Ok, yes...I am a sucker and I always end up getting things I didn't really want and messing up my whole tank plan.

So anyways heres what I did. A co-worker was talking about his tank and how mad his wife was at him for buying a Pleco...she hated it and though it was the ugliest fish she ever saw and it "creeped" her out. Aparently she was talking about putting it in the cat food bowl while he was at work if he didn't get rid of it. Well, I'm sure you know what happened....I now have a albino chocolate pleco in my African tank.

I no I shouldn't of taken it and I know it can't stay there for a long time...but I didn't know what else to do, I mean the woman was going to feed it to their CAT for goodness sakes!!!! I'm thinking I'll call my LFS and see if they will take it. If so when I get my Aceis and decide which ones I am going to keep and which I am turning into the LFS I will just take it then. Until then though, I really don't know much about these guys I am assuming they are pretty much the same as the Common Pleco (which I've had) in feeding and care needs.

Do you guys think the Labs and Ahli will tolorate him for a while??

He actually is a cool looking guy and if I had a proper tank for it...I wouldn't hesitate to keep it!!!

He looks pretty cool from what I can see. I'm not very familiar with the african cichlids so I can't help you with the stocking issues.

He is cool looking, I haven't seen one quite like him before...I would really like to keep him, but not only am I pretty sure he isn't good for a african tank, I'm sure he needs a much larger tank then a 55. Although right now he is only like 3"

Is this it?

Cocolate Pleco

I don't ever see them so tiny, but I've had no troubles with keeping regular Plecos in with anyone. They are the only fish that survives in with the hatchling turtles even. (The ones that will strip and gut a gold fish in 3 seconds or less)

They will eat your plants when they get big enough. I've also seen them go after goldfish now and again too, but I've never seen them go after anything else.

I don't have or see many africans either so wait for MC or one of the other big african keeps to chime in. It may be dependent on what sort of africans they are or something as well.

Hmm...... Be a kitty snak or stay at Lady Gs place for a few days?
Lady Gs it is! I think you did the right thing.

Well G I have never had much luck mixing plecos with African Cichlids unless they are significantly larger than the Cichlids. Short term it might work out but he is pretty tiny. As long as you are able to get food to him I think he might be ok short term. Cute little guy may be a chocolate pleco or maybe an albino common pleco.

Dawg....it really doesn't look like the ones in the pics there...but he is an albino so that may be why.

He is suppose to be a albino chocolate, not sure he is or not though.
I got a couple more pics they are a touch better then the others..



MC, he does seem to get lots to eat in this pic you can see his fat belly all full of zuccinni.




I rarely see his fin up so it is hard to get a look at him and what he fully looks like to compare to others.

Cool as long as he is eating and you don't notice any damage. I also forgot you don't have a whole tank full of Mbuna yet and the ones you do have are fairly mildy aggressive.

The tank mates really don't even seem to notice him *knocks on wood quick*. I am just worried about myself and not wanting to get rid of him...I know I will have to unless......My mom would let me set up another tank LMAO!!!!

I just seen the "bottom dwellers" thread, I think maybe I will move his pic over there?

So his story is....A co-worker of mine was talking about how mad his wife was at him for getting this fish, because she though it was so ugly and it "creeped" her out. He went on to talk about how she is threating to put it in the cat food bowl while he was at work if he didn't get rid of it, and he truely believed she would do it...so needless to say the guy found his way to my house. The only tank I have is not really good for him, but I plan to take some fish to my LFS in a couple weeks, and figured I'd see if they will take him too. He is only about 3" long right now. He is my 55g but the problem is that this tank is a african cichlid tank...the only fish in it right now are really not to aggressive (5-yellow labs and 1 Ahli) but next week I will be getting 6 Aceis also (2 of which will be going to the LFS once I can determine which are male and female). Anyway I was wondering if anyone knows anything about them and if he actually is one...







Thanks in advance everyone!!!

how big are the ahli and labs??? if there not too much bigger then the pleco then you should be fine, even though i would still keep an eye on it

The labs are all smaller then him (they are just little ones) the Ahli..well he is about the same size.

Maybe I should tear apart the tank I started to make into a sump and set it up..it's only a 30g? IDK, I put so much work into making it a sump although I still haven't set it up...but at the same time, a 30 would make a nice Rams tank I'm thinking and it would fit under my 55 so it wouldn't be taking up anymore space for my Ma to complain about

well labs aren't normally to aggressive and i would think the ahli would stay toward the middle upper portions of the tank, so i dont think you will have any major problems with the pleco in there, and since its an african tank im assuming theres lots of places to hide, if they did decide to pick on it

Heres a link for the chocolate pleco. If you still have it in the spring/summer I'd take it off your hands. I have an extra 55g I'm thinking about turning into a catfish tank

Yes, Mahem there are lots of hiding spots he can go.

Mike...if all goes well and he isn't picked on I will try to keep him for you. It is hard to tell if he looks like the chocolate (Dawg gave me that link also) he is Albino, and much smaller then the ones pictured so he really doesn't seem to look like them. If I could get him to start raising his top fin maybe I could tell a little better.

Thank you! If you find him a home before spring time I wont feel bad if I dont get him.

He looks like a chocolate. about 6-7 months ago a LFS had them and from what I can remember he looks like an albino chocolate.

K, Mike...lets cross our fingers and hope for the best

Got a better pic of him!!

Well it looks like an albino chocolate to me. Very cool looking fish. You have to keep him...You might just need to get another tank...

I agree its an albino.

Albino..

Good pic Lady G!