Keeping a Pleco with MBUNA?

[lovejonesx]

You feed pleco vegetable matter.

I feed mine algae wafers, blanched zucchini, lettuce, etc...



Anyone who tells you that a pleco CAN'T do ANY HARM to any other fish, including a mbuna, is going waaaay out on a limb & is overlooking the natural defense of plecos.

I've seen pleco's give a fish wounds that they died from, so I can't KNOWLEDGABLY say that they NEVER would harm another fish,....but I can say that it has rarely happened in my experience.

ljx

 

[dingraha]

I usually feed my pleco's (besides the algae they eat in the tank) a slice of cucumber every few days. Just stab it with a spoon so it will sink.

 

[Lupin]

sounds like it might be worth a try.

What about this synodontis cat I have? he does not eat much algae and i only see him when i turn the light on in the morning. is he adding anything to the tank?

What species is your syno? Synodontis do not eat algae. Their mouth structure suggests they don't.

Also what do you feed plecos? i assume the algae on the walls is not enough?

Algae alone is not enough. Dietary requirements differ depending on the species of plecos you are dealing with. With Ancistrus sp., feed them plenty of vegetable matter. Since your cichlids are mbunas, you will be able to feed both groups veggies without risk of bloat from excessive proteins brought by meaty foods such as bloodworms.

one more question LOL

will the pleco be a threat to my MBUNA in any way? I have read that chinese algae eater kills fish by sucking body slime.

Mbunas are the threat to the plecos, not the plecos themselves unless you happen to pick aggressive species instead such as the Acanthicus adonis. CAE's are a far different case because they resort to slime coat as a source of protein.

 

[snoopy65]

The pleco won't bother the mbuna. If they are mature mbuna they will more than likely attack it. It is best to add a pleco, if you are going to when the mbuna are young.