# plecos with african cichlids



## cichlidman_404 (Aug 8, 2014)

have anyone ever had plecos with African cichlids before? I know they don't require the same water parameters but I've seen a lot of people keeping them with AC's I was thinking about getting one but it concerns me about the PH levels and water hardness in my tank I keep my PH around 8.0-8.2 and my water hardness is around 19ppm if im even saying that right..lol..anyway just wanted some insight on keeping one with AC's if anyone have had experience keeping them with AC's I would love to hear some feedback from you guys...thanks again


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

its fine. make sure to acclimate it if its coming from a different ph, but it'll be fine in your water with africans. i find that the gibbys tend to do well with africans


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Very common, lots of folks seem to prefer the bushy nosed plecos with their cichlids


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## biglove (Jan 4, 2010)

Have kept Albino Bristle Nose Plecos with Malawi, Frontosa, and Peacocks without an issue.

Just know that if you buy them tiny, they are likely to be a snack.


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## dbradley26 (Apr 22, 2014)

My PH is 8.3 from the tap and I've often suspected my non Africans were not thriving. Currently I have a couple Haps, 2 syno cats and a pleco. Everyone is doing great and growing fast except the Pleco. He is about 7 inches and hasn't grown in the 6 months that he has been in there. I don't have any proof that it's because of the water conditions but that is my suspicion. He looks healthy and eats fine otherwise.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

hes probably is getting less food in the african tank then he was before. africans are Vivacious eaters , including the synos. the pleco probably gets whatever the africans dont, which im assuming isnt much. just my thoughts


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## Kingsix67 (Aug 29, 2014)

I have been keeping clown and rubber lip plecos with my Mbuna and they are doing fine.


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## dbradley26 (Apr 22, 2014)

sumthinfishy said:


> hes probably is getting less food in the african tank then he was before. africans are Vivacious eaters , including the synos. the pleco probably gets whatever the africans dont, which im assuming isnt much. just my thoughts


That's a possibility. When I first introduced the Synos though, they were about 2" and he used to bully them around when I put algae wafers in. Now they are about the same size as him.


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

synos and africans are much more agressive eaters than the pleco. africans and synos both eat algae wafers. therefore the synos and africans are eating more than the pleco which is why they are growing and pleco isnt


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## sumthinfishy (Jan 26, 2013)

another possibility is it may be almost maxed out in size. i realize that they can get bigger than yours is, but doesnt mean they will. there are a few reasons why it may not be growing, but long story short, i dont think its the ph. i think its fine in there with the africans. as long as its still out, and eating what it can get then its fine. put a big chunk of zuchini in there. put it in at night. the africans will rest and the pleco (which typically feeds at night) will get a decent amount of if. hope this helps


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## dbradley26 (Apr 22, 2014)

sumthinfishy said:


> another possibility is it may be almost maxed out in size. i realize that they can get bigger than yours is, but doesnt mean they will.


This is true. I'm not fully convinced the PH is the problem as I know that fish can be very adaptable to their conditions and the fish I buy locally are most likely raised in the same water parameters as mine.


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## biglove (Jan 4, 2010)

Try dropping in a handful of spirulina wafers at night.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

biglove said:


> Try dropping in a handful of spirulina wafers at night.


That, and also put a good size slice of zucchini on the end of a fork and drop in. My plecos LOVE zucchini and will devour huge slices of it in no time at all.


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## fmueller (Jan 11, 2004)

Plecos as a family of fish have almost as varied needs as cichlids. Not all of them are algae or even vegie eaters. Some are strict carnivores, and some absolutely require wood to be in the tank that they can chow on, because they can actually digest the cellulose, and even need it to keep healthy. Before you buy an exotic pleco, make sure to research their needs, including tank size, because some will grow huge! www.planetcatfish.com is a great resource where you can find out more.

That all said, Bristle Nose Plecos, Bushy Nose Plecos, or whatever you want to call them, make great tank mates for most cichlids. They are a strain of fish created in the aquarium hobby by involuntary cross breeding of various hard to distinguish pleco species. They are hardy and can hold their own against most tank mates, breed easily, stay small, and devour algae throughout their lifespan. Personally I think they look pretty cool to - certainly different from other fish - and I keep them in most of my tanks, often as a breeding colony.


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