Rubber lip question

[MidWestMike]

I have a small rubber lip pleco, Arounc an inch of so I'd say. He calls my 90 gallon mixed African cichlid tank home. I just recently added a very small bristle nose as well. I've had this rubber lip for about a year now and have noted almost absolutely no growth. There's plenty of space and plenty of algae for him to graze on. I also supplement their diet with veggie wafers and occasionally blanched zucchini. I always add plenty of these foods as the 20 or so cichlids make quick work of most of it. Why isn't he growing?


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[in2cichlids]

Could be stunted? Or really really slow grower? Hard to say. If you want to try and grow him move him to a smaller tank and feed bloodworms on different types of shrimp. It could be he still isn't getting a good enough diet.

 

[Pharaoh]

Yeah, he may still not be getting enough food, but a year with no growth my indicate that he is stunted for some reason.

 

[RLHam3]

Rubberlip plecos (Chaetostoma) are dwarf plecos and grow very slowly. I would not be suprised if it had grown a small amount and the growht was just overlooked. How big is it now?

It is also possible that its growth has been stunted. I'm sure that african cichlids get most of the food. Mine will definitely eat algae wafers.

Also, i'm sure you know that african cichlids really do better at a pH of around 8.0 - 8.2. Most plecos (rubberlips included) do better at a more neutral ph. It may just be a combination of slow growth, not getting food, and being stressed from being in a less than ideal water.

 

[burbon44s]

I had a rubberlip for 2 years and he only got to over an inch. I think thats about it.

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