Why Are My Plecs Doing This?

[kphoebe]

Ive just done a 60% water change a few hours ago.

Both my plecs are fine, but they keep swimming really fast straight up to the surface and then diving straight back down again.

Does anyone know why theyre doing this??

 

[Miah002]

I don't know maybe there just grazing on the algae?

60 % is a lot for a water change. You should just 20 % a weekly that's what i do.

 

[stang1]

What are your readings for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH?
Have you got plenty of oxygen in the tank?

 

[Miah002]

One more thing is it a new tank. Has it cycled?

What are your readings for Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate and PH?

 

[kphoebe]

It is a cycled tank. Its been running for over a year
And yesI know it was a fairly large water change but i was away on holidays for 2 weeks and was way over due.
All my stats are fine, ammonia is always a tinnnyyy bit high, as with PH about 6.8 but the stats have always been this way.
Ive got 2x 45cm undergravel bubbles tubes and a decent filter,oxygen has never been a problem before.

They seemed to have calmed down now. Odd

 

[raptorrex]

Ive just done a 60% water change a few hours ago.

Both my plecs are fine, but they keep swimming really fast straight up to the surface and then diving straight back down again.

Does anyone know why theyre doing this??

providing you match the temp, 100% water changes are fine. 60% should be no problem. the stuff you need is in the filter not the water.

they may simply be reacting to barometric changes, it effects many animals, guess fish are no different.

 

[Miah002]

It might of been from the ammonia that started making your fish act like that.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Doing a large water change (particularly a cool temperature one) after not doing any water change for a while on the tank can also make many types of catfish think the rainy season has arrived and so makes them become all active and stuff.

 

[matchstickman47]

are they bn plecos mine do this and they are perfectly healthy. it is totaly fine i watch them doing it often i had to leave my tank with my dad while i was on holiday and two of my little bns had jumped into the filter ( there fine ) lol was suprised when i cleaned it haha i dont think it is a health issue because the bns in the shop switched tank

i asked the guy why there was big bns in the baby tank and he said they jumped over the side into the adjacent tank
i havent a clue why they do it but im 99 percent sure they are completly healthy unles they are acting differntly you may want to check the breathing rate of you plecos it may be high mine were when they first did it but they are calm now but still do it now.

in my opinion they are fine got no idea why they do it but dont raise the water level to high as they maybe able ( depending on what filter you have ) be able to jump into it. either that or they are to ig lol
as i say its probable not a health issue
but make sure you check breathing rate

 

[calsonic]

some plecs can breath oxygen becuase of the conditions in there natural habitat

check this link out http/www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal...=1&SRETRY=0

ammonia in water with a low ph is less toxic so may not cause problems at verry low levels

 

[humpy_the_humphead_wrasse]

first of all the ammonia is in your drinking water then. theres no other reason why there should be ammonia, as your filter should be removing it. (check for any dead cows or rotting corpses in your resovoir HEHE). this action is normal and is a reaction to air bubbles being built up inthe pleco's mouth from sucking on usually driftwood all day but also possibly just sucking in general. is a sign they are getting ready to grow and youll notice a marked change in size soon. make sure u have glass lids as ive seen my cousins fully grown gold nuggets do this during a water change and knock a fully grown silver dollar out of the tank along with itself landing 4 foot from the top of the tank to the floor.