Anybody have experience with Rubberlip Plecos?

[Minh K]

Has anybody ever kept Rubberlip Plecos Chaetostoma milesi with discus before? I just purchased one as a replacement to my sailfin pleco which like to suck discus slime. I have researched Chaetostoma milesi and they are relatively small as plecos go. I have a 72 gallon bowfront with 5 discus, cories, and clown loaches. I have read that Chaetostoma milesi do not like high tempratures, but so far my guy is doing very well. Please share you experiences.

[AmberC]

I had one with discus once. He mostly just hid. I hardly saw him and he definitely did not cause any issues with the discus.

Amber

[Ed13]

Definitely the wrong catfish for a discus tank since they prefer cooler water and need a strong current. I've had chaetostomas before and they are a peaceful fish that can be at sometimes a little territorial with its own species. They come from the rapids in mountains in Colombia.
In my experience if you don't provide enough dissolve oxygen in the water and not enough algae matter(these are even better at eating algae than bushynose spec.) in addition with a high temperature and a protein rich diet that WILL eventually block their long intestines you'll only enjoy it for a short time.
I also have to point out that they will follow any possible current in a tank, my first attempt at keeping L187 ended with the fish swimming into the hang on back power filter
Chaetostoma milesi
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=407

A perfect chaetostoma tank
http://planetcatfish.com/cotm/cotm.php?article_id=132

[Minh K]

Ah. I have a Fluval 404 which creates a pretty strong current. I direct this current towards the back wall so there is an area of pretty high current. That explains why I see him always back there.The output spout for the fluval is pretty small and I doubt that he could fit through it. As for oxygen, my tank right now is relatively understocked, and I have a large bubble wall in the tank. Every night I put either blanched Spinach or Cucumber for my clown loaches, and maybe the Pleco would eat that too. I will lower my water 2 degrees to compromise for the pleco leaving it 84F. Thanks mucho for the info!

[nacra99]

I have them in my 96 deg tank with my wild discus...
IMO, they are not as good with algae as their bristlenosed cousins

[Ed13]

IMO, they are not as good with algae as their bristlenosed cousins

In my case they totally beat the BN in an algae eating contest.:p But it was the L-187 kind so......

[Minh K]

my guy is about 3 inches and he consumes 2 cucumber slices and night and a lot of algae. I love him!

[Apistomaster]

If you really have a Chaetostoma species they can't stand the high temps needed by discus. 2 degrees less makes no difference to a fish that prefer 65 to 75dF water.

[fishmama]

Just wanted you to know that I have had a rubberlip in my discus tank for awhile...UNTIL TONIGHT! Was doing a water change and he was attached to "big momma" turq! I chased him down and he now resides in my community tank....

hth
Fishmama

PS: He seemed to do okay, but I rarely saw him until the lights went off. He has been in this tank at 85 F for about 6 mos.