Will a gourami or RTBS eat a baby bn pleco?

mileshs95

Hello everyone, I just got a baby bn pleco today (about 1 1/2 - 2in long) and have placed it in a small isolation tank within my main tank. It looks okay now but I am concerned about when the pleco gets too big for the isolation tank but is still too small for my large tank with my large fish. Do you think my opaline gourami or red tailed shark will harm my new pleco? Thanks

Andarial

The gourami probably won't but the Red Tailed Shark might. I don't know much about their behavior besides the fact that when they get to a larger size they can be aggressive to any bottom dwelling fish.

mileshs95

Here is a pic of the bn in its isolation tank. Will he be okay in there until he gets a little bigger? Should I put substrate in there? Also my red tailed shark is in this picture so you can get an idea of its size.

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Byron

If that pleco is around 2 inches as you say, then by comparison the red tailed shark would seem to be 3+ inches, and at this size they can begin to get very nasty. Check the profile [click shaded name].

Sylverclaws

Hm, usually they don't mess with the bottom goers, but it does happen sometimes. Red-Tailed Sharks can get fairly aggressive, but it's usually due to lack of space or too many fish, or a curious nip. As for your Gourami, they usually don't try to eat things unless they can fit in their mouthes...but occasionally some try anyways, and curious poking can be harmful, but usually isn't unless they taste good. My gourami nipped one of my plecos once, the pleco fled very fast and the gourami looked kinda dumbfounded and hasn't bothered him since. ^^;
However, I never had a problem with my red-tailed sharks and plecos when I used to keep them. I can't say for certain on the gourami, as I've only owned the dwarf species and they don't bother much.

mikey1

"eat him"?.....probably not,

"torcher him, chase him 24/7, kill him".....probably yes

mileshs95

The shark is about 4-5 in. Does the pleco need anything in his isolation tank?

Andarial

Wood, bristlenoses NEED the roughage of wood, not all plecos need this but the bn's do

Jakiebabie

From what I just read in the profile for Red Tail Shark it is somewhat of a scavenger itself... see below... so IMO you would have 2 fish with the same purpose. I may be wrong here.
Extant fish in this genus primarily graze on aufwuchs--algae, small insects, crustaceans, worms, small invertebrates and detritus. Omnivorous, they should be fed greens along with the standard aquarium flakes, worms, etc. They have inferior mouths (downward facing) so sinking tablets and pellets containing vegetable matter (algae, spirulina) will be appreciated, with feedings of blanched greens, peas (shelled), cucumber, chopped fruit for variance.

Read more: Red Tailed Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor ) Profile

My understanding too is that the Bristlenose Pleco is the best Tank cleaner to have and yes they need wood in the tank. Best worker for their size. So you will not see the benefits if kept in that little holding tank.

As the RTS needs 48 inches in length of tank and he is getting quite big, yes they do get nasty, have you considered re-homing him? I'm assuming this is the only tank you could put the BNP in? I myself would not want to keep that new BNPleco in that little breeder for too long. JMO.

mileshs95

I had a large bn pleco in the tank with the RTS and they did not bother each other much. I am just worried about while the plec is small. I have a 10g tank that I could put the bn in, but I would rather not set it up unless I absolutely have to.
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