« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2   Go Down

Author Topic: Aggressive Pleco?  (Read 3013 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

timstone

  • Guest
Aggressive Pleco?
« on: August 20, 2004, 06:12:33 AM »
Are pleco's normally aggressive?  I have a bristlenose pleco that is constantly chasing my smallest oscar around the tank even when the oscar is nowhere near it, it'll just take off from the side of the tank and head straight toward the same fish every time
Logged

ezdave

  • Guest
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #1 on: August 20, 2004, 06:18:12 AM »
He may just want to give the Oscar a good cleaning
Logged

Offline Fitst

  • Severum
  • ***
  • Posts: 1007
  • Fishy Rating 120
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #2 on: August 20, 2004, 06:21:17 AM »
I think this sould be in General Aquaria/Aquascaping but.

How big is the pleco?
How big is the oscar?
What size tank are they in?

It depends on what the answers to the questions above are but is your oscar getting hurt bad? If he is I would seperate the two. I dont think its to uncommon for plecos to pick on smaller fish, and truthfuly if your oscar isnt hurt to bad it should be fine, oscars grow fast and should be able to take care of themselfs.

Also, my oscar would always pick on my pleco (they are about the same size) but after awhile the pleco would fight back and my oscar has stoped picking on the pleco, its been about 2 months sence I have seen them fight. But they never actuly hurt each other, im not sure how bad your two are fighing.
« Last Edit: August 20, 2004, 06:25:20 AM by Fitst »
Logged

Demseyfan

  • Guest
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #3 on: August 20, 2004, 06:23:21 AM »
Simple answer, yes plecos can be aggressive and territorial.  They usually won't hurt the other fish too much but will stand up for themselves.  If the O looks injured or is getting beat on all the time i'd seperate them and let the O heal.  As the O gets bigger he'll be able to defend himself better.
Logged

timstone

  • Guest
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2004, 06:28:23 AM »
No he never gets hurt, he's too scared to let the pleco get near, usually all the pleco sees is the oscars tail moving further away.....I just thought it was pretty funny that out of nowhere the pleco will charge at the oscar like that

and by the way....

the oscar is probably 4" and the pleco 3.5"-4"
Logged

Offline Fitst

  • Severum
  • ***
  • Posts: 1007
  • Fishy Rating 120
  • Gender: Male
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #5 on: August 20, 2004, 06:33:39 AM »
If they arnt getting hurt it should be no problem.
Logged

ezdave

  • Guest
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #6 on: August 20, 2004, 06:52:47 AM »
Just noticed my first post wasn't complete and sounded like a bad joke:
 Pleco's can sometime interpret the large area of a flat bodied fish as a wall of sorts and attempt to clean or eat the goodies from the side of the fish. I have personally seen this and know this to be fact. Also as others have mentioned Plecos can be aggressive but, to a larger fish that is not in sickly condition and otherwise well should not be too much cause for concern unless obvious damage can be seen.
Logged

Offline vitara

  • Oscar
  • ****
  • Posts: 2859
  • Fishy Rating 30
  • Gender: Male
  • Big fish ~ Sampei
    • www.maltasportfishing.50megs.com
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #7 on: August 20, 2004, 06:54:25 AM »
Remember one thing. Plecos are nocturnal so it will also try to attack during the night when the oscar is sleeping. And yes plecos are  aggresive but usually to their own kind. They can be very territorial. in your case I would say that this will wear out in due time.
Logged

Offline loofa

  • Oscar
  • ****
  • Posts: 2042
  • Fishy Rating 38
  • Gender: Male
  • I <3 my fish
    • Rathjen Photography
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #8 on: August 20, 2004, 10:20:49 AM »
I didn't know they were territorial. Catfish are related to plecos (in fact plecos are catfish), and catfish will normally freak out and swim around the tank very rappidly, scaring the other fish in the tank. I dont know if that is what it is because your Oscar is not getting beat on, but its a thought.
Logged

Offline ConVicT-ed

  • Convict
  • **
  • Posts: 227
  • Fishy Rating 2
  • I love World Cichlids
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #9 on: October 16, 2004, 10:24:49 AM »
woah those green algae eating thing can pick on almighty oscars?!?! unbelieveable! :P
Logged

Offline Dan

  • Senior Member
  • World Cichlid God
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
  • Fishy Rating 191
  • Gender: Male
  • Love my Philly sport teams!!!
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #10 on: October 17, 2004, 04:37:42 AM »
My Pleco is also aggressive.  My 2 Oscars and 2 Severums always try and mess with him and the Pleco always wins the confrentation. They do defend themselves very well.
Logged
<a href="http://www.aquarank.com/in.php?id=worldcic" target="0">
Vote for us" width="88" height="31" border="0[/url]


150 Gallon:
1 EBlue   JD  Female  6 in
1 Chocolate Cich.  Female 6 in
1 Uaru Cich   Male 5 in
1 Rokteil Red-head Sev  Female 5 in
1 Striped Raphael Cat  6 in.
4 Clown Loaches  6 in.
4 Blue Botia Loaches 5 in
1 Queen Gold Zebra Botia 4 in
1 Albino Gibby Pleco 7 in

90- Gallon 

4-Wild Silver Manacu Angels 4-5 in
2- Silver Pearlscales Angels 5 in
1 Red spot Peru Altum Angel  3 in
1- Elephant Nose fish  4 in
1- Blue Phantom Pleco  5 in.
1 Spotted Raphael Cat 3 in
1- Jaguar Cat   4 in.
5- Golden Dojo Loaches  4 in.
1 -Flagtail Porthole Cat  3 1/2in

