Curious Pleco behavior???

[phpKerouac]

I have a pleco, not sure what kind, i suppose common, that seems to prefer being upside down.

I dont suppose this is so odd, but the thing I find strange is that at times, I find it adhered upside down to the top of the water. I assume that it is adhering somehow to the surface tension on the top of the water. The first time, I though it had died, but as I neared the tank, it just swam away normally. Since then, it seems to happen fairly regularly.


Has anyone else seen this behavior?

 

[Tetratastic]

I've not had a pleco that went upsidedown on the surface of the water, but I did have a common pleco that preferred to adhere to things in the tank upsidedown - even in what I would consider an uncomfortable position.

 

[NickH]

I had a common pleco that did that. Usually, it was trying to eat flakes or pellets floating on the surface.

 

[ArkyLady]

I saw my pleco upside down at the waters surface one time and I couldn't figure out what he was doing. He wasn't dead cuz he was moving around. Well turns out his zucchini slice had come loose and was floating at the top

Other than that I don't see him at the waters surface like that much, but he's often upside down on a decoration.

 

[ewok]

not to be a wet blanket or anything, but:

just for the heck of it, have you checked your tank parameters? what's the temperature and do you use aeration?

i don't see being upside down as a problem, but being on the surface would make me wonder.......

my old pleco would be upside down on the bottom in a pipe or something quite frequently, and i have even kept 2 kinds of upside down catfish. our concept of up and down doesn't apply i don't think.

being on the surface seems sort of odd to me tho, i would wonder about o2 levels in the tank now with hotter weather. not to mention regular contaminants and possibly competition on the bottom of the tank for prime resting areas........

sorry if this seems cynical, but it's just other possibilities to consider.

 

[Hebdizzle]

my pleco sometimes lays on his back on the substrate in his cave in the tank. (hows that for prepositional phrases?)

 

[clayt101]

It may be looking for food. Here is an idea, try getting some giant salvinia, its a flooting pond plant like large duckweed. I have seen plecos go up to the top, grab it, and bring it to the bottom with them to eat. If you go to a pond store or LFS, they may give you some for free, because it is really a weed.

 

[phpKerouac]

photo op

This is him usually

in the whale! (1)

in the whale! (2)

in the whale!(3)

he's too big for that whale now though.

i guess its a he.