Safe to add 1" BN Plecos to an Mbuna tank

[repeej]

Is it safe to add 1" BN Pleco(s) to an Mbuna tank with fish ranging in size from 1-3"?  Or, should the Pleco(s) mature some more.

[dandaman]

they should definetely mature some more, they will be beaten up!

[gvv]

Cannot say for sure, as it depends on the type of mbuna you have. But in my experience from my 3/4" 5 BN pl*cos 4 survived in the tank with 6" mbunas. But I had a lot of rocks. Also I was able to count survivers only when I fully disassembled my Malawi tank...
Also take into consideration that the water parameters can be different from where this pl*co was raised. If it is not acclimatized to hard alcaline water it can die there and not because someody will beat him. Mbuna usually beats only those whom they assume as possible threat and pl*cos can be threat only to pl*cos.

Regards

[darkdep]

It DOES depend on what mbuna you have, but in general IMHO, they will be fine.  I have two BN plecos (both of which were about 1" when first put in) in a 30gal with 3 Cobalt Blues and 2 Yellow Labs about 4", and 2 more Cobalt Blues about 2".  Absolutely NO aggression towards the plecos at all.  

Plus, Plecos are exceptional hiders.  They'll blend in with the rocks so well you'll not see much of them.

[srenka]

I was thinking on putting a pleco in to a 55g mbuna tank, but thought that it will out-grow it.   All my fish are juveniles with the biggest being 1.5".  There are plenty of space to hide, and I plan to add some more (picture included).  Would you guys recommend I put one in?  And if so which one?

My fish are: 5 yellow labs, 4 Pseudotropheus saulosi, 3 Cynotilapia afra, with hopefully 1 more saulosi and 2 more afra.

sarenka

[oenology]

Nice tank. I wouldn't worry about the BN surviving in that take. There are plenty of spaces for them. I've got a bunch in almost all my cichlid tanks and haven't lost any. Most were just tiny when I put them in. Some times they get chased but not for long.

[maitre007]

I know that in the past my pleco was eaten by my cichlids.  However since that time, I have put several small syndototis in my aquarium without any problems.  I know i am talkng about apples with oranges I think it all boils down to if the pleco has a good hiding space.

[darkdep]

srenka:  Your cichlids aren't that aggressive...that combined with that tank (nice rockwork, BTW!) you should have no issues.

I almost never feed my plecos and let them live off the algae.  They don't grow too fast like that

[pegasus]

The BN plecos are great for eating all the unreachable left over food among the rocks. I also feed them as I turn their lights off.

[repeej]

It DOES depend on what mbuna you have, but in general IMHO, they will be fine.

Well, here's what's in there so far, kind of a mixed bag until they get bigger and I get more tanks.

Metriaclima estherae (Red, Blue and Albino)
Pseudotropheus saulosi
Pseudotropheus elongatus
Pseudotropheus demasoni
Labidochromis caeruleus
Iodotropheus sprengerae
Metriaclima pyrsonotos
Pseudotropheus Acei

The 3 ottos I added a while back didn't even last a week...and boy could they move.

[gvv]

Ottos are known to be very delicate and does not like any agression, so I never put them into malawi tank, as sometimes they don't feel comfortable in apisto tanks...
BN pl*cos are different ...

[srenka]

oenology, darkdep: Thanks.

I guess, now I'm looking for BN Plecos.  Just called both BAs and they don't have any.  Any suggestions welcome.

sarenka

[darkdep]

srenka:  PM jetstream on this forum; he breeds them.

repeej:  What fish went after the ottos?  The demasoni?

[repeej]

repeej:  What fish went after the ottos?  The demasoni?

When I added the Ottos there were only 1" yellow labs and 1.5" Red Top Zebras.  They beat down 2 of them within a couple days.  The third Otto lasted about a week until I added the 1.5' Rusties and the 2.5" Saulosis.  Then he disappeared a day or two later.

[darkdep]

Really...wow.  I'm surprised.  I've never put in Ottos specifically but I wouldn't have thought those fish to be that aggressive.

Course maybe I just have too many Cichlids and have forgotten that they are considered an "aggressive" general type of fish :lol: