bristle nose plec vs rubber nose plec

[kuter]

Are these 2 different fish of the Plec family? I am going to be setting up a 20 gal long tank and moving my crew. I had planned to put some put some Java moss in the new tank but read that the bristle nose plec will eat the Java moss. I have 2 Rubber Nose Plecs in my current 10 gal and would like to know if the Rubber Nose plecs will eat the java moss as well. While I really dont mind feeding the lil fellers, I dont see a reason to put foliage in the tank that is going to be stripped in a few days.
The other plant I find attractive is the American Cress. Are they going to eat that too? I mean if I am going to end up with just sticks in my tank, then I may as well just start out with sticks to begin with.
OBTW.. the other inhabitants are 1 Glass Fish, 5 Head & Tail Light Tetras, and 2 Cardinal Tetras. When the crew gets moved to the 20 gal tank, I will add 4 or 5 more Cardinals. That will pretty much stock that tank and I don't think I will be adding more.
Now I realize that the Glass Fish should do better with more of its kind but that lil booger had friends at one time!! He was such a jerk that he wouldnt let the other 2 eat and they died of starvation! Then came the Cardinals. Well Mr. Glass was pretty mean to them too. I finally added the Head & Tail Light Tetras and it was an absolute hoot!! The H&L's were not mean to Mr. G at all. They just followed him everywhere as if they thought he surely must be the leader here!! Mr. G got so darn tired of being followed everywhere by these poor lost lil fellers that he finally just staked out a small place for himself and stayed there!! It was like a bunch of little kids following a grumpy old man around!! At any rate, the tank is peaceful now and everyone is doing fine.....
I am soo looking forward to the larger tank but I am trying to take my time and plan it well.
Thanks for any input.
The rubber nose plec is sometimes refered to as a rubber mouth plec. They are one of the plec species that get to be only about 4" or so.
Kuter & Krew

 

[sylvia]

I love the way you describe your fish lol

Anyway, I have kept both bristlenoses and rubbernoses and neither has ever eaten any of my plants (including java moss). I don't think I've ever had American cress though. I'd just move one of the rubbernoses from your 10 gallon but both are equaly wonderful fish. I see my bristlenose more often than my rubber (who's strictly nocturnal and hides behind the filter - as does my bulldog plec - all day) but both have made great additions and I'd reccomend either equaly.

 

[kuter]

Thank you Sylvia!! Both of the Rubber Nose Plecs are currently in the 10 gal tank but both have refuges at opposite ends of the tank and seem to be satisfied with staying there. I plan to move both of them to the 20gal tank and the 10 gal tank will become a quarrentine tank for any new or sick fish.
There is some brown algae in the 10 gal tank which the faithful lil plecs keep in check, but I do add an algae wafer every 4 or 5 days. I drop one algae wafer in each end of the tank as close to the normal refuge for each plec as I can. They seem to find this offering from the human goddess in short order and clean them right up!!
I will certainly be adding the Java moss and am hoping I will be able to find the American Cress locally. The Cress is attractive for its small size and it actually has a lil white bloom from time to time.
Thanks again for you help.
Kuter & Krew