What plecos are bichir safe?

[Americancichlidsaredabest]

I’ve heard that plecos can suck the slime coat off of bichirs. I have had a steady buildup of diatom algae and I’m not against scrubbing it myself but I’m wondering if there’s an easier way to make that go away without harming my albino Senegal. Would a BN pleco work?

 

[tlindsey]

Would a BN pleco work?

I personally don't trust plecos with Polypterus. I do believe plecos may result to sucking off slimecoat of polys due to lack of food. A Bristlenose probably will concentrate on eating the diatom algae.

 

[duanes]

Being a biotope aquarist, to me, new world fish like Pleco's don't belong in the same tank with Old world fish like Bichirs on principal alone.

 

[Deadeye]

I have no problems (that I’ve noticed) with my bn and del, but it’s only been a few months and neither are full grown.

 

[TwoHedWlf]

I’ve heard that plecos can suck the slime coat off of bichirs. I have had a steady buildup of diatom algae and I’m not against scrubbing it myself but I’m wondering if there’s an easier way to make that go away without harming my albino Senegal. Would a BN pleco work?

In my experience, Bristlenoses, redspots, commons, goldspots and Cactus plecos are all fine.

 

[phreeflow]

Had no issues with any of my plecos and bichirs. Perhaps the common Hypostomus plecos might be more prone to it but haven’t seen that behavior with others like ancistrus, pseudas, hypancistrus, etc

 

[dmyersWv]

I've had no issues with any of the Bristlenose with smaller polys.

 

[Fishman Dave]

Yes in my opinion. I keep both a number of bristlenose(6) and a L191 royal plec with my senagal bichirs without any problems.

 

[rayoddballfish]

I keep my L600 with my bichirs and so far no real issues