Exotic Plecos and African Cichlids together?

SurfthaEarth · Post by **SurfthaEarth** » 11 Sep 2003, 19:45

I have recently gotten rid of my 2 Oscars and in there place I started my first tank of African Cichlids...65 gallons...only one problem...I still have my exotic Plecos...1 Vampire,1 gold nugget, and 1L264....I was told the africans need a higher Ph and the Plecos have always held a neutral 7.0-7.5...can i keep all of these in the same tank ...has anyone done this?...what Ph will be suitable for both?...I really want my Africans to grow and thrive...any advice from experience would be much appreciated...

...thanks, Vinnie

Post by **Silurus** » 11 Sep 2003, 19:53

I guess it's possible. Others have had no problems keeping fancy plecos and African cichlids together.
One thing you have to keep in mid is to adjust the pH upwards slowly, to minimize stress on the plecos.

Sid Guppy · Post by **Sid Guppy** » 12 Sep 2003, 14:17

and avoid the woodeating species!

they seem to get Ok without for wood, and then still die, completely worn out.
avoid Peckoltia's, Panaquolus or Panaque in a rifttank.

wood in such a tank will waste the water for your Riftfish.

Loricariidae Wholesales · Post by **Loricariidae Wholesales** » 13 Sep 2003, 17:15

I don't know if a high pH stresses plecos, all I can say is that alot of plecos will throw a six (die) if the pH drops below about 6.5/6.0 some of them die straight away some just starve to death because they stop eating. Whereas I can keep any pleco that I have had(and I have had many thousands, over 100 species) in pH over 7.5 and have never had problems with fish kept in pH over 8.2 What I will say is that although my pH can be high my hardness is only about 3 so my water is very soft. it may be that the hard water the rifts enjoy is not suitable for all the plecos, although shops I supply plecos to in hard water areas do not seem to have any problems. I went to a lecture and species such as L168 were reported to do much better in pH of about 5.5/6.0 this may be true but they will colour up eventually in a higher pH. I am not saying plecs in general prefer a high ph I am saying that you are more likely to keep them alive in general.

http://www.tropicalfish.co.uk

Plec0maniac · Post by **Plec0maniac** » 14 Sep 2003, 16:13

just be careful not to put aggresive or very territorial sp. of african cichlids with ur plecs.. bec. they will kill or injure your loricarid..

Post by **Barbie** » 15 Sep 2003, 09:32

I actually keep quite a few types of rare plecos with my africans. I also keep driftwood in some of the tanks. A piece or two of well ages driftwood doesn't release enough tannin to affect my pH at all, and with my weekly water changes, hasn't changed my kH from 7 in either of the tanks. If the slight "tea" color bothers you, carbon removes it pretty easily.

The plecos all acclimitized to the water here easily when I moved, and I've had no losses of the L46, L260, L114, L177, or L183. I think that most people forget that ammonia is so much more toxic in higher pH water. Plecos can't tolerate the same levels that the cichlids can, so they tend to be the first to die off if something goes wrong. I don't keep pseudotropheus anymore, but I DO keep tropheus, and the L114 have done just fine living with them. They're spiney enough they don't mess with them much, and each of them have their own cozy caves. The others are mixed through the house. Once I get another big tank or two, I'll be separating some of them out for spawning attempts, but for now, everyone has done wonderfully for more than 4 months.

Barbie