corycatluvr

I've gotten some mixed messages on mixing CoryCats with a Pleco.
Most places and forums figure they're good together, but I read one today that says that the pleco likes the tank to himself and may get agressive with my Cory's.
Found my Cory eaten alive yesterday, blaming my Zebra Danios...But would a pleco do that
Any help to solve my mystery of my THREE Cory's being eaten in my tank would be helpful.
Tank holds 3 tetras, 5 danios, one pleco and (was 3 cory's, but now NONE)
Thanks!

Amnagrla

oh wow. how big is your tank?

mlinden84

and how big was the pleco?

corycatluvr

My tank is 15 gallon.
Pleco was 2" when introduced with tank with established cory's. Obviously growing quickly, but they have all seemed to be friends.
First cory was skinned 2 months ago, other one went missing yesterday, and albino was eaten yesterday.

Sabi

Its the first time i hear about a pleco liking the tank to himself.
What type of pleco do you have? some are'nt just herbivores and eat small fish etc too.

armadillo

I had read that plecos could be aggressive through being territorial (even commons who are vegetarians), but that as long as the 'invader' stayed out of their favorite spot once chased away, they wouldn't pursue them.

I am really sorry you've had to lose your cories in such a horrendous way.

It's so weird that everything was alright for months, and that they died so at such different times from each other. If it is the pleco, I wonder if he's reached puberty or something. They change behaviour quite drastically between what's considered juvenile and what's considered adult. You could have yourself a seriously aggressive adult pleco?

Of course it could still be the zebra danios but I know absolutely nothing about these, so I can't comment.

Man! That's awful.

armadillo

Just read this article: 'Caring for zebra danios', by Peter McKane (www.helpthefish.org) from this site http://www.aquarticles.com/articles/...ra_Danios.html)

Here's some extracts.

'Most people are not aware that the zebra danios' hyperactivity is actually a sign that they are slightly aggressive. They are schooling fish, and if they are not kept in sufficient numbers, then their schooling behavior will mix with their aggression and lead to fin-nipping and even attack on tank mates. A good school size for zebra danios is a minimum of five fish, with a preference for nine or ten. If you watch a well housed school of danios, you will quickly see that the males will occasionally display fight. It is this behavior that translates to aggression and fin nipping when they are improperly housed.'
buuuut
'Typically, the display fights involve nothing more than two male danios staring at each other and straightening their pectoral fins. It will last for about twenty seconds until one of the danios gets scared off, forgets what it is doing or simply gets bored.'