on rocks, big smooth rocks. They really like the big smooth pebbles all around one anubias in the tank. I have something called mexican beach pebbles that I got at Lowes. And they hang out also on the outside of the slate caves. They are sometimes on the driftwood but mostly the pebbles and outside the slate caves.

[grokefish]

The females width in front of the pectoral fins (when viewed from above) the same as behind the pectorals.
The males width is bigger in front of the pectorals than behind the pectorals.

Matt

[betta blue]

I definately have a boy! Does that mean I should try to find a girl for him? At least I think I know what to look for. I put smooth rocks in the tank for him when I first got him. He did sit on them the first couple of days...then he went to the bog wood and really rasped on half of it. Now he's on the substrate sometimes but mostly on the glass but doesn't go on the smooth rocks nor the cave under the bog? So if I get him a girlfriend, how do I do two living quarters for them when my male doesn't seem particular...or is that just cause he has the whole tank right now but will find his own home when he has another friend?

Thx

[Proteus]

Suppose its the mucus that the frog sheds? I do recall one of my common pleco following one of my clawed frogs around and eating the mucus with delish. It wasn't an issue back then as the pleco wasn't aggressive to the frog.

[grokefish]

Yeah, jsut make a few different hidey holes and they will sort it out amongst themselves.

Matt