Strange Pleco behavior?

G

gspille

AC Members
Jan 5, 2008
325
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18
Illinois
It's my common pleco that's in my 40g long with my jack d. I've noticed that he seems to stalk the jd a lot. It's like he purposely seeks him out and then tries to pounce on her. I've watched it go on for as long as 2 hrs straight.
Is this behavior common?
 
It's probably no chance of it harming the jd, then? The pleco's quite a bit bigger, but seems to never be able to really catch the jd anyway.
 
gspille said:
It's probably no chance of it harming the jd, then? The pleco's quite a bit bigger, but seems to never be able to really catch the jd anyway.
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A few scratches is possible. Plecos are poor swimmers.
 
I've seen fish, but not plecs, follow cichlids around. The cichlids were messy eaters often spitting food or spewing it out their gills. The other fish seemed like they were waiting for the food dispenser. Skunk loaches were very aggressive that way but giant danios & tiger barbs also liked the fall-out.

Cichlids are faster to get to the food too, maybe your plec thinks he's not getting his share;)
 
I don't think it's a food issue because he'll do it even in the middle of the afternoon, long before feeding time. I have about four rock caves/hiding spots. It's only the two of them in the tank.
 
My wife was telling me on the phone today that the pleco was chasing the jd around in the upper portions of the tank for a while. Maybe I'll try to redecorate again, that seemed to stop it for a few days before.
 
Normally, especially when we're sitting in that room, the pleco just hangs on the side or under the driftwood. The jd is in one of the hide outs, or behind the driftwood.
jd is 5 in and the pleco is 8 in.
 
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