Rubber Lip Pleco

sjay

Small Fish
Sep 2, 2003
43
0
0
East Tennessee
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#1
Starting to get some brown algae in my tank and was trying to get some info on a Rubber Lip Pleco. How big do they get and are they as effective at riding a tank of algae as I have heard? Anyone have one? Thanks.
 

KimandRob

Large Fish
Aug 21, 2003
112
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0
Wilmington, NC
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#2
We have a rubber lip and he is really cool looking, Not sure if he cleans any better though. We've had him for about 5 months and he's still small. He's definately cooler looking than a normal pleco. Brown algae is usaully built up when you leave the light on for too long. Try turning the light on the tank on a little later in the day and a little earlier at night. Worked for us. :)
 

sjay

Small Fish
Sep 2, 2003
43
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0
East Tennessee
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#6
Went ahead and picked one up today (a rubber lip). Hopefully he'll step up to the plate and get the job done. I'd hate to have to clean that algae myself!! We'll see what happens. I have thought about not having the light on as much during the day, but I'm concerned about my plants since I only have 20 watts of light.
 

Jan 23, 2009
5
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0
Beautiful Colorado
#7
I have a rubber lipped pleco. I heard that they stay small at the largest 6-8".

My rubber lipped is bigger than my hifin pleco, and was bullying around my whole 30 gallon community tank. He would suck on my african dwarf frogs and eat their food. He would chase away the tetras and danios, even the black molly. Yesterday my wife came home to the rubber lip eating the remains of the hifin pleco.

So, I moved him over to my 55 gallon with some silver dollars and tiger barbs. He isnt so feisty anymore.
 

Lakea

Large Fish
Oct 14, 2006
317
0
0
Texas
#8
I have heard them referred to as bulldog plecs too. I had a rubber lip, he was the cutest little pleco, unfortunately he got too friendly with a powerhead. Mine never touched the brown algae though, he was much of an algae cleaner at all, but he was still just a baby. Good luck with your new addition!
 

simplyfish

Medium Fish
Feb 18, 2008
89
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0
#10
I have a rubber lip pleco, cute fish with a gorgeous spotted back.

Very shy though, he spends a lot of the time hiding behind the bogwood or other decorations in there. He only really comes out if the lights are on when the room is very quiet.

Would having more of them help them be less shy does anyone think, would love to see a bit more of him.
 

JLW

Small Fish
Jun 28, 2008
22
0
0
Washington State
#11
I have 1 rubber lip pleco and 2 clown pleco's in my 90 gallon tank and i havent seen any reduction in algae at all, I really like my clown plecos but rarely see them maybe 1 time in 3 months, if that.
 

Feb 27, 2009
4,395
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36
#12
The Macrotocinclus affinis, formallly Otocinclus affinis, commonly called Oto or Oto Cat is a great algae eater that stays small. They rarely get over 2 inches.

When I left a friend in charge of a 29gallon heavily planted tank, he wanted to see the fish longer than the light timer allowed, so frequently turned the light back on. After two weeks, the entire tank was covered in brown algae.

A shoal of 5 Otos cleaned the tank in 4 days. I have to feed them algae waffers and fresh veggies (they love zuchini and peas) since I do not have enough algae to keep them full.
 

Last edited:

unwritten law

Superstar Fish
Sep 2, 2008
1,471
0
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35
DC
#18
one gets 20 inches and the other gets 6 tops because its a different species. Respectively they both eat algae pretty well but the common pleco looks ugly and isn't suited for most tanks.
 

Moshi-Cat

Medium Fish
Apr 28, 2009
64
0
0
Pinellas Park, FL
#19
Ok, my bristlenose is cuter than the rubberlips I saw at petsmart the other day and probobly wont even get 6 inches long.

Hey, we've got a plastic pond in our backyard. There used to be a pleco in it but he got eaten by something, do you think I should get another one? I'd never see him anyway.