Pleco sucking on Bichir

[prokop26]

Hello everyone,
Had a problem with my pleco sucking on my bichir. Unfortunately,
I had to get rid of the pleco, but would like to know how much this
hurts the bichir by getting sucked on repeatedly, and what can I
do know to help?

 

[Illbuyourcatfish]

From what I've read it can easily kill thebichir, wears down the slime coat leaving them vulnerable to infection. Also the stress of it would contribute. And as long as the pleco is getting a good diet it should leave other fish alone. That being said i've heard that once a slime coat eater, always a slime coat eater.

None of that is personal experience, just research i did when i suspected my pleco of the same behavior.

 

[Wretched5705]

for more information on this matter try the polypterus forum or the pleco forum, they would have much more information on the matter if you feel you need more. But yah Illbuyourcatfish hit the nail on the head. I never keep plecos with my bichirs because of this

 

[Sarah88]

yeah this is the wrong forum, but its extremely bad for polys to be sucked, like previously said it removes their slime coat and leaves them very vulnerable to infection and is stressful on them. its good you got rid of the pleco as long as the poly isnt acting to stressed out anymore and there isnt anything else eating its slime coat anymore then it should be fine

 

[screaminleeman]

I thought getting sucked was all part of being a biker!

 

[quintas14]

A pleco sucking on the slime coat will as Illbuyourcatfish says, remove the fishes ability to ward of infection and can also cause so much stress that the bicher can die in the long run. I wouldn't keep any pleco with my bichers as it's not worth loosing a gorgeous fish for the sake of something as boring as an algae eater..

The last bit is just my personal preference though