Killer Plecoes!!!

NeedHelp · Post by **NeedHelp** » 27 Nov 2003, 19:28

Just to share with you all to see if anyone else has had the similar experience. So the story goes when I first had this really pretty white betta. Not knowing that my plecoes had a pension for those fish, I put him in their small 10-gal tank. Everything was peaceful until months later when the betta was missing. I searched all over the tank, despite the tank's small size, I still couldn't find a single trace of him. At that time I had two small plecoes; 2 inches each. Recently I got two new bettas. Then, just yesterday, since it is now winter, and there isn't a heater in my betta tank, I put both in one of those breeding container and then left it floating in the 29-gal tank with nothing but few plecoes and some glowlights.(excuse my run-ons:P) And the crazy incident repeated itself once more! I couldn't find one of them!!! So, I don't know about y'all, but I think my plecoes are born with an agenda on their minds........to rid the world of bettas!!!

Post by **Silurus** » 27 Nov 2003, 19:44

Have you actually seen the plecos attack the betta? The bettas could be dying for another reason (or they could have jumped out...check the floor around the tank).

NeedHelp · Post by **NeedHelp** » 27 Nov 2003, 20:12

Trust me, my friend, I searched everywhere! There was no possible opening for the betta to jump. I secured all the open spaces. However, I was still paranoid so I DID check the floor both times. Nothing. Did I mention, another strong point to support my plecoes eating the betta, was the fact that I found small pieces of bones while cleaning the tank. I am totally positive they ate him! I am posting here just to see if anyone else has had the similar experience. Nowadays, I wouldn't be too surprised to see something as bizarre as this happening because my plecoes eat ANY and EVERY thing! Shrimps, veggies, fruits, you name it; only exceptions are chicken, beef, and pork. I never feed them those for the obvious reasons. But other than those, they EAT everything I put into the tank~ Weird thing is, how come they don't my glowlights?! That is why I call this weird and bizarre. They rather go after a 3-inch long fish with huge fins, rather than the more candy-like, bite-sized small tetras at less than 2-inch!

Post by **Silurus** » 27 Nov 2003, 20:33

Your betta could still have died of some other cause and the plecos just ate the dead carcass. They like to do that.

michelle56 · Post by **michelle56** » 27 Nov 2003, 20:40

sorry about your betta

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 27 Nov 2003, 20:43

yes, plecos don't turn down a free meal... a dead body is some good protein to them, but I doubt the fish was actually killed by the pleco.

NeedHelp · Post by **NeedHelp** » 27 Nov 2003, 22:58

Thanks, guys! Yeah, that is a valid point as I know you are all more experienced when it comes to plecoes:) I don't know about my first white betta being sick, though because he was always lively and sometimes teasing plecoes. The recent blue betta that just disappeared does look sick; always lying on the bottom of the container. Still, I wonder how he got out of it when being so lethargic and all. I still have this other white betta(not the same as one that was eaten)in the container so we'll see. I don't really want to risk losing him but I have no choice. Winter is here and the big pleco tank is the only place he can get some warmth. His orginal tank was too small for heaters. He looks more active and healthy, so perhaps we can wait and see what happens. Once again, thanks to all!

S. Allen · Post by **S. Allen** » 28 Nov 2003, 00:47

well even healthy bettas aren't long lived fish. life expectancies are like 2 years, and a lot of times they arrive at stores later in life so they can have grown those beautiful tails. So it's not uncommon for a betta to die after a year or less. The white one may have just been old.