Bn Pleco Attacking Corys

I have 2 albino corys, I had 3 and was going to get more but one died. The pleco was eating the dead cory and I took the dead body out. now the pleco chases my corys trying to bite them, is this a problem. I just put algae wafers in and he attacks any cory that comes near his wafer.

 

I had the same problem with a young male bristle nose. He would charge after the corries he they came out into the open. Easy fix, I moved him to a different tank and now he only charges after the younger BN and occasionally the female bettas but not nearly as bad as he did with the corydoras.

Your pleco is just being territorial. I cannot see a pleco actually going after another fish to kill/eat it unless it is starving. Pretty sure you other cory died from something else and the pleco was just cleaning up, as they often do. If you don't have another tank to move either the pleco or the corydoras to then try splitting up the wafer and putting the pieces in different areas so they all can get some.

 

I had the same problem with a young male bristle nose. He would charge after the corries he they came out into the open. Easy fix, I moved him to a different tank and now he only charges after the younger BN and occasionally the female bettas but not nearly as bad as he did with the corydoras.

Your pleco is just being territorial. I cannot see a pleco actually going after another fish to kill/eat it unless it is starving. Pretty sure you other cory died from something else and the pleco was just cleaning up, as they often do. If you don't have another tank to move either the pleco or the corydoras to then try splitting up the wafer and putting the pieces in different areas so they all can get some.

I know the pleco did't kill the cory since they were 1 day in the new tank, I just bought them. The pleco is too young to sex, and I put in about 3 wafers for my snail, kuhlis and the pleco and corys. I only have 2 corys now, and they are acting like normal fish and swimming midwater with the guppies, is this normal when there is not enough to school? I am getting 3 broze/green to put in since they are the same species and I heard they will school. So I will have 3 albino and 3 bronze.

 

I have 2 albino corys, I had 3 and was going to get more but one died. The pleco was eating the dead cory and I took the dead body out. now the pleco chases my corys trying to bite them, is this a problem. I just put algae wafers in and he attacks any cory that comes near his wafer.

I have the opposite problem, my tequila splitfins and limias constantly pester my plecos lol.

 

I see my corries often swimming around mid-level along the plant leaves and such. I don't think it is uncommon for them.

 

How big is the tank? BNs can be surprisingly territorial if the space is small or if they don't have a little place to call their own

 

The BN probably is hungry. Give it fresh vegs. And the Corys a more protein based food

 

The BN probably is hungry. Give it fresh vegs. And the Corys a more protein based food

I am getting new food soon, but the pleco eats algae and some wafers

How big is the tank? BNs can be surprisingly territorial if the space is small or if they don't have a little place to call their own

it is a 10 gal, but there is a cave and he stays in the middle of a big sword plant a lot. He doesn't use the cave because I think the kuhlis took it over.

 

Wow. You are way overcrowded for a 10 gallon. Betting that iswhy you are getting such aggression.

 

So kuhlis, a bn, cories and guppies in a ten gallon tank?

 

agree with Greg

 

For the BN, he'll need veggies like zucchini, and butternut squash.
You can even try pumpkin, which my BN likes.

Corys need shrimp pellets, and I also supplement them with some occasional frozen bloodworms.

 

I didn't think to ask the tank size. No pleco should go in a 10gal and the corries need a larger tank as well.

With the loaches, corries, and pleco there are far too many bottom feeders in such a small tank, creating conflict for space. I think you need to upgrade to at least a 29gal for all those species of bottom feeders to live harmoniously.

If you have that many fish and are feeding 3 algae wafers every time, I am concerned about the water quality. Perhaps this is a contributing factor to the cory death.

 

I didn't think to ask the tank size. No pleco should go in a 10gal and the corries need a larger tank as well.

With the loaches, corries, and pleco there are far too many bottom feeders in such a small tank, creating conflict for space. I think you need to upgrade to at least a 29gal for all those species of bottom feeders to live harmoniously.

If you have that many fish and are feeding 3 algae wafers every time, I am concerned about the water quality. Perhaps this is a contributing factor to the cory death.

He died the day after I got him, but the tank has a filter full of sponge, and a lot of plants. I didn't do a water change over a 3 week vacation and everything was still at 0ppm, so water quality is not a factor. The pleco is pretty small, a bit bigger than the guppies, and I am getting a 29 soon and the cories and pleco will go there,maybe the kuhlis too

 

He died the day after I got him, but the tank has a filter full of sponge, and a lot of plants. I didn't do a water change over a 3 week vacation and everything was still at 0ppm, so water quality is not a factor. The pleco is pretty small, a bit bigger than the guppies, and I am getting a 29 soon and the cories and pleco will go there,maybe the kuhlis too

If your parameters were 0 across the board, there’s part of your problem. Tank isn’t cycled.

 

Good to hear you have future plans for the corries and pleco. As a side note, I'd hold off on getting more corries until you can move them to the new tank.

 

If your parameters were 0 across the board, there’s part of your problem. Tank isn’t cycled.

The tank is over a year old, I think it is cycled. I looked at the paper from Petco since it was done there, and there is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 80 ppm nitrate. That was a month ago, and ive done a few water changes since so I don't know what it is at know

 

For an overstocked tank this small, you should be doing multiple large water changes each week.

 

For an overstocked tank this small, you should be doing multiple large water changes each week.

Like how much, all the fish look happy and healthy

I mean, other than the pleco who was fine until the Cory died, he only got aggressive after the Cory died

 

Because you have far too many bottom dwellers in this 10 gal tank, with kuhlis, cories, and a BN. So it hasn't really been "fine".

I would aI'm for 50% 3x a week. On a small tank, it shouldn't be too hard or take too much time.

 

The tank is over a year old, I think it is cycled. I looked at the paper from Petco since it was done there, and there is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 80 ppm nitrate. That was a month ago, and ive done a few water changes since so I don't know what it is at know

Then it wasn’t all 0’s. but on the flip side, 80ppm is to high. You don’t really want it getting over 40. 20 is best.

 

Then it wasn’t all 0’s. but on the flip side, 80ppm is to high. You don’t really want it getting over 40. 20 is best.

I thought it was all 0s, I have done water changes though. I have also added a few more plants.


Can I move the pleco to my 29 gallon guppies tank, there is one albino in there about similar size.

 

I thought it was all 0s, I have done water changes though. I have also added a few more plants.


Can I move the pleco to my 29 gallon guppies tank, there is one albino in there about similar size.

If they’re both tiny, yes. But from what I’ve heard BN’s can be very territorial to their own kind and 30 gallon is not enough for two.

 

If they’re both tiny, yes. But from what I’ve heard BN’s can be very territorial to their own kind and 30 gallon is not enough for two.

Unless they are a breeding pair

 

A few water changes over the course of a month likely did not lower the nitrates much (if at all, overall), since you still have the heavy bioload fish and the overstocked tank.

 

Unless they are a breeding pair

Oh yeah.

 

A few water changes over the course of a month likely did not lower the nitrates much (if at all, overall), since you still have the heavy bioload fish and the overstocked tank.

I also upgraded the filter from a really old tetra 10 gallon semI internal filter to a new HOB filled with sponge, and since then I have added a few new plants and the other ones have gotten a lot bigger.

 

The filter wouldn't affect nitrates, but the plants would. I would still be doing large and frequent water changes until you can upgrade or rehome your fish.