Jumping?

[courtneem]

The pleco I have is my first pleco so I am still learning about these critters. I adore him and he is hilarious to watch.

He is missing one eye, healed very nice and he doesn't act any different. Not sure at the cause but could of did it himself. lol

I at least a few times a week as I am sitting here hear a BANG in my tank, look over and see my pleco floating back down to the bottom. It is almost likes he enjoys this. He did this before losing an eye so it is not that. He is very healthy, eats like a cow, poops like a elephant and has plenty of room.


He is in a 55gl that has tons of hiding places and caves that he hangs out in. He is rarely stuck to the glass. He is only 4" or so.

Is this normal behavior?

Also is it possible to get another pleco in a month or so? I would like to have a pleco that is not a "common" my fourlines leave my current pleco alone. They are very calm actually and even let him hang out in their cave and never have shown aggression towards him.

My tank is usually at 80F (higher right now still treating ich) PH of 7 I run two HOB filters rated 30-60 and me be going to a xp2 or 3. I filter well in my tank.

In the 55gl the stock list is
2 6" fourlines (in QT right now)
7 white skirt tetra
2 serpae tetra
1 glass tetra
3 glowlight tetra
1 common pleco 4-5" or so
1 apple snail

I plan to get a 75gl and eventually a 120+gl tank for my current pleco. I know many say they will upgrade and don't. I will. I only take in fish if I know I can take care of their needs and I know that takes money. I wont let them live in a small tank when they grow. I will have my 75gl by the end of summer and will run a xp3 on it.

Would another baby pleco be okay in the 55gl with this one until I get my 75gl and will both be okay in a 75gl and eventually a 125gl+? I am not sure how much a full grown one really pushes the bioload because I know they are MESSY!

 

[WyldFya]

It is fairly normal to see commons do that in tanks that are shorter than 24". Depending on the pleco, some do this more than others.

 

[davo]

I used to have one that did that all the time, but never had one do it since. Even did it when he was very little. I think it grew out of it though as it aged.

You'll have to check your current bioload now- ammonia/nitrites/nitrates - to see how they are coping currently. Your common will more than likely get to 18"+ depending on the species, so you'll have to take that into consideration. If you want another one, you'll have too judge whether you have the right amount of room, if the bioload could cope with another "elephant pooper", and how soon you are getting new tanks. You'll have to think carefully about what species to add, it would have to get to a reasonable size and not be bullied out of food.

 

[courtneem]

My LFS at times has butterfly plecos. Do those get as large as commons? I think those are beautiful and wouldn't mind to settle on that one.

My current common is a Pterygoplichthys pardalis I see most places agree on 12-14" for a max out size?

 

[davo]

I like pardalis, probably my favourite "common". If your lucky 14", but i think rottbo has one that is 20" or so. Theres also an element of crossing with other similar plecs so sizes can vary if you get one of these. If you mean the butterflys as one of the Dekeyseria sp. then they get about 5-6". These are the ones most commonly found, but common names dont tend to mean too much so what is advertised as butterfly could be any fish that looks like these (or even the coldwater loaches):
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=706
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=983

 

[courtneem]

I like pardalis, probably my favourite "common". If your lucky 14", but i think rottbo has one that is 20" or so. Theres also an element of crossing with other similar plecs so sizes can vary if you get one of these. If you mean the butterflys as one of the Dekeyseria sp. then they get about 5-6". These are the ones most commonly found, but common names dont tend to mean too much so what is advertised as butterfly could be any fish that looks like these (or even the coldwater loaches):
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=706
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=983

Sorry worked all weekend so I didnt get to post as much.

I do adore my pardalis. He is really pretty and so mellow.

Those pics dont look like the plecos they label as butterfly.. I think they label them wrong. They know fish but they are bad at "grouping" into common names there. Like my two fourline pictus fish I bought, in the tank was spotted pictus, fourlines and channel cats according to their sign.

I was sold "two fourlines" as they said they were and they are very different. Not fourlines at all. One is a White Pim the other is a Spotted Pim.

Im going to the store tomorrow, I'll see what they got and come ask about it.

 

[davo]

yes, unfortunately plecos are notoriously mis-labelled common names, but that can be said of most fish, just to give something a pretty or exciting name so it can sell better. If you could take a camera, it may help you to do some IDing when you get home