Bichir and Pleco Truth Poll!

[Guppy's_Hell]

O.k...

In order for this to work you must answer truthfully... Read all the answers before voting...

You personally had a Pleco which you fed (not one living off scraps and w.e is on the glass) And has attacked/sucked your Bichir?

You have personally kept Bichir and Plecos together with out any issue...

You heard from "them" not to keep Bichir and Pleco together and well, that's all you need...

 

[King-eL]

I can't vote to any as in personal experience only the common and the sailfin pleco are known to suck or any from the genus pterygoplichthys. The rest of them seems safe especially the spiny type and panaques which I had successfully keep.

 

[adellababe]

I have the pleco + bichir combo going in a tank, the sailfin pleco is too obsessed with the driftwood to bother anything

 

[jclyde13]

I have been keeping my sen with my sailfin for almost two years (it will be two years at the end of July) with no problems.

 

[Guppy's_Hell]

I can't vote to any as in personal experience only the common and the sailfin pleco are known to suck or any from the genus pterygoplichthys. The rest of them seems safe especially the spiny type and panaques which I had successfully keep.

So you have not kept common or sailfin but you have kept at least two other species with out issue?

Interesting...

 

[King-eL]

So you have not kept common or sailfin but you have kept at least two other species with out issue?

Interesting...

I kept about 200+ species of plecos and only from genus pterygoplichthys are known to suck on slime coat. Not just bichirs and gars but as well as goldfish, snakeheads, arowanas, discus and stingrays they will suck slimes to. Even when feed regularly.

 

[redtailcatfreak]

yeah ive kept a rhino pleco with my bicirs and no problem now i have a large butterfly pleco with them and there doin great together

 

[Guppy's_Hell]

I kept about 200+ species of plecos and only from genus pterygoplichthys are known to suck on slime coat. Not just bichirs and gars but as well as goldfish, snakeheads, arowanas, discus and stingrays they will suck slimes to. Even when feed regularly.

Ok... have you had that issue when you have kept them (with any fish Bichir or not)...

And by no way am I doubting your knowledge on aquaria... I have read a lot of your posts on breeding fish and care... I know you know your stuff...

The thing is a lot of times a sort of taboo is created with certain things in this hobby to be in the safe side and it turns out to be embellished a bit.

 

[King-eL]

Ok... have you had that issue when you have kept them (with any fish Bichir or not)...

And by no way am I doubting your knowledge on aquaria... I have read a lot of your posts on breeding fish and care... I know you know your stuff...

The thing is a lot of times a sort of taboo is created with certain things in this hobby to be in the safe side and it turns out to be embellished a bit.

As I already stated I only had issues with ANY from genus pterygoplichthys that includes the common pleco and the sailfin pleco. Here are the result.

However some do had success but many do fails as the tendency of many plecos from genus pterygoplichthys have addiction to sucking on slime coat. Not all plecos will suck on slime and infact many species actually don't suck on slimes. Reason for that is many from the genus pterygoplichthys are commonly available in the hobby and cheaper price as well and very hardy. Many of the other species are illegal to export especially from Brazil and are very expensive. Some don't do well in comm tank and some are sensitive some are too small. That is why many of the issue of pleco sucking slimes are the common pleco and the sailfin pleco. You can find them anywhere.

 

[gerryjun]

As I already stated I only had issues with ANY from genus pterygoplichthys that includes the common pleco and the sailfin pleco. Here are the result.

However some do had success but many do fails as the tendency of many plecos from genus pterygoplichthys have addiction to sucking on slime coat. Not all plecos will suck on slime and infact many species actually don't suck on slimes. Reason for that is many from the genus pterygoplichthys are commonly available in the hobby and cheaper price as well and very hardy. Many of the other species are illegal to export especially from Brazil and are very expensive. Some don't do well in comm tank and some are sensitive some are too small. That is why many of the issue of pleco sucking slimes are the common pleco and the sailfin pleco. You can find them anywhere.

+ I agree, specially with big bichirs like Endli and Lapra once they are more than 14" they tend to ignore the pleco sucking on their back and the result are white blotches that makes your bichir susceptible to infection and fungus.

Small bichirs will try to swim away from such plecos, but a persistent pleco can be tiresome for bichirs.


My own experience is from common pleco, i dont keep any rare types of pleco.