# The Pleco/Piranha debate continues



## goingbig14 (Oct 13, 2003)

First off, I know this topic has been discussed a lot, so I will just post my experience. I had the Pleco below in my P tank for over 2 years with NEVER and problems, no nicks, bits..... I woke up this morning to find what you see below. What makes this even more crazy is I had just feed them quite a bit the day before.

They must of gone bizerk sometime in the night

Poor guy!!


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## traumatic (Jan 29, 2003)

sorry to see your pleco get eaten. As your title states, I wouldn't go on calling it a debate anymore.


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## rchan11 (May 6, 2004)

It's matter of time.


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## AMAZON DON (Sep 2, 2005)

I wish i new how to post pics so I could show u what mine did to my pleco 
man sometimes they just wanna kill something I guess 
there is no guarentee


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## goingbig14 (Oct 13, 2003)

traumatic said:


> sorry to see your pleco get eaten. As your title states, I wouldn't go on calling it a debate anymore.
> [snapback]1194142[/snapback]​


Yeah that makes sense, but the topic was meant for the members who are firm believers that plecos and P's can co-exist in a home aquarium. Unfortunatly,they may think that way until it happens to them.


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Damn, what a mess







I'm sorry about that









Anything kept with piranha's is potential food, but that doesn't mean you can't keep pleco's or other bottomdwellers with piranha's (I'm not talking about community fish: entirely different story).
I've been keeping pleco's with my piranha's since my very first day as piranha keeper, and I have had my fair share of casualties. But still, if you understand and appreciate the needs of a pleco (they require specific care just as much as a piranha does), piranha and pleco can coexist quite nicely. I'd never have thrown a whole array of expensive L-Number pleco's in my piranha tanks (I have 150 bucks worth of pleco's with my Redbellies, and had 200+ worth with my Manueli) if it was a sure way of throwing away money - I may be dumb, but I'm not stupid...
The key is decorating the tank in such a way it is suitable for both catfish and piranha's - even then accidents can, and will, happen, but if anyone decides to keep a pleco with his piranha's, he has to realise it takes more than just dumping all fish in one tank, and hoping for the best: it takes some research, but it will pay off....


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## SeeingRedAgain (Sep 14, 2005)

Ouch, what type of P's did that to him?


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## goingbig14 (Oct 13, 2003)

SeeingRedAgain said:


> Ouch, what type of P's did that to him?
> [snapback]1194177[/snapback]​


I think the corporate was one of my Pirayas!


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

Judazzz said:


> Damn, what a mess
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I agree Jonas. It also just depends on the fish. Out of all the combinations of piranhas and plecos I have tried...only one didnt work and that was a 10" rhom that wouldnt put up with anything in his tank....luckly he would let you know in minutes if he was unhappy so after 30 seconds on introduction he bit off the dorsal fin, I was able to remove the fish and he healed fine.


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## Joga Bonito (Oct 30, 2004)

goingbig14 said:


> First off, I know this topic has been discussed a lot, so I will just post my experience. I had the Pleco below in my P tank for over 2 years with NEVER and problems, no nicks, bits..... I woke up this morning to find what you see below. What makes this even more crazy is I had just feed them quite a bit the day before.
> 
> They must of gone bizerk sometime in the night
> 
> ...


thats how my pleco looked like 6 days ago when my new 3 reds killed him, i had that pleco with my old reds for a year with out nips or nothing


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## killerbee (Aug 18, 2004)

little guy. I had to remove "peacemaker" out too. I found him with a bite out of his body and gave him to a friend that bought my old 60 gallon. He now resides with a bunch of community fis happily


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

Ive had my pleco in with my P's since day one of buying him. Never had a problem at all. Still in there just fine, and never been messed with either. I would like to know how to get your plecos to grow cause mine hasnt grown in about 2 years and he is in a 125 gallon tank? I feed him algae discs.


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## JorgeRemigio (Mar 31, 2005)

Sorry to know that You pleco is dead.... but plecos are just expensive feeders...like someone said before...it is just a question of time...one day...he will move too much..and that will be the day...


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Slim said:


> I would like to know how to get your plecos to grow cause mine hasnt grown in about 2 years and he is in a 125 gallon tank? I feed him algae discs.[snapback]1195064[/snapback]​


I experienced the same thing: the common pleco's I kept with my Reds never exceeded 6" in length (even after 1,5 years) - pleco's are supposed to grow fast, but I never figured out why mine grew that slow...


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## Slim (Jan 9, 2005)

Ya mine is a common that wont grow. My buddy has 2 commons that hes had for a year mine has to be 2 years older than his but his are pushing like 14 inches and 16 inches. Mine stays little old 5 inches.


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## fearless_jones (Oct 23, 2005)

I have a new setup containing (1) 5 inch Pleco and (3) 2 inch baby red. My pleco was the first to move in, he has plenty of shelter(caves and rocks). Can this arrangement work out due to the age of the REDS?


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## ginor2k (Oct 26, 2005)

I wouldn't say age really made a difference, if they don't like it there then something will happen.

Age might make a difference, im not too sure....


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## joey'd (Oct 26, 2005)

sorry to see ur fish isnt among us anymore








i have had my 6 1.5" guys for about a month and a half and my pleco seems to be the dominant one in the tank, when the piranhas make a kill and the body falls to the bottom she kicks them off the food and they dont do much. the worst extent of damage if they are really really hungry is they steal the food back and accidently bite chunks of her lips off but they grow back in 2 days. but with all this said i know in my heart(hope it doesnt happen







) that one day i will find the reminances of my beloved angie. best of luck with the rest of your fish


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## StuartDanger (Aug 7, 2003)

u gotta understand p's are designed to kill, ant they will kill regardless if they r hungry or not. and putting anything in there is a gamble really


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## alan (Mar 11, 2004)

rchan11 said:


> It's matter of time.










i had exactly the same problem,except mine lasted 18 months


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## Onion (Sep 20, 2005)

This is why I still hesitates on getting another pleco or moving a pleco to my P tank.


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## Stugge (Jul 27, 2003)

I have a pair of plecos in my tank since 3 years, they even breed from time to time


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