Cichlids with pleco.. good or bad?

[mariah]

Is that enough spinach for one night? There is 8 leaves there... more? Less? Good amount? Also there is the cucumber i did... put one in for him? I just have no idea how much he eats

 

[mariah]

I see- good luck!! It makes sense, though, with Africans- I forgot about the strength in numbers and stress factors, my bad

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No no! No worries! I was told by a lot of people it would work but they only lasted two days before then were just bones... he needs to be big for them to not touch him

 

[mariah]

Is that enough spinach for one night? There is 8 leaves there... more? Less? Good amount? Also there is the cucumber i did... put one in for him? I just have no idea how much he eats

I ended up doing 6 leaves and then folded it... if he doesn't eat it all by morning can it be frozen again?

Also, is it safe for cichlids to eat spinach and cucumber? There is one electric yellow that is fat.. and has eaten the center out of the cucumber.. I'm hoping he falls asleep soon and stops eating lol!

 

[Cactuspixie]

My concern with putting a pleco in with African cichlids (aggression aside) is the ph issue. Plecos thrive in water with parameters that are vastly different to those that African cichlids require.
I have a gibbiceps (sailfin pleco) with a breeding pair of blue eyed cichlids (new world) and they are fine until the pair spawn. Then the pleco hides as much as possible to avoid having his fins nipped.

 

[xwing]

I ended up doing 6 leaves and then folded it... if he doesn't eat it all by morning can it be frozen again?

Also, is it safe for cichlids to eat spinach and cucumber? There is one electric yellow that is fat.. and has eaten the center out of the cucumber.. I'm hoping he falls asleep soon and stops eating lol!

Mbuna are herbivores in the wild they eat Algae off the rocks so any vaggie should be fine. The best mbuna food is made of some sort of vegetable

 

[Coursair]

Veggies are good for most Africans.
Another factor for long term care is that many Plecos need at least some wood in their diet and driftwood lowers PH, when you want higher PH for Africans.

It may work out, but I don't recommend it. Esp since the Pleco has no cave to rest/hide in.

 

[mariah]

Veggies are good for most Africans.
Another factor for long term care is that many Plecos need at least some wood in their diet and driftwood lowers PH, when you want higher PH for Africans.

It may work out, but I don't recommend it. Esp since the Pleco has no cave to rest/hide in.

He fits into half the slate holes and hides in there. My ph is a bit high to start with. It comes that way from my tap. The fish are fine with the higher ph so far. Does he have to have drift wood? When the people had the pleco all they have him was an algea wafer at night. That's all they told me but i did some research. He has lived for however long he is without veggies and just algea

 

[Coursair]

He fits into half the slate holes and hides in there. My ph is a bit high to start with. It comes that way from my tap. The fish are fine with the higher ph so far. Does he have to have drift wood? When the people had the pleco all they have him was an algea wafer at night. That's all they told me but i did some research. He has lived for however long he is without veggies and just algea

They can live over 20 years. A varied diet is always my preference. Check Planet Catfish for great info.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/common/species.php?species_id=580

 

[jwh0818]

Why not just go for a syno cat?

 

[xwing]

He fits into half the slate holes and hides in there. My ph is a bit high to start with. It comes that way from my tap. The fish are fine with the higher ph so far. Does he have to have drift wood? When the people had the pleco all they have him was an algea wafer at night. That's all they told me but i did some research. He has lived for however long he is without veggies and just algea

No I never feed mine any driftwood some eat I never did feed mine any I add a orange butterfly placo for 9 years before he died.
Both vaggie and algae are not meat so they are closer to being same diet

 

[Aquaenthused]

The funny thing about ph and aquarium fish- stability is more of an issue than what your ph is so long as it doesn't read below 5 or over 8. The drop of ph caused by the driftwood (Manzanita doesn't really effect ph that much) by adding crushed coral, aragonite or dolomite to the substrate or in a filter media bag, decorating with shells also helps

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[Aquaenthused]

Oh, a little more about the pleco and driftwood thing- seeing as though this is a common pleco situation driftwood is not necessary, however there are certain species of pleco that seem to starve without driftwood- my Panama red bnps are like this. Clown pleco are like this as well

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[mariah]

Oh, a little more about the pleco and driftwood thing- seeing as though this is a common pleco situation driftwood is not necessary, however there are certain species of pleco that seem to starve without driftwood- my Panama red bnps are like this. Clown pleco are like this as well

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Sounds good. I am not about to put drift wood in there.. i don't have that kind of money. When i was getting my cichlids i was told i needed coral in the filters or coral substrate... i did more research and yes having it at an even ph is better then if i were to do a water change and the water that i put in is like half the ph it needs go be. I am not into doing anything fancy. He is for sure a common pleco? My cousin has one kind of like him but his skin has a different pattern. I will get a pic in a bit from her. The pleco didn't eat any of the cucumber i put in last night... and also can the food be frozen put in the tank frozen put in the tank and so on? Or is it like a one freeze limit then i have to throw it away? I am going to try Spanish tonight

 

[Aquaenthused]

I can answer that question if you can get an okay picture. Here's a good test to perform, though- try giving shrimp pellets or shredded frozen table shrimp (thawed)- if he's refusing cucumber and favors shrimp chances are good he's a common or other larger type pleco

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[mariah]

I can answer that question if you can get an okay picture. Here's a good test to perform, though- try giving shrimp pellets or shredded frozen table shrimp (thawed)- if he's refusing cucumber and favors shrimp chances are good he's a common or other larger type pleco

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Well he eats algea wafers. I am thinking maybe since he has NEVER had cucumber in the tank he doesn't know. I am not even sure if he would have found it. I tied it to slate and put it in the open area on sand. I do have a pic of him

 

[mariah]

Yeah its a golden algae eater. I think ur pleco will do fine, especially just watch his fins and his early morning-late night activity. Never hurts to be safe, and maybe not others but I do daily or every-other-daily head counts. The golden- ive never had one like most others, but my friend had one and they are nasty little buggers. Big buggers. Lol

My sister just gave the golden algea eater to a pet store. She had him with mollies that she picked up yesterday and come to find out... she has 11 babies today! She wanted him gone before he hurt any of them

 

[Cactuspixie]

Well he eats algea wafers. I am thinking maybe since he has NEVER had cucumber in the tank he doesn't know. I am not even sure if he would have found it. I tied it to slate and put it in the open area on sand. I do have a pic of him

View attachment 222302

I don't believe that is a common pleco (hypostomus). It has too many dorsal rays. And it's too pretty

 

[mariah]

I don't believe that is a common pleco (hypostomus). It has too many dorsal rays. And it's too pretty

How do i figure out what kind of a pleco it is??

 

[Cactuspixie]

Follow the link that Coursair posted. You can post your photo on the forum there as well as browse the catalogue.

 

[BigBoyStatus]

I have a 75 gallon with SA cichlids and my 8-9 inch pleco is given no trouble at all, but you never know with Africans; i'd try it and watch them really close the first few days.