Pleco that are puffer strong...?

[newpuffergrl]

I am curious is there a plecostomus that is not going to get injured by an Abei puffer? I have a little bit of algae on his rock and I tried putting a LARGE snail but the poor guy was picked on and now won't come out of his shell. Mr Nibbles is like 2.5"- 3" max and the snail is about the size of a quarter around but the bully said this is MY tank! I thought that maybe the with the snails size that he would be ok. to the snail...

[pufferpuggirl]

If your Mr Nibbles is anything like my Hymie (Abei), I think you will find that nothing is safe in the tank with him. I had an algae eater in Hymie's tank and he pretty much ignored it for a few days and then one morning I found the algae eater dead, bitten in the tummy. So I'd be prepared for the worst to happen. Sorry, but that's just how they are. And snails seem to attract the puffer's attention. I used to have some Apple snails in my community tank, and I had added some dwarf puffers, there were also lots of baby ramshorn, but those dwarf puffers would just follow the Apple snails around and hover near them, waiting to get the perfect bite in, and they would too. I felt so sorry for those snails that I ended up giving them away.

[newpuffergrl]

Yeah, I think the snail is going to have to go live with my mom's "nice" fish... it does seem like nothing would be safe in his tank, he tried to bite the water when I do his water changes, lol its kind funny to watch. He is always on the hunt for something. The algae is a very very little spot so I guess worse case I could take his rock out and get it off with a toothbrush and water. I know odd thing to use but I always keep one in my bucket of aquarium supplies

[pufferpuggirl]

Not odd at all, I have a little "kit" that I take around with me when I do water changes, it consists of an old toothbrush, some tweezers (for removing impellers) and a little brush that came with a filter (good for inserting in where the impeller sits). I think we use what works, no matter what it might be. I've also straightened out a clothes hanger to poke into places I can't reach.

[Troender]

I tried a large pleco together with an abei. I was prepared for trouble, so I managed to save the poor thing's life. But the abei made a large wound on the pleco's belly - the only vulnerable part on the fish. Puffers are smart enough to find where they can take even a well armored fish, and the abei is a highly aggressive puffer. My poor pleco was removed from the puffer tank, and luckily it healed nicely. He/she lived for another two years, until a fawlty heater killed it earlier this year (that pleco surely hasn't been lucky with its life. ). So, no, I would not recommend any pleco with an abei.

[newpuffergrl]

He is just gonna have to deal with me taking his rock out if it gets worse then. I am not going to take the risk of him killing anything, the snail is out in a dish of water and seems to be wanting to come out now that the danger is gone. And I agree the are a very aggressive puffer because he attempts to attack me at feeding and water changes. He has nipped me twice and it doesn't feel very good. Thank you for the advice, so NO! to plecos or any other critters in the tank (unless its a ghost shrimp or his weekly crunchy snail treats)

[pufferpuggirl]

Strangely enough, my Hymie isn't aggressive towards me. I can put my hands in the tank and he doesn't go for me, and has never tried to bite me, but I know that he would kill any live thing I was to put in the tank, so he remains without a tankmate.

[Myaj]

Generally with puffers, you have to be the algae cleaner. For abei's, that goes double