1 kinds · tap one for a closer look
Peaceful; needs strong current and cool, well-oxygenated water.
438 species in our list are a good match.
Peaceful; needs strong current and cool, well-oxygenated water.
Algae wafers, blanched vegetables (courgette, cucumber), and driftwood to rasp; add some frozen or sinking protein.
Tap a food to see what it is.
Males are better coloured, with a broader head and lips, and adult males have longer pelvic (ventral) fins than females.
Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.
Cave spawner · Hard
Cave spawner; occasionally bred.
Grow out 6-8 juveniles and let a pair form; keep the group in a well-oxygenated, stable tank.
100-200 L tank with strong flow, many caves sized to the fish (PVC or ceramic tubes), and very clean, warm water.
Cool water changes, increased flow and a seasonal drop in temperature, plus rich protein feeding.
The male guards a small clutch (5-30 large amber eggs) in the cave for around 5-10 days until they hatch; the fry carry a big yolk sac.
Fry stay in the cave until the yolk is gone, then feed on sinking algae wafers, blanched veg and crushed flake. Keep nitrate low.
A bulldog pleco from the Magdalena and Apure basins with a broad sucker mouth. It needs good water flow, plenty of oxygen and a regular supply of algae and vegetable food.
American ichthyologist Henry Weed Fowler described this pleco in 1941 from Colombia. Its wide, rubbery lips form a strong sucker for clinging to rocks in fast water. It is a small, peaceful algae grazer that prefers cooler, well-oxygenated water.
First described by Henry W. Fowler in 1941.
9 facts checked with sources
Chaetostoma milesi Fowler, 1941 is valid (ScotCat: L187a, spotted bulldog pleco). Caution: "rubber lip" / "bulldog pleco" is a trade name applied to several Chaetostoma; Seriously Fish says the commonest one in the hobby is C. formosae (sold as "blonde rubber pleco", "striped rubbernose pleco", L146/L146a/L187b). Fish sold as rubber lip pleco may not be C. milesi.
FishBase: Chaetostoma milesi summary · Seriously Fish: Chaetostoma formosae (Striped Bulldog Pleco)Legacy has no family; value is new.
FishBase: Chaetostoma milesi summaryFishBase 14.6 cm SL; ScotCat 14 cm. Legacy 13 cm slightly low.
FishBase: Chaetostoma milesi summary · ScotCat: Chaetostoma milesiLegacy 20-26; ScotCat 21-27. No Seriously Fish profile for C. milesi.
ScotCat: Chaetostoma milesiLegacy 6.5-7.8; ScotCat 6.0-7.5.
ScotCat: Chaetostoma milesiDemersal = lives on/near the bottom.
FishBase: Chaetostoma milesi summaryLegacy has no range field; story says Colombia, which covers the Magdalena but the range also includes the Apure basin (Orinoco system, Venezuela).
FishBase: Chaetostoma milesi summary · ScotCat: Chaetostoma milesiLegacy "broader head" agrees; longer pelvic fins are the extra sign.
ScotCat: Chaetostoma milesiLegacy "small, flat-headed pleco from Colombia... good for cooler tanks with strong flow" broadly agrees; ScotCat notes exported Chaetostoma usually come from warmer waters than mountain-stream species, so "cooler" should not be overstated (sourced range 21-27 °C).
ScotCat: Chaetostoma milesi