Slime coat suckers

[andyjs]

I know some species of plecos are more likely to suck on the skin/slime coat of slower moving fish. I was wondering if either royals or gibbys are particularly known for this?

I'm thinking about getting either or possibly both of those species. At some point, whichever one I got (if I do get them) would end up in a tank with a bichir and possibly a South American lung depending on how my large setups are arranged in the future and I wouldn't want to add them knowing that they would more than likely go after my slower fish

 

[chesterthehero]

no way to know but to try.. sometimes they do sometimes they dont..

 

[zerojquan85]

Plecos that do suck on the slime coat of fish are either underfeed or they are the carnivorous type pleco.. ... those have teeth...

If you feed them enough, they will not bother your other fishes...

I actually own a Royal Pleco and i can say that i have never seen it eat any of my fishes slime coat.....

The only type of pleco i probably dont own is the carnivorous type.. their more expensive and harder to find...

But if you do end up getting a royal pleco.. make sure to have driftwood in your tank.. Royals require wood as part of their diet..

 

[andyjs]

Plecos that do suck on the slime coat of fish are either underfeed or they are the carnivorous type pleco.. ... those have teeth...

If you feed them enough, they will not bother your other fishes...

I actually own a Royal Pleco and i can say that i have never seen it eat any of my fishes slime coat.....

The only type of pleco i probably dont own is the carnivorous type.. their more expensive and harder to find...

But if you do end up getting a royal pleco.. make sure to have driftwood in your tank.. Royals require wood as part of their diet..

Thanks for the responses. I probably will be getting both of them within the next month. The royal is around 6" and will go in with my larger fish while the gibby I'm looking at is just a little guy (maybe 2") and will go in a smaller tank for now. And don't worry, my tanks always have driftwood

 

[zerojquan85]

Thanks for the responses. I probably will be getting both of them within the next month. The royal is around 6" and will go in with my larger fish while the gibby I'm looking at is just a little guy (maybe 2") and will go in a smaller tank for now. And don't worry, my tanks always have driftwood

nice!

6" is a fine size.... u wont have to worry about them not eating...

best of luck!

 

[Wet Whiskers]

I have 2 large gibbies and a type of royal in with discus and many other fish. I've had A LOT of plecos and these two species seem pretty uninterested, and have never bothered them. However, I'm not sure if they would if the other fish was sick. The advice about keeping them well fed and with plenty of wood is great.

 

[TwistedPenguin]

Royals are actually one of the plecs/panaques known for not bothering other fish. I've never had a Gibby but I know my 3 Royals mind their own business and would be way more apt to be picked on than to pick at others. Love my Royals-you can't go wrong with one

 

[wingate2581]

My ghost knife just recently started getting open wounds on him shortly after I introduced my royal. And I DO feed my plecos well. I also have three carnivorous plecos that I have never had a problem with. With that said, I agree with Chesterthehero.

 

[Lupin]

I've never experienced nor known gibbies to suck the slime coat but Chester said it correctly. Most of the plecos that do this, are terribly underfed.

 

[Morledzep]

i don't know about the statement that only underfed or carnivorous plecos bother the other fish.

i'm about to euthanize a common pleco i've had for a few years now. i was getting ready for work today and had to stop and remove him from one tank and put him in a tank where he can't hurt anyone because he was sucking on one of my bichers.

he isn't underfed, i put some kind of plant matter, zucchini, frozen peas, algae wafers, broccoli stems, and just about any other veggie that i prepare for me or cut up for the snake chow i throw some in the aquarium for the poo machines, several times a week. so i KNOW he's not underfed, and common plecos are not supposed to be carnivorous.

the common pleco and the royal pleco in the angelfish tank aren't bothering the bichers in that tank..