BN Pleco with an Oranda Goldfish? Asking for trouble?

HI all
Newbie here. I had a 15 gallon cycled tank with a goldfish named Barney that I upgraded to a 29 gallon in July. I moved the filter over to the new tank (aquaclear 70) and things were okay for a bit, then brown "algae" started to appear. Following some advice, I picked up a BN pleco to help clean the tank. I realize now BA were really diatoms and new tank syndrome but what's done is done.

While my original reason for getting him wasn't great, I have grown to really love this guy's antics - especially when I drop in a canned green bean. Anyway, he's now about 3 inches, and the oranda is about 4. Over the last few days the fins on my oranda have started to fray. Water parameters are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 20 nitrates (although this is an increase from roughly 5-10 about a month ago). On another forum, one individual said I shouldn't keep the two together and likely the BN is attacking the oranda at night and will eventually kill him by sucking off his slime coat. But, I've read quite a few articles online that say the BN plecos get along just fine with fancy goldfish.

So what's your opinion? Am I asking for trouble by keeping them together?

 

I think the BN is probably innocent as they are usually peaceful, do you have any sharp wood or rock in your tank? Anything he could snag on?

 

Yes, becasue BN plecos are topical and where orandas are coldwater- their temp requirements are different.

 

How often are you doing water changes and how much do you change each time? Goldfish prefer cooler water but BN plecos can be comfortable in temp down to 60 so there is a temp overlap to where both the goldfish and pleco should be comfortable. I actually think the sucking slime coat is a myth. As long as the pleco is fed he has no reason to attack your goldfish.

 

I thought goldfish should be kept in 40+ gallon anyway?

 

Although bristlenoses can be territorial and food aggressive, fraying fins just doesn't sound like its m.o. More likely the cause is something else. And I agree that slime-coat sucking to be a myth. Maybe if it was starving or malnourished. Maybe.

 

Although bristlenoses can be territorial and food aggressive, fraying fins just doesn't sound like its m.o. More likely the cause is something else. And I agree that slime-coat sucking to be a myth. Maybe if it was starving or malnourished. Maybe.

The only fish I ever had that actually was going after other fish at night was a large, older Golden Chinese algae eater that had stopped eating the algae on the tank. I actually caught him pursuing fish several times and was noticing wounds on their body's and increasing fin damaged. He was rehomed to a lfs that had a big display tank full of larger fish. Wounds and fins healed and I had no further problems. I wouldn't recommend that species for any tank but one with larger aggressive type fish.

 

DON'T DO IT. I have a Betta I took from a client who's fins got totally destroyed by a pleco. She characterized it as a "fight" and witnessed it. (I'm a pet sitter). I didn't ask if it was the Betta going DOWN for food near the pleco or vice versa. She was pretty uninformed and didn't know at the time to drop wafers in for the pleco but still. Accidents happen.

 

DON'T DO IT. I have a Betta I took from a client who's fins got totally destroyed by a pleco. She characterized it as a "fight" and witnessed it. (I'm a pet sitter). I didn't ask if it was the Betta going DOWN for food near the pleco or vice versa. She was pretty uninformed and didn't know at the time to drop wafers in for the pleco but still. Accidents happen.

A hungry pleco might go after anything that it perceives as food. If she wasn't feeding the pleco it had no choice if it wanted to survive.

 

"A hungry pleco might go after anything that it perceives as food. If she wasn't feeding the pleco it had no choice if it wanted to survive."

I know that, that's why I said it. You disagree that "accidents happen". Okay.

 

HI all
Newbie here. I had a 15 gallon cycled tank with a goldfish named Barney that I upgraded to a 29 gallon in July. I moved the filter over to the new tank (aquaclear 70) and things were okay for a bit, then brown "algae" started to appear. Following some advice, I picked up a BN pleco to help clean the tank. I realize now BA were really diatoms and new tank syndrome but what's done is done.

While my original reason for getting him wasn't great, I have grown to really love this guy's antics - especially when I drop in a canned green bean. Anyway, he's now about 3 inches, and the oranda is about 4. Over the last few days the fins on my oranda have started to fray. Water parameters are 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 20 nitrates (although this is an increase from roughly 5-10 about a month ago). On another forum, one individual said I shouldn't keep the two together and likely the BN is attacking the oranda at night and will eventually kill him by sucking off his slime coat. But, I've read quite a few articles online that say the BN plecos get along just fine with fancy goldfish.

