Bullying!

[Rory the cat]

Posting this on behalf of my mother in law. I have already posted this on the Catfish Cradle - but hoped maybe someone on here might be able to help as this isn't a specific catfish problem.

She has kept a common plec in the same tank for about 8 years now, he's not all that big (about 6 - 8 inches). He's always been fine with all his varying tankmates.

For the past year it's been just him and one small Albino Cory. the Albino then passed on and she allowed the plec to be on his own for about 3 months - in that time he seemed quite unhappy.

So, 6 weeks ago she planted the tank up quite heavily and bought 6 small angels and 2 large (2 - 3 inch) peppered corys.

Pleco won't leave them alone - he picks on all the fish mercilessly, chases them, rams into them and generally won't leave them be.

The Angels have been dying off at about one a week - there are 2 left and both have bad ICH and are gasping heavily. The Corys have now also started with ICH and are hiding constantly and not feeding - afraid of Pleco.

What can she do? She is considering a tank divider (I am not sure how big her tank is - I guess 25 - 30 gal) between Plec and the other for a month or so. I have suggested taking plec out, rearranging the tank and then adding him back and seeing how she gets on (I've seen this recomended on this board before for bullying fish).

Please does anyone have any ideas? She's been keeping fish over 20 years, but this has her stumped.

 

[Silly me]

First off the tank is way to small for the common pleco. He turned on to a Elephant bull with tooth ache.

I don’t think there will be much you could do other that adding him to a much (55g-90g) bigger tank to see if will calm down..

Since he is 8 years old but only 6-8 inches long I think that he started to outgrow his body size, well since last year and might even be in some uncomfortable muscle development or bone growth

 

[G_Sharky]

The best thing you could do is to get that pleco a bigger home, if you can't provide it to him, i'm sure your LFS would take him for a trade in or a store credit....other wise he will continue on bullying anything you put in the tank with him....If you want another type of pleco you could get some that doesn't grow bigger that 6 inches like some bristlenose pleco....

 

[Rory the cat]

I know what you're saying - re the size. as I said it's not my tank it's the in-laws'. Have tried to tell hubby tank is too small & plec is probably stunted, but I am being told I am wrong.

 

[silver]

Hmmmmmm, I suppose all we could hope for then is that she realizes that the pleco needs to live alone and if she keeps him then he will live his life out in that tank!!! If he is stunted then he probably won't live too much longer anyhow.

Just try and educate her suddley here and there from now on and hopefully she will make better decisions next time around.!!!

Also, Angels are WAY too tall for a 20 gallon!!!!