Pleco.....wtf?

[colin_finlay]

I got a pleco a few weeks ago, and it's been doing its job fine...sucking back on algae on rocks and sometimes the glass. But the past few days he has been on the top of the glass with his head half in and out of the water, Is this normal for pleco's to do? does he not like my water or tank???

 

[ladynaoko]

that is quite odd...

I just wanted to ask if you're planning on updating your tank in the future? I'm mainly thinking of the bala's and the plec since they tend to get quite big.

What type of plec is it anyway (out of curiousity)?

 

[colin_finlay]

I do plan on getting a larger tank yes....maybe a 55 gallon tank from my girlfriend? that would be nice!....and HUGE!

I do not know what type of pleco it is, it is darker brown then alot of them, if that tells you anything.....?

 

[Idolz]

Arent the rubber nose and bristle nose plecs the ones that don't grow as much??

 

[silver]

Bigger tank needed INDEED! We're talking AT LEAST 55 gallons.


Man, I hope someone can help you with that wacky pleco you have!!



Silver

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

My rubber lipped pleco does this occasionally, not too much though. He's probably fine.

 

[CFC]

Its a sign of poor water quality, you need to test the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate asap. Catfish are able to breath atmospheric air when they cant get enough oxygen from the water, if there is a presence of ammonia or nitrite then it will be affecting the red blood vessels ability to carry oxygen causing the fish to try to gulp extra air from the surface.

 

[Olive]

Its a sign of poor water quality, you need to test the water for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate asap. Catfish are able to breath atmospheric air when they cant get enough oxygen from the water, if there is a presence of ammonia or nitrite then it will be affecting the red blood vessels ability to carry oxygen causing the fish to try to gulp extra air from the surface.

wow cfc, that is good to know. thanks for letting us in on that bit of info.



Colin, I am not sure how often you do water changes, or how often it is necessary, (don't mean to get anything started!) but I always do a 20% water change every week. Since I have been doing that, my fish and plants are doing great, great, great!!!! My plecos are great water quality barometers, (with some new info from CFC I know even more about them now!) and since I have been doing this (almost a year) I haven't lost a fish except for a really nast case of ick that is my own fault (bought from a less than perfect LFS) .


Just some info to try to help your babies stay healthy and happy~

 

[colin_finlay]

thanks for your responses

yeah i indeed do a 20percent water change a week for the minimum, but this is a fairly new tank, less then a month old, I dont know how i could possible get ammonia already in my tank, since it should be fairly clean

 

[Olive]

thanks for your responses

yeah i indeed do a 20percent water change a week for the minimum, but this is a fairly new tank, less then a month old, I dont know how i could possible get ammonia already in my tank, since it should be fairly clean

How long have you had it set up? Forgive me if I have already asked..........too many posts floating around in my head!


The reason I am asking is that if it is new then it is entirely normal to have high nitrates...........you wont have a biological filter yet in your tank......that only comes with time. Forgive me if you already know this.

 

[Perky]

You need ammonia to happen in your tank. When you set-up a tank you get ammonia after about a day then that disappears and changes to Nitrites and then that disappearers and changes to Nitrates, Nitrates are good but only in small amounts. You may not have cycled the tank properly yet, ask the LFS to check your water then tell us your results.
Have you cleaned anything in the tank like the filter or rocks etc.?