PLECO EGGS

Question
I HAVE ONLY ONE PLECO IN MY 10 GALLON TANK , ONE KISSING GOURAMI, 2 MOLLYS, 1 ANGELFISH , 1 PLATY , 3 NEON GLO FISH AND AN AFRICAN DWARF FROG. I HAVE THE TANK DIVIDED DUE TO THE AGGRESSIVE NATURE OF THE KISSING GOURAMI. I PLACED THE GOURAMI AND PLECO TOGETHER ON ONE SIDE OF THE TANK WITH ALL THE OTHER FISH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE. I RECENTLY RETURNED HOME TO FIND A TINY BABY FISH SWIMMING AT THE TOP OF THE PLECO/GOURAMI SIDE...AS A COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE PASSED I NOTICE THE BABY FISH WILL NOT EAT FLAKE FOOD. I DO USE ALGAE CHIPS FOR MY PLECO AND MAYBE ITS BEEN EATING THAT BUT IF I ONLY HAVE ONE PLECO PLEASE HELP ME UNDERSTAND HOW THIS COULD HAPPEN BECAUSE I HAVE HAD THE PLECO SINCE 12-23-10 AND ITS NOW 6-8-11 AND ITS THE ONLY ONE IN THE TANK .... THE BABY IS LOOKING LIKE ITS A PLECO .. COULD A GOURAMI FERTILIZE PLECO EGGS ??? OH AND THE BABY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS NOW.... AND MY POOR DEAR PLECO HAS DIED AS OF LAST NITE. I AM SOOO LOST AND NEED ANSWERS

Answer
Evadiva1,

  Well, I can tell you that it is not a pleco. The female will lay the eggs but a male must fertilize them. Since you only have one, then the baby is not a pleco. How do you have the tank separated? Is there a chance that a small fry could get under it or through small holes if the divider has them? I would say there is a better chance that the baby is a molly and that it found a way to get to the other side of the tank. I would not add any more fish to the tank because you are  over populated. Your tank is also not large enough for the Gourami. These guys can grow to about 10" so a 10 gallon tank will not work for him. To keep him happy and healthy you will need to get him a minimum size tank of 30 gallons.