# Aggressive Cichlid Kills Pleco



## Ajstauffer21 (Jun 7, 2017)

I've been trying to add an algae eater to my 55g tank with 12 assorted African Cichlids but the alpha attacks the Pleco as soon as I add him and he doesn't last more than a day. The alpha is a typical blue cichlid that you see at fish stores, he pecks at the Pleco and eventually eats the eyes and harasses it until it dies. He did it to a smaller one that I added about 6 weeks ago so I tried a larger one this week and it met the same fate. 
The rest of the cichlids tend to leave them alone, it's just the blue one that takes after them almost immediately. I've had the fish for 8 weeks, the blue is about 3" and he's one of the largest in the tank. This last Pleco was about 3-4" long. 
Any suggestions on an alternative algae eater that can survive and avoid my alpha? The guy at the fish store talked about some Clown Loaches or some sort of catfish that could move faster than a Pleco.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I would put the blue guy in time out...introduce the pleco and let him find all the hiding places, then try adding the blue cichlid back after a month.

You might also get the "typical blue cichlid" identified by posting a pic in the Unidentified Forum...he might be too aggressive for a 55G depending on the ID.


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## Malwai49801 (Jun 19, 2017)

From what I gathered some people get away with it, but in general plecos don't do well with Cichlids. Even if you get lucky and the fish don't fight now that could change in the future as they get bigger. Plus plecos like softer water. If you want something other then plecos add lace catfish. They look cool and are left alone by the cichlids.

Also If you are able to watch new fish when you introduce them! Of course my cichlids buff up on each other, but it was clearly different when I tried a pleco my friend gave me. Stick with Lace cats!


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Yeah it's extremely difficult to introduce plecos in an established African tank. You're definitely going to have to take the alpha out for a day or two and rearrange your scape and add the pleco while he's out for the best chance of survival, even then it's a gamble. I have an albino BN and a regular BN with my haps and peacocks but they've been there since the beginning and they hardly pay them any attention. Just a suggestion, but with mbuna I'd recommend against having plecos because of the higher aggression and mbuna love to eat algae.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Or as Malawi suggested, get some cats. Synodontis petricola or lucipinnis though since they're native to lake Malawi.


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## morrismorris (Mar 21, 2017)

Do you have a lot of rockwork in there to create caves and hiding spots? You may also have better luck with a Synodontis.


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

Those common "Chinese Algae Eaters" are probably easiest, and cheap, and will fight back. They are relatives of Loaches, part of the Cyprinid group but I can't remember anybody who actually likes those very much.

I've seen Plecos survive, and I've seen them get stressed out and die rather quickly. Best if the Pleco is established from the start, and thou it is hard to tell a lot of Pleco types for sale are not real healthy to begin with and being put in with stressful Mbuna tend to not last long.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I've had plecos in all my tanks for many years (since I joined the forum for some individuals. The LFS ones had about 75% survival rate initially and then once they lasted a month, they are good forever. I got a bunch from triscuit (former Mod) and they have 100% survival rate...albino's too.

Bristlenose of course.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

DJRansome said:


> I've had plecos in all my tanks for many years (since I joined the forum for some individuals). The LFS ones had about 75% survival rate initially and then once they lasted a month, they are good forever. I got a bunch from triscuit (former Mod) and they have 100% survival rate...albino's too.
> 
> Bristlenose of course.


 That's been my experience also. I got mine from an LFS that I trust completely though. The owners came to see our baby in the hospital after she was born for christ sake lol!


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

noki said:


> Those common "Chinese Algae Eaters" are probably easiest, and cheap, and will fight back. They are relatives of Loaches, part of the Cyprinid group but I can't remember anybody who actually likes those very much.
> 
> I've seen Plecos survive, and I've seen them get stressed out and die rather quickly. Best if the Pleco is established from the start, and thou it is hard to tell a lot of Pleco types for sale are not real healthy to begin with and being put in with stressful Mbuna tend to not last long.


You're right, it's hard to find anyone that likes Chinese algae eaters because they turn into complete a-holes when they get bigger and stop eating algae and start attacking other fish. I kept noticing these round lesions on my SA cichlids and couldn't figure out what it was for the life of me until I saw the thing biting my green terror.


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## Ajstauffer21 (Jun 7, 2017)

Thanks for the feedback. My LFS recommended the Chinese Algae Eater because he would be quicker and he has worked great so far. All of the fish pretty much leave him alone and he's done wonders on the algae in the tank.

I have read that they stop eating algae as they get bigger and can get aggressive towards the other fish, I was thinking that I would just keep an eye on him as he gets bigger and remove him when I start seeing signs of aggression towards the cichlids.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

It's not so much a question of if, it's when "Chinese algae eaters" will turn evil lol. I had one and it started biting chunks out of my fish and it was really dang hard to catch once I figured out it was him doing it.


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## CraGunner (Feb 12, 2016)

I don't think you mentioned the type of 'Algae Eater' you've been trying to introduce to your tank, but I've been led to believe that a common pleco is far less likely to survive a Cichlid tank versus a Bristlenose Pleco. The explanation I got was that a common pleco's eyes stand out so the cichlids eat the eyes, whereas the eyes of the bristlenose blend in the body, so they are left alone. Of course adding any fish after the cichlids have already established territories and pecking order might be a crapshoot.

Just what I heard, hope it might help. Good luck.


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

I would stay a way from algae eaters and look at other ways of controlling your algae. Pleco are huge maker of waste as they get bigger some well up to 24". I would recommend cutting your lights, feeding less and floating plants to help with algae. I get by with cleaning my glass every two to three weeks. Its about a 10 minute job. Chinese algae eaters would be the worst things you could put in your tank they get very aggression as they get older. I started with a little 1 inch and now he's 4 " and bothers everyone.


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## Lildragoness (Jul 21, 2017)

I have two plecos in with my Malawi cichlids, they don't get picked on too bad, except the two plecos will fight each other on occasion. They tear each other up a little, but they are quite durable and healthy. Plecos are not supposed to be aggressive, but one of ours, Raime, is a meanie.... very aggressive for a pleco. The fish do not mess with him because he's bigger and chases them off. In fact, my holding yellow lab was the only fish the plecos let in "their" cave. She used them as body guards while she was holding and couldn't fight off the aggressive males. And they did actually protect her pretty well. Out of curiosity, is it an electric blue (Melanochromis johannii) causing the issue? They are a very aggressive species. picture of one attached Melanochromis_Johannii_downloaded by Amanda Tumbaga, on Flickr (edit, sorry if I got that species' "real" name wrong, I googled it becuase I only knew the common name and just realized it may be wrong. I hope the picture helps get what I mean across)


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## Ajstauffer21 (Jun 7, 2017)

No, I have a Johannii but he's pretty melo so far. My a-hole alpha is a Socolofi, light blue with black tips. He has been the alpha from the beginning and tries to claim the whole 55g tank to himself.


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