Common Pleco + Goldfish

[KageBunshin]

Hi!

Recently I bought a common pleco for my 30 gallon to keep the algae down. He is doing a good job. But I have heard the commons like to suck on goldfish slime. Right now hes not doing it (I hope). But could I leave him in? Anyboyd have any bad experiences with this?


Also One more question. At my LFS they have this black pleco with white polka dots... There like 14 bucks tho. Being the poor high school student I am i decided to buy the common. Does this Polka dotted pleco have the same slim sucky thing that the commons do? Would it be better if trade the common in and buy a Polka dot one?

Thanks in advance!

 

[black angel]

I have personally had this experience and i have read on other forums people having problems with commons and plecs as well. plecs when small eat bogwood and algae but as they mature they need to eat meat in the diet as well. for some reason goldfish slime really appeals to the plec and they will chase the fish until they get it. i dont know if it applies to all plecs or just the gibiceps, but i know bristlenose plecs can be kept with goldies and smaller types as well.

 

[KageBunshin]

So how big can the plec be kept untill this happens?

Anybody know about the White Polka dot plec?

 

[daudy_dojo]

umm i would say that that is a no-no slime coat on goldfishies is yummy yummy to mr pleco and sometimes the goldfish release a chemical that can kill my pleco

 

[mells]

Hi,

I had a 4ft tank with a large common pleco and goldfish, my orandas were constantley turning up dead with the stomachs and heads missing!!!!!!

The I noticed that the pleco was constantley chasing them for the slime,

Since this I have sold all my Orandas (what I had left anway) and changed the tank to tropical, I since have had no problems.

I would keep an eye on the pleco, my advice is to you is that plecos are dangerous to coldwater fish, the bigger the fish- the more tasty and easy to catch.

Mells

 

[andywg]

Rather than the problems you have stated I would worry about 2 other things.

1.That pleco (if a common) will grow to well in excess of 12" and probably close on 18" and as such will need a fair size tank.

2. Temperature difference. plecos are tropical and goldfish are coldwater. You can keep either at the other's temperature and they probably won't die instantly but I wouldn't be happy doing it as they do have different requirements.

 

[hellohefalump]

*being contraversial*
I kept a common plec for nearly wo years with my goldies with no problems at all before moving him into my 100gal tropical a few weeks ago.

 

[Briarmoor]

My mom had a pleco in with a goldfish and it did latch onto the goldfish twice. I don't know if the goldfish had a parasite or the pleco just took an opportunity. I would not keep a common in with goldfish after hearing that.

Caution: Her common (?) pleco is less than a year old and already 6 inches long. They need a big tank quickly. I plan to put a bristlenose in my 55g as they don't get nearly as large.

P.

 

[ScoutCarcer]

I had my pleco with my 3 goldfish and 2 koi and they where fine. But I had to put the pleco in my tropical tank because I had to move the goldfish and koi into my moms pond.

 

[KageBunshin]

Does anybody know any information with these polka dot pleco's and goldfish? I keep my water a constant 74.

 

[smithrc]

most 'fancy' plecs wont eat algae - and without a positive ID i would say no.

74 is a bit low for most plecs prefere temps around 79.