Is a zebra pleco OUT of the picture in a cichlid tank?

[spankey]

I am setting up a malawi tank and was curious if I could house a zebra pleco, and would it be safe???

I don't want the thing getting beat up as I see that the Zebra is a peacefull species... We all know how cichlids can get very aggressive...

Thanks for the info..

Spankey

[Nippy]

For the money you would shell out for a zebra pleco, I would not take the chance in an African tank. Plus, I think they need different water parameters than Africans.
However, if you have a dwarf cichlid tank, you could get away with it. My zebra is in with 2 nanacara taenis and 2 nanochromis parilus(among a bunch of other community type fish). The nanochromis are nippy but they hang around the bottom and pick on the gobys. No one bothers the pleco.

[spankey]

Nippy-

Yeah thats kinda what I was thinking.... Drop a $50.oo fish in there and see it get beat up.. NAH....

Guess I was reaching ....LOL.... What other types of plecos would one recomend and one that does not POOP like a horse.....


Spankey

[Tightdog1]

if you want one that eats algae and i figure you do i would go with a bristlenose they love algae dont get too big and dont seem to poo a lot, IMO

[morleyz]

I keep 2 bristlenose in my african tank and they keep the place sparkling...and they don't get big, which I prefer.