Rubberlip Pleco problems

Errol_Fin · Post by **Errol_Fin** » 03 Feb 2003, 16:16

I recently replaced my bristlenose pleco with a rubberlip (or bulldog) pleco. The bristlenose was kind of ornery, and despite being in the tank some nine months, never seemed completely comfortable in her surroundings. I was also attracted to the rubberlip because they're supposed to be awesome algae eaters, eating any and all varieties of the stuff; and I've had a long-term problem with green-spot algae that none of the algae eaters I've had (plecos and otos) have ever been able to handle.

I've had the rubberlip for almost two weeks now, and it doesn't look like he's doing anything keep the tank clean. I'm starting to have some major build-up of green algae all over the glass. The rubberlip apparently won't touch it; all he does is swim laps around the tank, near the water surface, keeping his mouth on the glass but again, not actually eating any of the stuff off it. He will suck on the algae on the rocks, and it appears he's getting nourishment off that, but obviously that's not what I need from him.

Any ideas on what the problem could be? It took him a couple of days to get acclimated, but he seems to be alright on that front now. Do I need to wait a couple more weeks for him to get hungry enough to start on the glass? Frankly, if he's not going to serve as the algae-clean-up crew, then I have no use for him, and I'd just as soon take him back to the store and pick up some otos instead.

The tank is a 30-gallon, most tetras, with a near-full-grown rainbow shark (with whom the rubberlip seems to get along with great--they lay next to each other for hours peacefully). There doesn't appear to be any stress on the rubberlip.

T · Post by T » 03 Feb 2003, 16:31

No stress?Doing laps round the top of the tank sounds like stress to me.What are your water parameters(ammo, notrite and ph).Also do you have strong filtration as these pl*cos require well oxygenated tanks with good water movement.

Post by **Silurus** » 03 Feb 2003, 16:37

FWIW, rubberlip plecs can be pretty darn ornery themselves, so it may not be a good idea if you want the tankmates to live in peace.

Errol_Fin · Post by **Errol_Fin** » 03 Feb 2003, 16:53

Well, yes, I guess the laps are indicative of some sort of stress. He doesn't do it constantly, probably once a day or less. The rest of the time, he'll hide out in a cave or hang out near some rock formations. From what I can tell and experienced from other fish, he's slowly getting used to his surroundings.

I can't tell you the latest tank parameters--I'm at work--but on last check a week ago, ammonia was minimal, ditto nitrates/nitrites (helped by carbon filter and weekly 20% water changes, in a slightly understocked tank); pH at 6.4, temp a pretty constant 78 degrees.

I guess what I'm wondering about is if this is normal behavior for a rubberlip as it adjusts to a new tank. I've never had one before. Other algae eaters I've had have generally started chomping on the tank algae right away, after a minimal (no more than one day) adjustment period. I was under the impression that rubberlips were voracious.

I wasn't aware that rubberlips had nasty dispositions; if that's the case, I might just take this one back regardless. I've had enough of foul-tempered plecs.

Caol_ila · Post by **Caol_ila** » 03 Feb 2003, 20:58

get a L77 bruno hell eat everything thats green

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 03 Feb 2003, 21:27

Hi!

Well one possible problem could be the carbon filter, there is not really aneed to use such type of filter unless you have some medications to remove after a treatment!

Chaetostoma spp need a good water flow with a water rather cool, it should be more around the low 70's than the high 70's! The problem could well come from here!
The fact the he hangs close to the water surface is a sign of either water pollution or not enough disolved oxygen in the water!!!

Cheers
Yann

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 03 Feb 2003, 21:38

Hi!
Well Cochliodon are good yes, but only if you don't want any plants with them!!!
Cheers
Yann

Errol_Fin · Post by **Errol_Fin** » 03 Feb 2003, 21:39

Didn't really consider the carbon filter... I've had it as the basic setup. It's a combo carbon/mechanical filtration system. It's worked well so far with the other fish, including the other plecos I've had.

