# Pleco



## BugHunter87 (Mar 19, 2015)

Has anyone successfully kept Albino Bristlenose Plecos with Mbunas? Share advice if you have some.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Yes. Once they survive initial introduction they are usually fine. Same husbandry as the mbuna. One/tank unless you have 60" or more.


----------



## BugHunter87 (Mar 19, 2015)

Awesome...thanks!


----------



## BugHunter87 (Mar 19, 2015)

I got one at PetSmart today, but apparently they had common albino plecos in with the bristlenose. Do you think the common will do well too?


----------



## Dolphins (Dec 5, 2014)

The albinos supposedly stay under 5 inches in size so you won't have to worry about them outgrowing your tank. The common plecs reach up to 2 feet in length or more. I have an albino pleco that I kept in 16gal bowfront with some juvenile Mbunas and he was fine. I have since moved him (or her, I don't really know) to a 5 ft long tank with the same juvenile Mbunas (a bit larger now) and he is mostly fine, just hiding away in the shadows and crevices of the rocks. I've noticed his/her back tail (caudal fin) has at least one large nip (like some took a bite of that fin) and I've seen the large red zebra in the tank chase him away from his/her cave pretty aggressively. I think the pleco is only okay if it has some flat and broad narrow hideway spots that the Mbunas can't always get to him/her. I stress the word "narrow" because the Mbunas can find there way through most nooks and crannys but a flat/narrow broad space maybe consisting of two tiles a half inch apart would save the pleco some hassle from at least the largest Mbunas in the tank.


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

There is one member who prefers common plecos, but they can get very large. I'd go with the bristlenose.


----------



## Dolphins (Dec 5, 2014)

Sharing some visuals regarding the topic ... you can see the usual nip on the tail fin that the Pleco is almost always sporting... The Red Zebra seems to prefer to have the Pleco on that side of the rock, and will chase him away from the other side, that is, away from the open space and sandy area that the Red Zebra is occupying in the picture,


----------



## Dolphins (Dec 5, 2014)

And now trying the youtube embedding feature....the other Mbunas in the tank always get curious about the light that turns on from my smart phone which I was using to take the video... not quite sure what it is about it, but there are several of them that all kinda start congregate together in front of it whenever I take it out... trying to steal the show from the Plec and Red Zebra I guess :fish: :roll: :-? :wink:


----------



## Dolphins (Dec 5, 2014)

Maingano or Johanni?

Everyone, does know if the fish in the video above per the seconds listed below is a maingano or johanni?

seconds 11-14
seconds 24-31
seconds 34-end

I would like to know for sure. Wondering if there is anything anyone can spot that would say that this cichlid is clearly one or the other.

Thank you!


----------



## B.Roberson (Nov 6, 2011)

sure looks like maingano, but i only kept them once


----------



## BugHunter87 (Mar 19, 2015)

I would say not johanni.


----------



## asad6633 (Jun 10, 2013)

I didn't have any luck keeping Plecos with African Cichlids.


----------



## Manifest (Mar 8, 2015)

I have one, with a community (4 species) around 25 in count. He came with all the other fish, I opened and dropped him in first, then the others. All were babies. He's still doing well, small but well. Plenty of hiding spots.


----------

