Compatibility of a Pleco with...

[spirals]

Ok, so everyone who comes into the store wants to buy a pleco to eat the algae (so they don't have to clean as much or so they think). Which fish can common pleco's not survive with?>
Goldfish? (Different water temps/params right?)
Cichlids (Aggression issues?)
Semi-agressive (ditto?)

 

[jpappy789]

A lot of people put plecs in with cichlids. Plecos don't really get in their way so there isn't an issue.

 

[Weezer]

Our BN Pleco does just fine in our Cichlid tank, the cichilds are larger than her but leave her alone, all fish have a full set of fins.......

 

[Ruben Tolon]

they're fine generally with cichlids, but not with goldfish for the reasons you stated. Just make sure to remind people who want plecos about the adult size of the typical 'common pleco'.

 

[Mgamer20o0]

plecos many times make more of a mess then they clean. a lot dont even eat algae.

 

[Lupin]

Tell the people to clean the tank by themselves. Why use a fish when it simply adds to the bioload? If they can't clean the tank, then they should stop taking this hobby.

Goldfish-People should realize these fish are heavy waste producers. So are plecos. Goldfish and plecs combined require a very large tank and powerful filtration. Most plecos have a tendency to suck the slime coat. The goldfish being very slow-moving are very vulnerable to that.

 

[spirals]

Just make sure to remind people who want plecos about the adult size of the typical 'common pleco'.

Always, I refuse to pleco's to anyone who has less than a 55G tank OR 30G if they are planning to upgrade within a few months.
So generally they do alright with cichlids? Any in particular that I should look out for? Would larger (4") Oscars go after them or would they leave them alone if the pleco's have adequate hiding spots.

 

[Firebelly__girl]

Ive seen plenty of times, oscars living with large plecos. The people said the oscar harassed them at first, but them being tough guys, toughed it out and the oscar eventually left them alone and now they live happily together, I would put them together though untill the pleco was to large to fit in the oscars mouth (obviously haha!)

 

[jm1212]

SA/CA cichlids can be kept with plecos, but africans are often to aggressive.

it would be better to just scrape the algea yourself

 

[J double R]

Always, I refuse to pleco's to anyone who has less than a 55G tank OR 30G if they are planning to upgrade within a few months.
So generally they do alright with cichlids? Any in particular that I should look out for? Would larger (4") Oscars go after them or would they leave them alone if the pleco's have adequate hiding spots.

i don't recommend a pleco to anyone with less than 90g, period. 55gallons is too small... as 12" depth is less than HALF their full length.. and as a rule, you should never recommend a fish to someone 'pending upgrade'.. that's a disaster waiting to happen.