Panda garra climbed in HOB

[Cardeater]

I was pleasantly surprised that my missing panda garra hadn't jumped onto the floor somehow but instead jumped into the hang on back whisper.

I had 6 panda garra and 3
female rainbows left in my QT tank. Ive been hesitant about moving the panda garra as they are tiny and I was worried my big clown loach could eat them.

I moved the 3 biggest ones and the rainbows Monday (so far they look fine).

I left three in the 10g QT. This morning I saw there was only one visible. I worried they might have jumped out, but the tank gaps are sealed well with plastic wrap (I have had rummynose tetra jump through a tiny opening a few years ago, so I've learned to make sure everything is sealed.).

Luckily, I found the two missing ones in the HOB. I had heard they can climb out with their suckermouth but they never did this before. I'm guess they were stressed from me catching the other fish now, and maybe there's a new hierarchy in the tank with 3 vs 6 fish.

Only thing I may be worried about is that the bigger one of the 3 may be bullying the other two since I removed 3. It should be fine as I'll probably move them all over within the next week if I feel confident my clown loaches won't eat them.

Edit:
The one in the pic was by where the water comes into the filter: The second chamber from where they jumped in.

The second fish was behind the sponge in the "square" filter area of the filter: the first chamber where they could enter climbing up the waterfall outflow.

Even though they were fine, I lowered the water so they shouldn't be able to do this again.

 

[duanes]

This is not unusual. for these kinds of rheophillic species. for a number of reasons.
When you look at the kind of habitat these fish come from in nature, the highly oxygenated rapids and riffles of fast flowing streams and rivers, its no surprise they find the current in a filter is enticing.
The average flow in an aquarium does not come close to what these fish experience (or need).
Although Garras and plecos are from different sides of the world, the environments they come from are similar, and they are perfect representatives of convergent evolution.
Here is the type habitat where I catch most plecos.

And when I get them home, this area in the tank is where they prefer to hang out.

My plecos go so far as to crawl above the water line, to feed on nutritious algae that grows in the splash zone.

Your Garra is letting you know, it needs a much heavier flow in the tank to get the oxygen it requires to feel healthy, and at home.
In my rheophillc tanks.....beside the high flow of 1500 gph from filtration, I also add wave makers, to simulate the flow in streams and rivers where the fish I keep come from.

The video below gives a sense of the velocity of flow these fish inhabit in nature.
Turn the volume up to get full effect.
Rio Mamoni near Chepo flowbd82fbde 3c92 4ba1 89c7 1c6bb4853d7a Duane Stuermer Duane Stuermer • • 27 views 3 weeks ago

 

[Cardeater]

Good point about them searching for flow. The 10g has almost none except the HOB discharge. The display has some powerheads so that environment will be better for them once they join the other 3 (and the two big panda garra I have in there.)

This just reminded me of something my young clown loaches did in the 10g QT in 2018. I just had an air stone at the back of the tank, and they'd swim vertically facing down into the slight current the air stone would make bc obviously they like flow.

Below is a pic the size difference between my full size.panda garra and one of the ones I moved over. You can see one of the smaller clown loaches behind. My clowns are fine with them but I was worried one might fit into the mouth of my big one. Redshark had reported his big clown loaches ate a baby bristlenose one time.

Edit: I've been feeding slightly more than normal since I added the panda garra in just in case. I figure if the big one isn't hungry, less likely to look at one of the pandas as food.

 

[tiger15]

My Pakistani loach had disappeared into my HOBs repeatedly that I had to lower the water level below the outflow to prevent climbing. I read that someone had a Pakistani loach that swam up a canister suction line and clogged the flow. I guess any sucker mouth fish that came from rapids are potential climber. This prevented me from trying Hillstream loach and alike for concern of disappearance.

That said my Panda garra had not attempted to climb into my HOBs. But a related species garra rufa climbed onto my arm every time I submerged my arm into the tank. No wonder these fish are called doctor fish and have been employed in spa to provide skin therapy. One day it disappeared too, not into the HOBs, but dead on the floor apparently taken a ride on my arm.