Bulldog Pleco (rubbernose)

[Schmill]

I currently have a single bulldog pleco (rubbernose) in my 60L tank.
I have just bought a 300L Regency 120 tank, which is one that has the curved front corners, as opposed to having the square 'jointed' corners at the front, and I can see that this is going to cause a problem for cleaning the glass.

Firstly, can I get another bulldog pleco (as all the fish in the 60L tank wil be transferred to the new one), and will he live quite happily with the other one?
Also is there something better perhaps that I could get for 'glass cleaning' that won't dwarf my other fish? I only ask because despite the bulldog pleco supposedly being good at keeping the glass clean, he is very rarely on it, spending more of his time sifting through the gravel at the bottom of the tank. I don't know if this is because there just isn't much algae on the glass, or if I just have a lazy a pleco - lol

Many thanks!

 

[ALW]

Bristlenose!

 

[freerunner416]

You should happily get another rubbernose into your tank. Most plecs are nocturnal so you may find it does more glass cleaning at night if it is indeed cleaning the glass. As Andy says you could add a bristle nose as well if you like. I had two rubbernose plecs in my tank and they were great and played about together so i would go for another one of them.

If you dont have much algae it might be worth feeding you plecs some algae wafers to ensure that they are getting enough food to eat.

 

[Schmill]

Many thanks both, regarding the bristlenose, my LFS doesn't seem to have any when I go in, and (it's probably contraversial), but I don't like them - lol
I'll see if I can get another rubbery pleco when the tank is ready then. Also I have been supplementing with Algae flakes at the moment, but he seems more content with sucking up the ordinary fish food flakes that sink to the bottom when I feed the others, and leaving the algea flakes to my 4 albino cory's - lol

As my LFS don't get the rubbernose's in very often, would it be ok to put a second one into my 60L tank if they get them in before my bigger tank is ready?

 

[Schmill]

I guess no-one knows?

I visited the fish shop today, and they had what they were classing as bulldog plecos, but they were really small, maybe 1cm long, so I can only thing they were very young. If I got one of those NOW, I presume I'd have to put him into a seperate container for a while to 'grow up' to be safe with the other fish?
If so how long would it take to reach a 'safe' size to go into a community tank?

 

[Pleccy]

I've kept a small group of rubbernoses in 30" tank with no problems, just make sure they have their own rock to perch on.

 

[Schmill]

I knew there was something else I had to ask!

I've seen a few posts mentioning bog wood and Plecos. Is the bog wood something that you really SHOULD have if you have bulldog plecos, or is it just one of those optional things?
I don't really want the wood if I don't have to have it, (at the moment anyway), but also I don't want to be upsetting my pleco if he is missing a bit of bog wood - lol

 

[Pleccy]

Rubbernose plecs are different to L. no plecs in terms of dietary requirements, they don't need lignin for digestion so wood is more or less optional. However what they ideally need is a round pebble and some flow.

 

[Schmill]

How do I know which ones are L no. plecos?

I was wanting another bulldog, but might be tempted by bristlenose if they have them (although I've read that bristlenose might trash plants??)

 

[sic0198]

I think the say you need to direct a powerhead so that when its on the rock is is getting water sprayed on it.

 

[Schmill]

Oh... well thats no good for me - lol
I don't have a powerhead, I have an internal powered filter in my 60L tank and that enters the water at the top of the tank, and my new 300L tank has an external powered filter, and that too feeds at the top of the tank, (but even more gently than the one in the 60L - lol)

 

[Pleccy]

Bulldog plecs are from the genus Chaetostoma, the most common species being C. thomasi. L no. plecs include genuses such as Panaque, Hypancistrus etc.

 

[sic0198]

But I could be wrong, but I am pretty sure I reade that somewhere.

These live where water moves fast.

 

[kribensis12]

Im a fan of bristlenose personally.