Pleco Killers

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Doc_Polit

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Nov 4, 2007
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Blackfalds, Alberta
I am completely at a loss.

I cannot keep Ancistrus (BN) Plecos alive in my all-male Hap/Peacock tank.

I have now lost my third. This time, a 5" wild-caught that leapt out the gap between the glass top and tank frame. When I found him, he was dead and had no eyes (apparently they sink into their heads when they are stressed).

Their prior victim was a 4" Albino BN.

What the ????

Has anyone else had similar problems with their cichlids? I have no idea what I can keep with these guys as a clean-up crew.
 
I would suspect the your africans eat the BN's eyes...I've kept Hap/Peacock and Pleco together but I've learned that some africans learn how to eat the pleco's eyes or worst they will flip them and attacks the pleco's soft bellies...Anyways, if your fish already know the tricks then I guess your best shot is too add more hidden spaces for the BNs and feed them at night with the lights off....so they won't come out in the day time and get attacked.....but what's the fun if you never see them swimming in your tank? GL!


just my 2 cents........
 
yeah I have had plecos that were young always get the crap beat out of them by my fish when they showed themselves, so they would hide. However oncethey became big enough, they became the predator
 
I have quite a few fancy plecos in my hap/peacock tank and have never had a problem. I have lots of rock work in there for them to hide in.

Keeper
 
Fancy meeting you here Doc. Some fish just don't like plecos. I used to have a pseudotropheus crabro that picked on my pleco. I just added 3 more plecos + more hiding spaces. That way he could lose track and not single out one individual. I think you may have better luck with a smaller quicker species such as siamese algae eaters. I've heard of them attacking other fish and sucking on their sides though I've never seen this behavior in mine. Thanks for dropping off that labeotropheus by the way. If you want to try an SAE you can take mine. I have him in my community tank with about 6 different plecos. I would try to add more than one at a time though....better odds.
 
In my African Tank I have 4 plecos. A small Bristlnose, small tiger pleco (panaque maccus), an L236 and and L200 Green Phantom. The Phantom is good size. Maybe 5 inches. The L236 comes in at about 2 inches and the other two are under 1.5 inches. I've not had a problem with any of them.

I put a Gold Nugget in there and he didn't fare so well. But I'm thinking it's the vendor. I bought another one and put it in my 55 and he didn't make it either. Both died within a week. The first one I just thought got beat up but the second was in an angel tank. The Queen Arabesque I bought with the GN is fine in the Angel tank.
 
It's not the vendor. I was told , by a very knowledgeable store owner who specializes in African cichlids, not to keep them with Africans. I've heard this tale before.
 
I had 2 gold nuggets in my mbuna tank and they lasted 2 months then they both got it within a week of each other...synodontis angelicus clean up the bottom nicely
 
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