Advice please. Rubber plecos keep dying?!

Debraroseh

Feeder Fish
Feb 19, 2019
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I am baffled as to why the rubber plecos I buy keep dying the next day after purchase. They are in a 5gal tank with small female beta and 2 small African dwarf frogs. I will upgrade the tank size in a month or so but that shouldn’t be the reason they are dying next day right? I did a water test and everything was normal. All the other fish are fine, it’s just the rubber plecos. The filter I have agitates the top of the tank so air bubbles reach the bottom as well. I also got some small pieces of driftwood to put into the tank with them but nothing I do seems to be helping. I’m at a loss and any advice would be appreciated.
 

kno4te

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Are u using a liquid kit when water testing? Might be the acclimation process. What’s ur process like? From the lfs, like PetSmart?
 

Deadliestviper7

The Necromancer
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Aug 6, 2016
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Since ribberlips are kind of sensitive to water quality issues, and tanks under 20 gal take a lot more work to keep pristine, and that's without the fact that plecos produce a lot of waste. Could be the perfect storm .

How long did you aclimate them to the water and how? Also is your tank cycled?
 
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Warborg

Goliath Tigerfish
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Sep 2, 2009
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On top of being sensitive, they also like fast flowing cool water(low 70's).

Don't worry, That last one I bought disappeared the day I put him in my 75. I Image he died in some corner within a few days(this happened about 2-3 years ago).
 

jwitty

Plecostomus
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Dec 27, 2018
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I’d say that rubber nose aren’t that picky with water temp if they supposedly like low 70s. My tanks is about 80 and have had a regular rubber for a long time and just got a spotted rubber. Both are just fine. I see both swimming around all the time on the glass and decor.
 
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