# Getting a Pleco to survive with my cichlids?



## MbunaMan (Nov 21, 2006)

Hey everyone,

I have to date lost 8 plecos to my cichlids. I have tried all different kinds. Rubbernose - dead. Common - dead. Some fancy ones - dead. The LFS suggested bristlenose - dead.

I have a High Fin Red Pleco now and he has survived the longest (about a month). Not sure what will happen.

Any suggestions??? Any Plecos that are more likely to survive than others?

Thanks!

Happy Turkey Day to any Americans out there.


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

My suggestion is stop killing plecos 

If you want some catfish in the tank, you should look at some nice Synos.

Dominic


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## MbunaMan (Nov 21, 2006)

LOL...the meat is tasty for my cichlids...lol.

I have 2 beatiful synos....they are starting to get pretty big. 

I have a synodontis eupterus and a synodontis decorus. They aren't bugged by the cichlids. But I like the way the plecos clear the glass.


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## nightowl1350 (Mar 19, 2006)

Depending on the size of your cichlids.....raise up your pelco in another tank or spend the $$$ and buy an fully grown one. If given places only they can fit BN will live with frontosa etc, you just need to make sure they are fairly large compared to your MEAN fish (sorry...I raise BN plecos  )

Fancy pelcos with long fins will not last in your tank, but I'm sure a common that is a good size would.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Mbuna, for the most part are too aggressive. Frontosa are relatively non agressive for the group of cichlids they belong to- and ARE NOT MBUNA OR MALAWI- so you basically nullified your own response.

You can't guarantee the safety of plecos with mbuna. A small tang like a group of jullii maybe would be different.

REMOVE the plecos from your MBUNA tank and stop trying to put plecos in there. You just can't do it safely. Large/small/whatever. The cichlids are too aggressive for the pleco to be comfortable and even if they dont kill it they will hurt or scare it.

DONT DO IT. PERIOD.

Fancy pelcos with long fins will not last in your tank, but I'm sure a common that is a good size would.

YA but you haven't TRIED it have you?
Also 'if given places they can fit'?

What about when they need to eat? And go into a cichlids cave accidentally in the dark and get attacked etc etc etc.

DO NOT listen to LFS


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Mbuna man- 

Have you got a credit/health/library card or a flat edged razor?

Get a credit card and scrape it along the glass and watch the algae disappear.


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## ranmasatome (Mar 14, 2006)

i can think of 3 or 4 plecos you can use..
but those would cost 5000 each.. and their size is over 2feet.. so.. i guess that wont work..haha..


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## MbunaMan (Nov 21, 2006)

My Red High Fin Pleco is doing pretty good. I think the key is not to hide in caves and crevices or to get injured. Sometimes they nip at him, but he doesn't seem to care much...he just swims away. 

Hopefully he lasts for more than 2 months!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

if i didnt love my red sail i would lend him to you..LOL

He is so agressive its wonderful


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## Westender (Mar 24, 2006)

I have to say that I never put plecos in my african tanks. I had tangs rip the eyes out of them a couple of times when I was younger and gave up - I figured that the plecs being harassed all of the time just wasn't cool. 

Like Pablo says, I'd just clean the glass by hand. Don't experiment on this one.


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## Pablo (Mar 27, 2006)

Westender said:


> I have to say that I never put plecos in my african tanks. I had tangs rip the eyes out of them a couple of times when I was younger and gave up - I figured that the plecs being harassed all of the time just wasn't cool.
> 
> Like Pablo says, I'd just clean the glass by hand. Don't experiment on this one.


Cheers dom


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

I have to agree with Pablo and Westender, synos are for african tanks not plecos. You already know this, so the solution is simple


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## MbunaMan (Nov 21, 2006)

I am happy to say that my Red Highfin Pleco is still alive and kicking living with about 25 cichlids. They have decided to leave him alone and ignore. So, looks like I FINALLY have a Pleco that is surviving!

Now, what kind of Pleco should I add to my new tank (65g)?


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