# Pleco for Cichlid Tank



## dreamcatcherr9 (Oct 26, 2015)

Can I get some suggestions on a Pleco for a "Mixed Male" Cichlid Tank? (75gallon tank).

I read that common Pleco's do not like Salt.

I also read that Bristlenose are good, but do not grow very big.

I was hoping for a big Pleco, not a common (something like a Vampire) but I am also concerned about Driftwood requirements.

I read some Pleco's have higher requirements and need for wood.

But since driftwood will affect PH, I was hoping to avoid it altogether.

Any suggestion, ideas or enlightenment will be greatly appreciated.


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## tanker3 (May 18, 2015)

Plecos in a African Cichlid tank is hit or miss. Mbunas are know to kill plecos.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Agree with tanker3. In addition, bristlenose have the best survival chances, but even then you have 25% chance of them being killed upon introduction to the tank...once they make it longer than that they are good forever.

Fancy plecos (not common but big) deserve a custom tank for their needs.

Rift Lake Synodontis are a good catfish option for Rift Lake tanks.


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## dreamcatcherr9 (Oct 26, 2015)

Thank you. Appreciated.


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## smitty (May 7, 2004)

I am one that is not a fan of putting places with Africans. Clearly they both desire a different element.


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## dusanmal (Jan 24, 2016)

I have inherited a well established 50gal tank with various Mbuna, two Synodonsis njissae Rift Lake catfish and two bristlenose plecos. I do.'t know how hard it was to introduce plecos but I see them as very useful in the tank ecology. Synodonsis are quite the bottom dwellers, rarely reaching up from the bottom 4-5". Plecos however, are very active throughout the tank and although much smaller than Synodonsis my impression is that they contribute/scrub much more. Mbuna are not bothering them, though that in part may be to the strategy of the original tank owner who trusted in aggression reduction by overcrowding/overfiltering... which works well for this particular group, no one is bothering others...


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## dreamcatcherr9 (Oct 26, 2015)

Thank you to everyone who read (and may continue to read this).

After much research, I went with a Common Pleco.

All is going well, Cichlids ignore him, and Pleco spends his days cleaning rocks and glass wonderfully.

My tank is HEAVILY stocked (IMO) to keep down aggression (which had been very minimal so far), well filtered, and balancing well.

A side note I did a lot of research, most (if not all) "fancy" plecos (vampire, green phantom, spotted marble, etc) do have a higher requirement for driftwood and a more specialized diet (they are not algae eaters and do not graze or clean, not workers).

Common Plecos seem to meet the most requirements of minimal (if no) driftwood requirements, easiest diet and is the best worker for helping to keep tank clean.

Happy fish keeping everyone.


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## fishestate (Jul 7, 2015)

My peacocks ate the eyeballs out of my pleco's head and then left it alive. One of my saddest experiences in the hobby.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

I've always wanted to get a pleco, I had heard that Rhino plecos do well with cichlids. So my girlfriend bought one for me. Only problems I've really seen is that my cichlids have nipped at his fins, leaving them somewhat damaged, but have left his eyes alone =).


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## fishestate (Jul 7, 2015)

Mine was a rhino pleco, too. How long have you had it? They picked at mine over about 6 months before they turned on it. Not saying it's going to happen, just keep an eye on the fella.


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## Jbaas558 (Nov 19, 2015)

Ahh, maybe a week or two. But from what I can see they've either stopped or he just heals really quickly or both. Thanks for the advice.


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## Thisgirllovesfish (May 4, 2021)

fishestate said:


> My peacocks ate the eyeballs out of my pleco's head and then left it alive. One of my saddest experiences in the hobby.


Im so sorry that happened to you


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## fish1234 (Dec 26, 2019)

Similar experience to those that have commented already. I had a 12 inch common pleco (inherited) live for years with Haps and then one day they ate his eyes. 

Today I have a 5 inch albino bristlenose in a 265g tank that is ignored and keeps the tank very clean, however i have a 75g tank in which I have tried twice and failed (which I can no longer try again).


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## sir_keith (Oct 30, 2018)

This is an unhappy marriage at best, but it begs the question- why do you want to keep a pleco with your cichlids in the first place?


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## EricTheRed (Jun 16, 2012)

sir_keith said:


> This is an unhappy marriage at best, but it begs the question- why do you want to keep a pleco with your cichlids in the first place?


I think he wants help keeping the algae from continuously growing on the interior of his tank. I have had two large plecos in my very heavily stocked HAP/Peacock tank for an extended period with excellent results. The larger one is 14 inches and has been in there over two years. The second pleco is a 12 inch fish given to me by a friend over a year ago because she could no longer keep it. Both are doing swimmingly and are ignored by my Africans.

I think the secret is to only introduce plecos that are noticeably larger than your Africans and strictly avoid keeping them with the more aggressive mbuna such as Auratus, Johanni, Trewasae, and Zebras.


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## EricTheRed (Jun 16, 2012)

I forgot to add, the two large Plecos reside in my 125 gallon HAP/Peacock tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The smaller BNs are OK with africans once they survive the introduction process. Mine have always been smaller than the fish. I don't find they clean all that well however...you still have to scrape the glass weekly and there will be algae on the rocks.


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