30 Gallon:
1 Regular Dwarf Gourami  2 in
1 Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami 2 in
1 Flame Dwarf Gourami 1 1/2 in
1- Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami 2 in
1 Stripped Raphael Cat 2 in
1 Spotted Raphael Cat 3 in
1- Jaguar Cat 4 in
2- Golden Dojo Loaches 3 in
1 Flag tail Porthole Cat

Offline raven

  • Wizard's 1st Rule: People are stupid; they will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true.
  • Severum
  • ***
  • Posts: 1000
  • Fishy Rating 25
  • Gender: Female
  • WARNING: Random rants iminent!
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #11 on: October 25, 2004, 08:47:42 AM »
Sheesh! Mine just must not be big enough or somethin'! I call him Goofball, 'cuz that's what he reminds me of! He's so doo-di-doo-doo...... He used to get beat up really bad by my Firemouths, but I don't have them anymore. Now at the moment he's babysitting 60 or so con fry.
Dum-di-dum-dum-doo-di-doo.... LOL ::)
Logged
FISHY FISH!!

Offline Dan

  • Senior Member
  • World Cichlid God
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
  • Fishy Rating 191
  • Gender: Male
  • Love my Philly sport teams!!!
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #12 on: October 25, 2004, 11:49:39 AM »
Raven,  How big was he?  How big were your FM's?
Logged
<a href="http://www.aquarank.com/in.php?id=worldcic" target="0">
Vote for us" width="88" height="31" border="0[/url]


150 Gallon:
1 EBlue   JD  Female  6 in
1 Chocolate Cich.  Female 6 in
1 Uaru Cich   Male 5 in
1 Rokteil Red-head Sev  Female 5 in
1 Striped Raphael Cat  6 in.
4 Clown Loaches  6 in.
4 Blue Botia Loaches 5 in
1 Queen Gold Zebra Botia 4 in
1 Albino Gibby Pleco 7 in

90- Gallon 

4-Wild Silver Manacu Angels 4-5 in
2- Silver Pearlscales Angels 5 in
1 Red spot Peru Altum Angel  3 in
1- Elephant Nose fish  4 in
1- Blue Phantom Pleco  5 in.
1 Spotted Raphael Cat 3 in
1- Jaguar Cat   4 in.
5- Golden Dojo Loaches  4 in.
1 -Flagtail Porthole Cat  3 1/2in

30 Gallon:
1 Regular Dwarf Gourami  2 in
1 Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami 2 in
1 Flame Dwarf Gourami 1 1/2 in
1- Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami 2 in
1 Stripped Raphael Cat 2 in
1 Spotted Raphael Cat 3 in
1- Jaguar Cat 4 in
2- Golden Dojo Loaches 3 in
1 Flag tail Porthole Cat

Offline raven

  • Wizard's 1st Rule: People are stupid; they will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true.
  • Severum
  • ***
  • Posts: 1000
  • Fishy Rating 25
  • Gender: Female
  • WARNING: Random rants iminent!
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #13 on: October 25, 2004, 01:02:54 PM »
The male FM was 2-2.5" the female 1.5-2" and the pleco about 2.5". I still have the pleco. Don't have the FM's anymore. Kinda miss 'em. Like to get some more, but no one ever has them here. Just sporadically.
Logged
FISHY FISH!!

Offline Dan

  • Senior Member
  • World Cichlid God
  • *****
  • Posts: 5126
  • Fishy Rating 191
  • Gender: Male
  • Love my Philly sport teams!!!
Re: Aggressive Pleco?
« Reply #14 on: October 25, 2004, 03:40:46 PM »
Ok,  I can understand why now. Your Right.  Most Plecos I have seen that are aggressive a quite bigger than that,  No wonder the FM's were picking on it.  Plus were they paired off yet?  ???
Logged
<a href="http://www.aquarank.com/in.php?id=worldcic" target="0">
Vote for us" width="88" height="31" border="0[/url]


150 Gallon:
1 EBlue   JD  Female  6 in
1 Chocolate Cich.  Female 6 in
1 Uaru Cich   Male 5 in
1 Rokteil Red-head Sev  Female 5 in
1 Striped Raphael Cat  6 in.
4 Clown Loaches  6 in.
4 Blue Botia Loaches 5 in
1 Queen Gold Zebra Botia 4 in
1 Albino Gibby Pleco 7 in

90- Gallon 

4-Wild Silver Manacu Angels 4-5 in
2- Silver Pearlscales Angels 5 in
1 Red spot Peru Altum Angel  3 in
1- Elephant Nose fish  4 in
1- Blue Phantom Pleco  5 in.
1 Spotted Raphael Cat 3 in
1- Jaguar Cat   4 in.
5- Golden Dojo Loaches  4 in.
1 -Flagtail Porthole Cat  3 1/2in

30 Gallon:
1 Regular Dwarf Gourami  2 in
1 Powder Blue Dwarf Gourami 2 in
1 Flame Dwarf Gourami 1 1/2 in
1- Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami 2 in
1 Stripped Raphael Cat 2 in
1 Spotted Raphael Cat 3 in
1- Jaguar Cat 4 in
2- Golden Dojo Loaches 3 in
1 Flag tail Porthole Cat
Pages: [1] 2   Go Up
« previous next »