Housing 2 large plecos together

[Jon Endres]

Spring 2003, a guy at work gave me his 12" hypostomus plecostomus for
our backyard pond, which currently houses bass and bluegill.

We were simply going to use him or her for fertilizer after the frost,
but got soft-hearted and set up a 40 gallon pond indoors (with
lava-rock-filled garbage can "waterfall" ). Spouse's 3" pleco was
outgrowing its aquarium at work, so tossed that one in too, along with
a few mean little tetras.

Everybody overwintered fine and this spring, we put both plecos back
into the backyard pond. At summer's end, it seems that the 3" pleco is
now 12" long!
So, it looks like we've got 2 large plecos to overwinter.

I've read adults don't tend to get along well. Is it worth even
trying them out, or will bloodshed inevitably result? Should I just
start calling petshops and begging (they weren't enthused by the idea
of a free pleco last year)? Perhaps fill the skillet with oil and get
out the cornmeal?

Thanks,
Jon Endres