So what's your opinion? Am I asking for trouble by keeping them together?

Hello bmbl...

You can keep these fish together, no problem. The water temperature needs to be constant and around 70-72 degrees. Water changes need to be 50 percent weekly, no excuses. Feed a variety of low phosphate flakes, freeze dried and pellet foods. if you have algae problems, you're feeding too much, it's that simple. Slowly reduce the amount you feed, Introduce some floating plants like Anacharis and Hornwort. In time, the algae will die back.

Old

 

"A hungry pleco might go after anything that it perceives as food. If she wasn't feeding the pleco it had no choice if it wanted to survive."

I know that, that's why I said it. You disagree that "accidents happen". Okay.

I meant no disrespect. I said what I said because you so stridently stated "DON'T DO IT " I do agree that accidents happen but there was a reason for this to happen to an innocent Betta. It was no accident. The pleco was hungry. It happened because the person that had a Betta and a pleco in the same tank and didn't feed the pleco, caused it.

 

How often are you doing water changes and how much do you change each time? Goldfish prefer cooler water but BN plecos can be comfortable in temp down to 60 so there is a temp overlap to where both the goldfish and pleco should be comfortable. I actually think the sucking slime coat is a myth. As long as the pleco is fed he has no reason to attack your goldfish.

I do water changes weekly, usually 30-50%. The temp is a lovely 74. I have worried about the myths so have worked hard to keep him happily fed. The only time I've seen aggression was when the GF tried to take the pleco's green bean away.

 

From a food standpoint, I can guarantee and assure you all that PLucky (my plucky pleco) isn't starving. I hang a slice of zucchinI daily that he absolutely loves. I keep small carrots floating here and there that he wraps himself around and wrestles to the bottom to nosh on. I toss in algae wafers, hide gel food here and there so he gets it and the GF doesn't, have live plants and driftwood that he cleans off daily, and once a week or so I put an egg wash on a rock for him to graze on. He has a very happy fat belly So danged cute actually. Except for the pooping. Geez, can he poop! Makes my GF look constipated ;-)

 

I thought goldfish should be kept in 40+ gallon anyway?

I am a bit overstocked with a GF, BN, mystery and nirite together in a 29g. Typical newbie. But I'm learning and I've been pretty religious about water changes and learned to feed right so the algae issue cleared up pretty quick (I think it was diatoms and new tank syndrome actually). Now I can just enjoy the pleco for being a pleco and not for being part of the CU crew.

And... I used this as an excuse to finally upgrade and bought a 75 gallon today.

 

I am a bit overstocked with a GF, BN, mystery and nirite together in a 29g. Typical newbie. But I'm learning and I've been pretty religious about water changes and learned to feed right so the algae issue cleared up pretty quick (I think it was diatoms and new tank syndrome actually). Now I can just enjoy the pleco for being a pleco and not for being part of the CU crew.

And... I used this as an excuse to finally upgrade and bought a 75 gallon today.

Wow, nice choice! Soon you’ll have a goldfish family!

 

I am a bit overstocked with a GF, BN, mystery and nirite together in a 29g. Typical newbie. But I'm learning and I've been pretty religious about water changes and learned to feed right so the algae issue cleared up pretty quick (I think it was diatoms and new tank syndrome actually). Now I can just enjoy the pleco for being a pleco and not for being part of the CU crew.

And... I used this as an excuse to finally upgrade and bought a 75 gallon today.

I don’t think your to overstocked. Good luck with everyone but the typical rule is one fancy goldfish in a 20, and 10 gallons for every goldfish after that. So if you found the pleco as a goldfish, and the snails don’t poop to much, I don’t think your in bad shape. Now me, MY goldfish tank is over stocked. Mainly because it is a grow out tank for some of my fish as well so I have like three fish in there that will be moved out but it is still overstocked. They are in a 29 currently, hoping to get a 40 breeder for them then once the other grow out fish move out they should be good.