Plecos + Cichlids?

[svolk]

I have a cichlid tank with no bottom feeder currently. My husband suggested getting a pleco, but are the cichlids too aggressive to have with a pleco? Or is there a different bottom feeder that would be suitable for an aggressive tank?

[fishfreaks]

how big are the fish, and what type of cichlids? also what size is the tank??? this will enable us to anwser your question better.

[John]

I'm pretty sure that plecos are pretty compatible with almost all fish. I could be wrong, but I think plecos are compatible with almost all the species of cichlids.

[fishfreaks]

you are right, plecos are sometimes not compatible with their own species, or other plecos. but, they are also sometimes not compatible with other fish as well because they may fight over territory. Also, some plecos get huge, and others stay small.

[Osiris]

pleco's rule! I keep 5 L260 Queen Abrs. pleco's with 2 male BN pleco's with 15 African peacock males in tank, just good idea to feed like 15mins after tank lights off so the pleco's are out and about and get food...

[svolk]

Here are my tanks specifics:

38 gallon

1 Convict
1 Bumblebee
1 Adult Jewel
4 Juvenile Jewels

The bumblee seems to have proclaimed himself king of the tank, and I know the jewels and convicts can get pretty aggressive.

So would a pleco be a bad idea for this setup?

[Thunderkiss]

Plecostomus are not bottom feeders, they are algae eaters.
Catfish are bottom feeders.

[Lisachromis]

Plecostomus are catfish. They eat food wherever they can find it. For algae eating plecos this means they'll go along your glass looking for it. Generally speaking though, they like the bottom of their environment best.

[John]

Well said.

Plecos will eat algae off the glass, uneaten food on the bottom, even suck on some dead fish before you take them out. Plecos are awesome, and there are so many different varieties!

On a similar note, does anybody know what an average Zebra Pleco would cost? (Not sure which L-Number I'm talking about).

[fishfreaks]

i think a pleco would be fine, as long as you make sure hes big enough not to fit down any one elses mouth!

[higginius]

I have had some sad experiences with plecos and cichlids. ****I love plecos, so I have always kept them with my fish tank. ****I decided to get a golden nugget pleco, but the cichlids picked at him and eventually he died from an infection. ****I tried again and have lost 2 more. ****The plecos were large so I thought that they would be ok. My cichlids are too aggresive for plecos. ****So I am sure it depends on a number of factors. ****Before that I thought plecos were indestructable.

[leongreenway]

Get A Bristle nose pleco, they are tough, and great fun.