# Can a betta kill a pleco?



## Pyrotemis (Apr 17, 2014)

Hey everyone!!

Today I purchased a TIINNY (maybe an inch long) albino bristlenose pleco for my 10gal. It's covered in a disgusting amount of brown algae, and the lil guy has been sucking it up like a sponge.

However, after a couple of hours, my male betta Dijon decided to man up and check out his new tankmate, which ended in half-flaring and a couple of nips. I'm just wondering if he can kill the pleco, or if the 'armor' can protect it as it doesn't seem to want to swim away too fast. 

Thanks!!


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## TripleChrome (Jun 5, 2014)

I have never had a betta kill a pleco of mine. My female betta, Peach, is in a twenty gallon with a female guppy, Lily, and an Albino BN Pleco who used to be in with a male betta. The male, who ended up passing away due to old age, only nipped at him but never hurt him. If you have a lot of plants, the Pleco should hide in them and the betta should never see them. But the only thing I would worry about when the Pleco gets bigger is the tank. Sure, five inches may seem small, but they get pretty big around and actually need a twenty gallon. But you can cross that bridge when he/she is bigger.


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## Pyrotemis (Apr 17, 2014)

Thank you for the info! I'm probably going to upgrade once he/she is bigger. The nipping really slowed down and now is almost nonexistent. My betta will follow the pleco around like a shadow though. "Mom, WTF is that???!!!" 

There are a ton of plants in my aquarium, all silk but if I could add more without losing the ability to gravel vac I would. Thanks again!!!


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## NickAu (Sep 28, 2015)

> But the only thing I would worry about when the Pleco gets bigger is the tank. Sure, five inches may seem small, but they get pretty big around and actually need a twenty gallon. But you can cross that bridge when he/she is bigger.


Not quite correct I'm afraid. You BN needs the bigger tank now before it suffers permanent damage from stunting.

I have a male and female BN they live in a 6 foot 100 gallon tank, I once took some fry from the 6 footer and put them in my 2 foot betta tank, after 3 months the fry (from the same batch) were at least 2 times as big as the fry in the 2 foot tank.


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