Rubber Lipped vs. Gold Nugget Pleco

[ijankrom]

In the near future (hopefully - depending on finances) I'm looking at getting a Pleco. I only have a 25 gallon tank so I should go with one that does not grow to big.

There's two Pleco's I'm currently researching; Rubber Lipped and Gold Nugget.

Besides what I've researched (can only get some much info from a document) I wanted to get some personal experience from you guys on either (if anyone has or had both - even better). Pros/Cons, food diet, behaviors, etc. Also include your tank size, decor, other fish stock.

I'm personally leaning towards the rubber lipped, currently.

[ScottishFish]

I have a gold nugget pleco, one of the nicest looking fish I own. They can grow big but estimates are very foggy, some say max 8 others 16. I think the reason for this is that they are very similar to Royal plecos in the fact that they will take 16+ years to mature to full size.

Eating wise they are easily fed, cucumber/courgette/aubergine/carrot/potato . . . Get the drift?

I love mines to bits!

For a 25G though stick with ruberlip or even a clown pleco?

[ijankrom]

Thanks for the info. I had thought the clown grew big, I guess I'll take the Gold Nugget off the table and replace with Clown. Ok so now asking personal experience for Rubber Lipped or Clown Pleco.

[ScottishFish]

Well I have some clown plecos

Eat the exact same as the Gold Nugget, they do require real wood in the tank to gnaw on. To get best out of them have at least 3 or more pieces of wood. Stay relatively small, I've not seen one larger than 4 inch

[ijankrom]

Thanks again. Currently don't have any wood pieces, what kind should I get?

[ScottishFish]

Mines have pretty basic bogwood, my other tank has mopani wood

[fishfreak123]

i have malatsian driftwood and my clown pleco is moving alot

[alisiddiqi]

I have a 16 gallon bowfront, and i recently bought a bristlenose pleco. My original idea was to get a rubber lipped, but my LFS was out of stock on them. He hasn't eaten any algae and I've had him for 2 days now. What should I do?
Fish: 2 Zebra Danios and 3 Black Lyretail Mollys

[Dennis Bissett]

I have a 16 gallon bowfront, and i recently bought a bristlenose pleco. My original idea was to get a rubber lipped, but my LFS was out of stock on them. He hasn't eaten any algae and I've had him for 2 days now. What should I do?
Fish: 2 Zebra Danios and 3 Black Lyretail Mollys

Chuck in a slice of cucumber or zucchini, bristlies will starve to death relying on algae in the tank alone. To give you an idea, 89 fry less than 1/4" long,demolish 2 1/2"slices of zuchinni EVERY DAY in my nursery tank. You should also pop them a spirulina or algae wafer, they are pretty much omnivorous when it comes to vegetables, and also enjoy a bit of bloodwarm every now and then

[alisiddiqi]

Thanks, I put in an algae wafer, and he ATTACKED it. In less than 2 hours, most of it was gone. I think i'll try the zuchini, too.