General Care Discussion :: Aggresive Pleco?

[Billy Black]

I wasn't sure where to ask this, so I'm sorry if it's in the wrong location.

My turtle is maybe 2 1/2 inches long, and my Pleco is about an inch bigger. My turtle nipped at him a couple of times, but seems to have decided that he isn't food (though I recognize that that could change at any time).

Well, anyway, the Pleco likes to "clean" the turtle's shell, but he doesn't seem to like this at all. He usually chases after the turtle, and it seems like he's even trying to hold the turtle down, since the turtle is usually trying to swim up to get away, and it looks like he has a little trouble doing it.

Is this an action I should be concerned with?

Also, I just noticed my turtle nibbling on an algae wafer that I put in for the Pleco. Is that unhealthy for him?

[zero_tails]

algae won't kill the turtle, but nutritional value is minimal. plecos arent really good companions for res's. its probably aggresive because its afraid of ur res. i suggest you move the pleco ome where else, although you could ry to keep them together. but be very careful.

[turtle_nz]

i've had 2 pleco with my turt since i got him (pleco were there first) and its coming up 6 months now with no problems

[Billy Black]

I don't have another tank that I can keep the Pleco in, so I'm really hoping I don't have to move him.

[steve]

If the pleco is harassing your turtle on a regular basis, then I would separate them.

[Billy Black]

It seems weird to me. The Pleco has no means of actually hurting my turtle, while the turtle could easily attack the Pleco. It should be happening the other way around...

If it continues, I'll look into a separate container for him.

[Billy Black]

Wow, so my turtle seems to have gotten his revenge. I wake up this morning and find a skeleton of my pleco sitting on the bottom. Kinda startled me, until I realized what had happened. I figured it would happen eventually, but I didn't think it would while the pleco was still actually larger than my turtle. It seems so empty in his tank, now. I wish there was something I could add that he wouldn't bother eating.

[BullDog]

Wow! Maybe your turt decided to just ignore the pleco for a while, because he was thinking of you, but then the pleco just pushed him past his breaking point...

Sorry about the pleco. A lot of people suggest feeder fish for "companionship". There are several stories on here about a turt eating all but a few of the fish, and then it becomes buds with the leftovers!

[alexis_906]

I would suggest some rosey red minows. My older turtle has stopped eatting them and keeps them for companinship. That sounds weird but a few months back he had one left and when it died he actually cried. You could hear him in the other room making these sounds and I thought it was my cat until I went into the room. So the next day I got him 4 more rosey reds and now they have been with him for about 4 months maybe longer. And they are cheap so if he does like to eat them then you could just get some more. But I would be carefull because he could eat them all in one sitting depending on how many you get.

And they don't get that big, mine are about 1-2 inches long now.

[kikicool]

Wait, Alexis_906, turtles can cry? And make noise? I had no idea!

[alexis_906]

Wait, Alexis_906, turtles can cry? And make noise? I had no idea!

Seriously I had no idea, and everyone thought I was crazy. But he was sitting on his basking dock making a strange noise like a whine/cry. There were no tears, but there didn't need to be any. And since then not another noise.

[turtle_nz]

from what i've heard turtles are completly mute?

[alexis_906]

Well I just started a new topic to see if I am really just crazy.

Can turtles make noises?
http://www.redearslider.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8762

[Billy Black]

There are several stories on here about a turt eating all but a few of the fish, and then it becomes buds with the leftovers!

He usually does that if I buy him a couple feeder fish. He tends to eat all but one, and it sticks around for a while before he eventually eats that one as well.

I want to try getting another algae eater to help keep the tank clean, but I'm afraid he'll eat that one, too. Is it worth a shot? Maybe if I try getting a larger one?

[DavidY]

he he, you might have more success with a siphon, or one of those battery operated vacuums.