Upside Down Bristlenose Plec.

[RCA]

Thanks, all helpful information, correct me if I am wrong, in summary:
- it is not restricted to just male BNs, females do it too
- seems to be a BN thing to just chill upside down
- they are not always attached to something
- seem very content with carrying out this behaviour
- still pending whether a mature male and females together would carry out such a behaviour?

 

[Akasha72]

my BN is male, not kept a female, but my male does lay on his back unattached to wood etc. My male will be around 3 years old roughly so he's 'mature' I suppose. Not sure if that clarifies anything or not

 

[RCA]

My female is upside done on the bottom every now and then and when I walk up to her she shoots away into her corner an I have had her for four years no problems

Thanks for your response, it was based on the above that I came to the conclusion it is not just males.

This is an interesting topic and the more we know about this behaviour will hopefully help others not to panic, and that it does appear "normal" in the BNs world.

 

[Baccus]

I often catch both my female and male BN's doing this, I put it down to fell asleep in a blissful mood and just forgot to keep the suction going. If I wake/ disturb them from thier blissed out back lay down they swim off or re-attach themsleves to where they usually snooze.

 

[RCA]

Awesome, clarifies all the above.
Does anybody know if it is just BNs or do other plecs do this?

 

[Akasha72]

never seen an oto do it ... although I did once have an oto that used to turn upside down and 'clean' the water surface ... no joke!

 

[Tooombsy]

Was going to start a new post about this then I saw this one. My male BN did this earlier today.
He was upside down attached to the roof of his cave under the bogwood, then after a while he dropped onto the gravel and stayed upside down. I think he was sleeping.
I tried to get a pic of it but had the flash on my phone and it didn't turn out too good, I'll mike the photo file smaller in a bit and post it.
The flash must have woke him up because he flinched and swam back up onto the wood.

 

[Tooombsy]

Thanks, all helpful information, correct me if I am wrong, in summary:
- it is not restricted to just male BNs, females do it too
- seems to be a BN thing to just chill upside down
- they are not always attached to something
- seem very content with carrying out this behaviour
- still pending whether a mature male and females together would carry out such a behaviour?

My plecos are maybe just over a year old so not sure if you'd class that as mature. I have one male and one female but only ever witnessed my male doing this.

It's becoming a regular occurrence, he did it again today. Managed to get a pic of him this time too

 

[Akasha72]

hehehe ... I'll have to see if I can get a photo of mine doing it aswell ... we can make it a gallery of unside down pleco's!

 

[RCA]

Thought I would nip in and update you all. I have just rescued (another story) my Super Red female who was in a bad way. It is about day three now of her recovery and she appears to be adopting this behaviour. I am really hoping she is just chilling as she was near deaths door when I found her. Fins crossed it is just another BN chilling. Any more pics yet? Will try and get one of her too...

 

[Akasha72]

yep, mine 
 

 

[RCA]

wow, that looks like one very full plec!

 

[Akasha72]

he's a real tubby boy. I'm not sure why, I don't see him eating all that much as he's constantly competing with my SAE's but he obviously gets enough!