Plecos with Cichlids

[cichlidfish]

I would imagine one of the main reasons South American cichlids seem to have evolved (and are evolving) mouth brooding strategies, is pressure from pleco egg and larval predation.
As yet, you really don't see that in Central America cichlids, but with the human pleco introductions, this may yet come to pass, unless the cichlids they encounter are pressed into extinction before that happens. In some rivers in Mexico where places have been introduced, many are already struggling, and the aquascape has become a vast wasteland.
Chiapas rivers infested by plecos, native fish on the brink of extinction

That is very sad.

 

[Frank Castle]

They are a serious threat in Florida to the manatee population during the Winter months......

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1656/058.009.0401

That is very sad.

not as sad as this

 

[cichlidfish]

They are a serious threat in Florida to the manatee population during the Winter months......

http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1656/058.009.0401

not as sad as this
View attachment 1212778

Your right, that's horrible