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I just had to relocate my rubbernose pleco to a 10 gal tank, and I'm considering putting a small school of cardinal tetras in to keep him company. Has anyone done this? I think it should be ok. any suggestions will be helpful.

Last edited by divertran at 17-Jan-2005 22:25

how big is your rubbernose?

r0b3y

three inches, he won't get much bigger. almost to full size. He's a l187b striped rubbernose. They only get to maybe 4 inches. Oh, I forgot. sometimes plecos like to munch on tetras, don't they. What would be good in there, the wife is kinda set for cardinal tetras. maybe black neons? They bet just a bit bigger. only thing in there with him now is a solitary molly and I'm not getting more of them. just got rid of 50 of them. they're nice, good fish but going from 2 to 50 in a month is too much.

Last edited by divertran at 18-Jan-2005 09:26:%)

Last edited by divertran at 18-Jan-2005 09:27

Last edited by divertran at 18-Jan-2005 09:33

He can nearly double in size. Get him out of that ten gallon asap.

The l187b tops out at about 4 inches according to Planet Catfish. We have one in our 10 gallon with guppies, even fry, and he is just fine. I've never seen him even try to go after any of the fish in the tank so I think yours would be just fine with tetras. Good luck!
Jen

Yes, planet catfish is where i was getting my info on him. they say only about 4". gonna try some tetras, thanks all
ps, how big is your rubbernose Jen? and how long has he been in there? just wondering

Last edited by divertran at 18-Jan-2005 10:54

4"? Try again. In their native range, all colombian rubbernose species, with the exception of the red fin, reach at least five inches in length.

I hate to break it to you, but PC is not right about everything, espcially when regarding maximum sizes. Their profiles being member submitted, they can have the same factual inconsistencies as our profiles. When's the last time you saw a ten inch common pleco?

Besides, last time I checked, P.C. didn't even HAVE a listed size for C. milesi, the most common rubbernose available around here. C. Thompsoni also reaches about 5", IME. I've kept several of them myself.

Your chaestoma aquarium should ideally be cool (75-77 degrees) with running water and uch driftwoodage. With even one sizeable piece or driftwood, you could't even dream of fitting a 4" pleco in there, anyways, unless you were only keeping it (or a pair). Add a few plants into the equation, and he's already got no room to swim.

Last edited by Cup_of_Lifenoodles at 18-Jan-2005 22:13

Yeah, that fish will get a little bit too large for a ten gallon. The real problem isn't size so much as it is waste. Rubbernose plecos (and for that matter, all plecos) produce a ton of waste. In a ten gallon tank, that waste could quickly affect water quality, and overtax your filter. Get that fish a twenty gallon or so if you want to keep it long term.

I've never heard of a pleco that ate tetras. Peaceful plecs like that rubbernose of yours will rarely bother living fish, but will gobble up dead ones. Besides, a pleco can't really even catch a tetra, especially not with that sucker mouth. There shouldn't be any compatibility problems.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

thanks, I'll look into getting a 20, never liked the 10 anyhows. only used it for molly and her young.