Bristlenose and Rubber lips plecos in a 29 gal

[DAnCSF]

I currently have a 2.5 inch Rubberlip pleco and was wondering if I can add a small similar sized Bristlenose pleco in a 29 gal?

 

[Gypsum]

I wouldn't. I had both in a 55g and they fell out with one another all the time. The rubberlip sadly died a few weeks ago -- potentially after a dodgy zucchini -- but it might have been stressed as well. I can say with certainty that the bristlenose seems a lot happier being the only pleco in the tank, and I'm not replacing the rubberlip, as much as I liked it. On searching forums, it seems as if people succesfully keep them together without fights, but I wasn't one of them, and you'd definitely need a bigger tank than a 29. 55 was okay in theory, but it might depend on your individual fish.

 

[CassCats]

Rubberlips need hard water, sometimes really really hard. And a bit of a current.

Would not mix the two based on the fact theyd bicker over territory and there's not enough of that in a 29g.

 

[DAnCSF]

Thanks for the replies...dang I whish the LFS had Bristlenoses when I I was there oh well...

 

[Gypsum]

If your water is hard enough (mine was not, so there was also that...) and you whack in a powerhead, the rubberlip is a good fish. It also needs cooler water than a lot of tropical fish -- 22C or thereabouts. But they're really pretty and industrious algae eaters.