Aggressive ancistrus

[Quokka]

Hello,

I recently upgraded my catfish tank (cories, ancistrus, otos, hoplos) and most of the fish are enjoying the extra space.

TOO well, in one case. I have 1 ancistrus male about 3 inches long, as well as 6 baby leucistic fry. After moving to bigger quarters, the big chunk is super aggressive, especially at feeding time! I have been spotting split fins on some of my cories (they are a breeding group) and am now attempting to move the troublemaker out of the tank (He is a slippery one!)

Over here, lots of people report that ancistrus are aggressive and should not be kept with cories....I am inclined to agree! But in articles and profiles, they say ancistrus are peaceful fish who are aggressive only with each other when breeding. This was definitely not the case with me! I am worried I have to rehome the fry when they grow up too!

Am I missing something? Or have these bushy nosed fish always had an pugnacious side to them?

[Baardman]

Mine is only aggressive towards his own species have kept him with many different corydoras

[bekateen]

I have not seen my Ancistrus to be mean to other non-pleco fish, but they do fight with other plecos for territory.

Cheers, Eric

[Quokka]

Mine is only aggressive towards his own species have kept him with many different corydoras

I have not seen my Ancistrus to be mean to other non-pleco fish, but they do fight with other plecos for territory.
Cheers, Eric

Thanks for your replies!

I see....Maybe the ones shipped here have anger issues engraved into their genetic codes? Haha

Funny thing is the tiny ancistrus are the only ones he spares his wrath from...maybe he wants a potential mate?

In any case he has gotten even more aggressive these past few days so I plan remove and rehome him. The tiny leucistic ones...I hope they do not grow up and emulate him

[MarcW]

When I first started out fish keeping I had to return a lone male Ancistrus to the store I purchased it from due to it being aggressive towards my other fish, as far as I remember it was the only catfish in the tank and was beating up some kribensis.

Maybe it was because the tank was small - 64 litres or ~14 USG, I don't remember the tank being stocked with much more than a pair of kribensis and the single male Ancistrus, but there could have been something else in there which was hassling him to make him fight back.

[Quokka]

When I first started out fish keeping I had to return a lone male Ancistrus to the store I purchased it from due to it being aggressive towards my other fish, as far as I remember it was the only catfish in the tank and was beating up some kribensis.

Maybe it was because the tank was small - 64 litres or ~14 USG, I don't remember the tank being stocked with much more than a pair of kribensis and the single male Ancistrus, but there could have been something else in there which was hassling him to make him fight back.

Thanks for sharing your experiences!
All his tankmates are peaceful ones (cories, hoplos, guppies, medaka) and although there might be a bit of competition while feeding due to the numerous bottom feeders, he should not be seriously agitated. But still, even when there is plenty of food, he barges in, chases any cory or hoplo near himself, then resumes feeding.
Maybe he just does not like any bottom feeders other than other ancistrus? He leaves the small ancistrus fry unharmed.
Over the past week the damage to the other catfish's fins have gotten worse. At least he is being sent to a good home...I hope the small fry do not grow up and follow his footsteps. Maybe I should remove them when he is being rehomed.