crazy syno or stupid filter?

[ghost_deini]

first of all this is not one of those my fish get sucked into filter posts...

I have a synodontis petricola that is basically jumping into the filter.
the filter is a marineland peguin 280 and where the water exits under the biowheel sits in the water.
the fish swims in to here and hangs out for a few seconds and swims out.
I only noticed because you can hear the splash when it does it.
Is this a bad design? should i find a way to prop it up so its out of the water? Has anyone else had a similar experience?
I've had the fish for about 3 months, it is about 2 inches, and its only been doing this for the past few days. (that I've noticed) The tank has setup for around 5 months and all levels have checked out fine for the past week.

[Cerianthus]

If concerned that cat may get tangled up with filter media, just drop water level for a while.

I assuming this not an african cichlid tank. How many S. petricola? What are its tankmates?

How big is the tank and what other filter are you running on the tank?
Perhaps lack of circulation in the tank since Emperor 280 does not circulate water as well as other types of filters.

[blue2fyre]

What are the water parameters?

I have 9 petricola and none of them venture near the top of the tank or jump. They pretty much stay on the bottom.

[ghost_deini]

thanks for the replies.

The tank is a 20 gallon with 3 clown loaches besides the syno.
I know 20 will not be suffient for the clowns I have been trying to get a larger tank for some time but craigslist can be difficult...

temp 80
ammo 0
nitrate 10-15
nitrite 0-.2
hardness 100
alk 150
ph 7.4-6

[Cerianthus]

Funny! I would expect CL to jump into filter against current than Syno. Perhaps lack of bottom surface area since both are bottom dwellers.