BN Pleco eating snails

[Alliebird]

Hi all,

I've caught my 3.5" Bristlenose Pleco trying to eat one of my Mystery Snails. He affixed himself to its operculum and I guess just rasps a hole into them. Two died before I knew what was happening, both had holes in their operculums.

I feed algae wafers, sinking veggie tablets, and vegetables (broccoli, peas, etc) 3 x per week. Other tankmates are 6 zebra danios. There are about 5 snails, all quarter-size or bigger.

Is this normal? I believe I'm going to try to trade him in to the fish store...

 

[flitabout]

I have never heard of something like that happening before.

 

[V227]

You evidently bought the incredible Hulk of all BN Plecos. I'd hold on to that one.

 

[Alliebird]

LOL...I do like the Incredible Hulk. But I really like my snails too!

I have never seen a pleco act as aggressively as this one. He charges at other fish, flashing his dorsal fin, and I've seen him knock snails off algae wafers.

Got him when we was about 2" and he was such a cute baby...

 

[Angellove78]

Hum, how big it the tank?

 

[Alliebird]

It's a 20 gallon high. Do you think he feels crowded?

 

[agrasyuk]

I'm guessing your plec is giving the snail a scrub.

 

[Angellove78]

It's a 20 gallon high. Do you think he feels crowded?

No, he shouldn't feel crowded. But if everyone is on his food he will protect it. If snails are by his food or on his food he might of thought they where food. Weird! But I'd just watch what happens next time you feed him. Might be the reason.

 

[Brookster123]

They can be territorial. A 20h is on the small side as they can reach 6+" and produce lots of waste if properly fed. Do you have wood in the tank?

 

[Alliebird]

Yes, there is driftwood in the tank.

One of the deceased snails had a chunk detached from the rest of its body and shell. It couldn't have been dead too long because I check before and after work to make sure everybody is okay. I had blamed the pleco because I saw him on a snail (on its operculum) not long after that.

I have never seen him on a snail's shell like he was cleaning it...the now two times I have caught him sucking, it was on the snails' trapdoor. One of those snails has a hole in his trapdoor, like the previous deceased snails did.

Clearly I just need a bigger aquarium.

 

[Alliebird]

Here is a picture of the hole in the snail's operculum. He is now dead.

Most of my other snails do not have this. I'll keep watching to see if the pleco bothers any of the others...

 

[V227]

Bristlenoses are tough little guys. Mine actively fight off aggressive cichlids for sinking food pellets, never backing Down. I'm going with Anton's opinion, that the BN are simply grazing off the snail shells, maybe accidentally finding a weakness leading to "escargot".