Strange Behavior of my Common Pleco

[TowBoater]

I have been noticing strange behavior of him. I thought it was a common but as I looked it up, things led me to believe he may be a sailfin. One thing is when I drop my silversides and pieces of shrimp in for my bichir, he goes right to them and starts to eat on them. Another is he and my bichir compete for them, he will push the bichir away and the bichir will do the same to him. This is really bothering me. Could a common be a omnivore and aggressive? He eats algae and meaty products and will stand up to my bichir. I have seen them run each other out of hiding places also.

[RobbieG]

Mine hasn't eaten algae since he was about 3 inches long - I dont use live food so I don't know about that - but he'll eat anything else that falls into the tank.

[gm72]

My experience with my plecos has been that they get more omnivorous as time goes on.

[Lady Hobbs]

Have you seen Williams pleco? http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=8147

I am somewhat concerned about 2 catfish that I purchased a few months back as well. I just am not sure what they are altho I call them featherfin squeakers. By posting pictures here it was suggested they are probably that but it's the not knowing for sure that has me concerned. I have no room for an 18 inch fish much less two of them.

They don't get along at all and I've had to separate them from the beginning. The look just like Williams but smaller, of course, are not upside down catfish so I just keep hoping they are the featherfins instead. Darned things all look so much alike. I think what concerns me the most is I bought them from a store in town that has fish ( pretty much like Walmarts). But they don't offer a huge variety, the fish are not marked according to species......only general......like CATFISH......and I'm afraid this store may carry only the common pleco's.

I see some movement on the glass but they don't sit on the glass sucking algae off like I would expect to see a pleco do.

I just don't know. They are about 4 1/2 inches now. I guess if they get over 8 inches I will know it's a common. Shame on me for buying a fish I was unsure of!

I just checked Williams plecos again and his don't have the whispers I don't think. Maybe I am still safe?

[Lady Hobbs]

http://www.planetcatfish.com/

Check for pictures of catfish here to help you identify yours. I just found mine is indeed the Eupterus Synodontis (featherfin). I'm sure the Sailfin's sell for quite a bit more money.

[TowBoater]

Lady hobbs, that is a Eupterus Catfish, my LFS sells them and theres are like 7" long. They get up to 8" and are semi-aggressive. They are naturally insectivorous and algae eaters. What is strange though is they are suppose to be a schooling fish. I know my pleco will get to big, I plan to part with him as soon as he gets out of hand. I sold one to my LFS when it was 11" and they still have it in a 120g. It is roughly 20" now and is beautiful, in a tank with african cichlids.

[TowBoater]

I got a good look at it today. It isn't colored up like a common, it is black with like a dark gray stipped body and a spotted dorsal fin. It is shaped like a Trinidad but is colored different, no spots.

[Lady Hobbs]

Schooling fish? I've never heard of any catfish being known as schooling fish. Generally they are territorial. After checking the pictures there, I realized I had just what I thought I had...and had been told featherfin previously. I get nervous now and then when looking at common pleco's. :)

[TowBoater]

I had to part with my bichir. My pleco stole all of his food and I couldn't catch it, it got behind my rock shelf and I was tired of chasing it. So I traded my bichir in for several corys and feeder shrimp.:c5: