Gibbisep Pleco In A Malawi Tank?

[guppy_man]

i have a 4" gibbisep pleco, think thats how to spell it anyway would he be ok in my malawi tank?
i do have a eheim 2224 ex filter and a fluval 4+ internal, so no problems with waste, there are no fish in there yet, its just finished cycling.

what do you think?

thanks in advance

 

[Ferris]

I kept an 8" sailfin with Mbuna for a brief time and I wouldn't reccommend it. Whilst he never came to any actual harm and gave as good as he got, he constantly had nipped fins - nothing major but that big sailfin was just too tempting.

There is also the potential size issue, these guys easily reach 18", often more and IMO require at least a 5 foot tank.

 

[guppy_man]

my tanks 4ft, i really wouldn't want to give him to the pet shop or get rid of him for that matter.
do you think that if i provide some java fern in the tank it will keep the malawis from having ago at the pleco?
or do you still think that they will keep doing it?

 

[Ferris]

They will probably keep pestering the Plec and then eat the java fern.

If you have adult Mbuna i wouldn't try it if the Plec is only 4", if the Mbuna are juvies you could try and it and see what happens provided you have a spare tank if things don't work out.

I have a near full-grown common Plec in my adult Mbuna tank and he is fine but he's 3 or 4 times the size of the Mbuna and doesn't have that huge tempting fin that Sailfins do.

 

[jayjay]

Near full grown Ferris? They grow to 24" normally at full size, how big is yours?

Also the potential size of the sailfin would put me off straight away, they are also often crossed with common plec helping them grow even larger.

 

[adambrum]

Its just simply a risk if you try it, its your decision but i would not add a plec unless it was a b/n i even have my doubts on that as well.

 

[guppy_man]

well ive gone for it, hes on his own atm, i went to maiden head aquatics to get some rocks, ended up with 5 lava rocks for £13 not bad, but i need more ive only filled the left hand corner, the plecs in and out of them lol i think he likes them or he is just trying to get out of the light

ill post some pics when i add more rocks, 1 question i need to ask, does lava rock raise the ph?
i thought it does thats why i went for it, but just to make sure ill ask you.

 

[Ferris]

Near full grown Ferris? They grow to 24" normally at full size, how big is yours?

He's currently 19" and around 7 years old