Bichir and Pleco Truth Poll!

[Sidrock]

I have 7" and 5" Dels in a 2ft grow out. I wanted to keep a common pleco in this tank as I invariably add too much food (Hikari Cichlid Gold sinking) to this tank.

I experimented with plecos from 5" (same size as Dels) to as little as 2-3 inches. Even a common pleco half the size of the bichir preferred to suck on the slime coat rather than eat all that food lying around.

OTOH, I have a 7" common pleco with a 17"+ Endli in a ~200G. With all that space to move around and hide, I have not yet seen the pleco trouble the Endli.

I would not recommend this combo to anyone.

Good luck,

 

[Rockbass6]

Never had luck long term. Sooner or later the pleco would get a taste for bichir slime coat. It was usually a bichir that hung around the same piece of driftwood the pleco would. Once they get the taste for bichir it can't be stopped. lol
My best luck was with L333, and I tried bristlenose, and when they got older they would cause problems. Harmless when young, but eventually one day I would get a bichir with the classic light colored blotches.

 

[pookie]

I had one pleco with my 6 inch bichir and he was MEAN. He would chase and ram my bichir nonstop, he was only 3inches.

I traded him for another pleco, that one was fine. Never had an issue. Only problem was he kept eating tilapia and pooped so much it was unbearable lol he is now gone.

I never saw any "sucking" on my bichir by either pleco. Although I think the first one may have started soon if I didnt get rid of him.

 

[Divasen]

I have had common pleco suck on my poly's when i fish got into the polys, after that i have not had my poly's and gars with any pleco as my polys and gars are my main fish and i need to provide the best living conditions possible for them.

 

[gerryjun]

Is it worth the risk? if your a bichir fanatic and love your bichirs, why risk it?

i think the conclusion here is;

1. Their is a basis for the advice and real risk in keeping plecos with bichirs.
2. If you do keep plecos with bichirs be sure to keep vigilant for slime sucking and white blotches on bichirs.

 

[jcon]

I have both the Gibbicep and common Pleco(both 40cm) with an Ornate Bichir, Spotted Gar, and Aro with no issues at all. They have been living together for over 2 years.

 

[MichaelMan]

i have a senegal and saddled bichers the senegal is smaller and doesnt allow sucking at all while the saddled bicher is larger and occasionally lets the common pleco i have suck his slime coat after seeing pictures i seperated the more aggressive pleco . my bicher never let the pleco suck for that long but why take the chance. thanks for the info mfk people

 

[Itsadeepbluesea]

So far I have had absolutely no issues with my guys together (now that I've said that I expect to have nothing but problems )

 

[Celticdragon]

I have kept a sailfin pleco with a senegalus for nearly fours now without any issues.

 

[jclyde13]

Actually no you hadn't...


That's horrible what happen to that bichir... I hope he recovered.

Do you think it may have something to do with how crowded your tanks are or lack of cover/hiding area? Maybe the pterygoplichthys become stressed or aggressive? (awesome tanks btw)


Just trying to figure out why so many people keep these fish without issue.

I have to agree with this theory. I have kept more plecos than I'd like to admit (mainly commons), and even under the worst circumstances, I have never had any agression issues with them whatsoever. I had never even heard of the issue until I joined MFK.