Last night my common plecostomus who is now about 2 years old and 10" long, killed my female gouromi by smashing her against a rock. I think she just swam too close and in tight quarters, between a gravel covered cave and the front glass. when he saw her he spooked and thrashed around and she was cought between him and the cave. The tank is a 125 gal. with 6 giant danios 1 albino rainbow shark, a tiny little mystary fish, the common pleco and there was a pair of gouromi, down to one now.:uhoh: It's not overstocked or crouded. So I guess my question is: Was this just a freak accident, or should I be concerned about my pleco getting violent? Are the gouromi too slow to be living with this fish.
Now that I think of it, he has attacked other fish in the past, he sucked the eyes out of a black moor I had a while back. But that poor black moor was not a good swimmer and way too slow and clomsy.
I am considering giving him his own tank but that requiers my too buy a large enough tank for him. I hate to buy a big enough tank for him and him alone. Another option is to only put good fast swimmers in with him that can get away from him when he gets moody. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks again AC!
Now that I think of it, he has attacked other fish in the past, he sucked the eyes out of a black moor I had a while back. But that poor black moor was not a good swimmer and way too slow and clomsy.
I am considering giving him his own tank but that requiers my too buy a large enough tank for him. I hate to buy a big enough tank for him and him alone. Another option is to only put good fast swimmers in with him that can get away from him when he gets moody. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks again AC!
I am perplexed at the behavior you have described with your Common Pleco. I have a range of different pleco's in my tanks including a 14" Common and have never seen her act this way. She now resides in a 125 mixed African Cichlid tank along with 2 Yoyo Loaches, but she used to live in my 125 planted community tank with the Pearls, different tetras, coreys, loaches, and few mystery fish that came in with my ghost shrimp. The only reason she was moved out of that tank was she decided that my Amazon Swords were more tasty then her wafers. The only time I have ever seen her be aggressive was when I rescued a similar sized "Gibby" and the 2 battled over territory until I could find it a new home. The only thing I see her really do now is hang out under some rock work, eat, occasionally chase off the Yoyo's (they are pesty buggers) and kick up sand.
