The Rubber Lip Pleco

Description

A perfect example of this fish

The Rubber Lip Pleco is a fairly medium sized pleco growing to about 7 inches long max. At pet stores they are commonly sold under the name the Common Pleco.The rubber lip pleco can be identified because it resembles a cheetah in that its entire body is covered with black spots. This pleco can also been found with black strips on its body. Its main body color (that is the part that isn't spotted like a cheetah is yellow)  is a golden brown. This pleco is found in the steamy river basins of South America such as Columbia. There is prefers a temperature of 70-78 degrees F.

Algae? No Problem!
Plecos are known for one thing in particular, to each algae. They can cut back on the amount of algae in your aquarium but remember, most healthy fish deserve a varied diet. Feed your pleco some lettuce or zucchini and after after say, 2 hours, remove the lettuce and toss it. If your pleco isn't eating the veggies, try placing them in a cup of warm water for a few minutes, then feed them before you go to bed,  Plecos, as far as I can tell, do not each fish food. They will however eat freeze dried algae tablets as shown here. If your tank does not have algae in it then just feed it some freeze dried tablets and a little lettuce or zucchini. Don't use a tank glass cleaner and let algae build up on the sides. Do however, continue frequent water changes being that Plecos can be poop factories. Some times your Pleco will not be feeding, this can be because of a variety of reasons. It is to shy to eat while you are around. It could not be happy with the food. Or it could be sick.  More then likely it is just shy and will eat at night when you are asleep.

A slightly younger pleco

All Hide No Seek
Please realize before you get this fish that it is very shy. Provide it with plenty of hiding places. It will be stressed out the first 2 weeks so don't expect it to eat much. Give it some rocks to hide between or maybe some aquarium decor. One thing which I learned the hard way is that one should not place an internal filter in the aquarium. The pleco could become wedged in the space between it and the tank wall potentially injuring itself. However, some Plecos, if lucky, can be hyper, swimming around like crazy. They can be stressed out or just, well hyper.

Tank Requirements and Tips

• Feed some veggies every once in a while. Try putting them in warm water before feeding them to your pleco.
• Tank can be as big say 50 gallons, or as small as 5.
• Let algae build up on your tank wall. It looks more natural and can be a great snake for the pleco.
• Steer clear on internal filters.
• This fish is not aggressive and can be housed with a variety of other fish.
• A Tank Heater is a Must!
• Be prepared for this fish, don't randomly introduce it.

Conclusion
The Rubber Lip Pleco is a great addition to any aquarium but don't be surprised if you don't see him much.Make sure you feed him algae and occasionally, a veggie or two. Its fairly easy to care for and does not require much maintenance but this does not mean it is an easy fish to raise. New aquarium hobbyists should wait a bit before adopting one.

Nemo