Plecos Bite!

[Super G]

I got bit today for the first time. It suprised the hell out of me.

 

[ewurm]

That would surprise me too. Any damage?

 

[froggyfiend]

wow! They have teeth?

 

[Super G]

I got my hand out of there before it got worse.

 

[TankBuster]

Kind of like getting bit by grandpa with no teeth?

 

[TOM A.]

why did you get bit, cleaning the tank? my pleco bit my red zebra and left a round bit mark on his side.

 

[davo]

yea they do have teeth, some more that others. look at the post the sucker thread. theres a goldie plec on there and it shows the teeth very clear. why do you think that one plec has a common name "vampire plec"

 

[sfplecos]

Ouch, hope you didn't get bit from a Royal...they have some major teeth(for grazing on wood). Did it just bite you and swam off...good thing it didn't just clamp on for dear life!

 

[M|L]

plecos do have teeth and they are very strong. infact, you can't keep certain plecos in acrylic tanks because their teeth will scratch the tank!

but they won't go out of their way to attach you, so that's why not many people realize it.

 

[andregurov]

why do you think that one plec has a common name "vampire plec"

I always thought it was because of the teeth-like fringes on their rasping mouth - thus the German moniker "toothnose plec". Although all Leporacanthicus do have some serious chompers ...

Those Germans and their "swarmfish" - I prefer that term to "schooling", it is just so much more descriptive and ... intense!

J