Oxygenation... again, I haven't noticed that to be a problem with any of the other fish. And the rubberlip spends more time at the bottom of the tank than he does up top; if he were short of breath, I'd imagaine he'd spend all his time near the top, right? But just in case, I can easily add an airstone, I guess.

Cooler temp, I can also accomplish. Maybe that's the main thing. Thanks for the suggestions!

P.S. I have no live plants in the tank, so that's not an issue.

[Rusty - edit: Chill guys!]

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 03 Feb 2003, 21:50

Hi!

Again I can only encourage you to remove the carbon as these have a short life, when the absorbive capacity ahs reach it starts to release the stuff it has absorbed back in the water.
Loricariidae being scaless fish will "feel" such product before the other "common" fish would.
Oxygenation: again, for the tetras, it might not be a big issue, as most comes from rather stil water, with a Ph rather low, which is totally the opposite for the Chaetostoma spp!!!

Cheers
Yann

SirHelm · Post by **SirHelm** » 06 Feb 2003, 01:33

He Yann,

That is a good point re: the carbon. I always thought carbon was a required filter media for most tanks, but you are right, it will begin to leech out what it has asorbed in the past. That reminds me that I should take that stuff outta my tank!!

thanks

SH

Errol_Fin · Post by **Errol_Fin** » 06 Feb 2003, 03:27

This has really gotten off-topic, but since the issue of carbon filters was brought up:

Contrary to popular rumor, carbon filters DO NOT leach back harmful pollutants in aquariums. They will reach a point where they'll no longer do their job, and therefore they need to be changed every 4-6 weeks or so to stay effective. But they don't re-release what they've adsorped.

There are several references you can check on this; this link includes most of the pertinent points:

http://communitytank.aaquaria.com/board ... hp?TID=979

Chrysichthys · Post by **Chrysichthys** » 06 Feb 2003, 16:23

Errol_Fin wrote:ammonia was minimal, ditto nitrates/nitrites

If your nitrate is zero, where's all the algae coming from? My guess is that your test kit is faulty and your water changes aren't bringing the nitrate down. In a lightly stocked tank, this could be because of overfeeding or foods too high in protein. And the nitrate may be why you have such an algae problem. Also nitrate can stress fish at very high levels; especially a fast-water species like a bulldog pleco which may already be suffering from insufficient oxyganation.
Get a new nitrate kit, test your water, and do water changes to keep nitrate below 50 ppm (mg/l) (you'll never get it to zero!) and don't overfeed. Scrape as much algae off as you can and siphon it out. Algae eaters can't perform miracles if the water chemistry isn't right. In any case I would have stayed with Bristlenoses.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » 07 Feb 2003, 02:43

gonna have to add my 2 cents here, as I keep both bulldogs and bristlneses. The bulldogs aren't very good "algae eaters" you might think they would be with that huge mouth, but as others have mentioned, they are a river pleco, and the big mouth is used to hang onto rocks in heavy current. Also as others have mentioned they require lots of oxigen and lots of current to be happy, as that is what's natural to them. They are a very difficult pleco to get onto eating algae pellets, but it's definately not impossible. The best way is to take a pieve veggie, like a fresh pea, and rub it against a rock, or a pice of bogwood where the bulldog spends most of it's time (they are quite territorial, and will claim a hollow or cave in the first day or so usually) they will show some interest in this and will most likely eat the smooshed pea off of the surface you rub it on. Do this for a couple of days. Then introduce an algae pellet to the exact same area, about 30 mins after lights out time. They will most likely then take to it no problem. I found once I had gotten over this step, they became better for overall algae controll in the tank, I guess they need to get a taste for it

I did that with one, and once I had him trained, I introdued 2 more to the tank. they just followed his example, I didn't have to do anything special. they saw him munching on a pellet, and started to do the same.

Bristlenoses are much or efficient bottom feeders, you may have had some success with calming yours down by adding a female. I find that mine are just about the most docile plecs in my tanks. The bulldogs on the other hand will have minor harmeless scraps with each other at feeding time, and will chase some of the other off of the food. Much more territorial and agressive type of pleco.