Plecos jumping?

[JayK1320]

Okay, they are not actually jumping, but they will be on the bottom and then shoot to the top of the tank and break the water then shoot back to the bottom? I am just wondering if this is normal behavior?

They do it mostly when the lights are off in the tank, but ocassionaly when the lights are on. If I didnt know better you would think they were going up for air? That is the only thing I can think of to compair it to...has anyone ever had this happen before?

Just seems weird to me...

 

[popcorn1]

my pleco never did that. but ive seen it suck at the surface of the water upside down.
i was buying fish from a wholesaler and the conditions were bad. plecos and loaches and other fish were jumping out and across to other tanks. my dad picked up a pleco that just jumped out.
but i think its not normal for a pleco to jump.

 

[JayK1320]

I was thinking maybe something like the water, but the other fish are not doing anything weird and the fact that its a noticable difference with the lights on and off seems weird to me? Since I first posted about 30 minutes ago he has done it at least 3 times. I can sit here for hours during the day with the lights on and it never does it, or hardly does it. They are just common plecos from what I can tell? I bought them as common suckers.

 

[Ianab]

Yes they do that.

If you watch closely you will see them burp up a big bubble of air, then race to the top and get another gut full.

If they are doing it continously you may have a water problem as it's thought they can absorb oxygen by doing this.

But if they just do it accasionally it's normal.

Cheers

Ian

 

[JayK1320]

Yeah its a pretty regular thing. I had a water issue the last couple of days, I think it came on when I changed the filter media last weeked but it is calming down now. A water change today and things are looking much better. But its pretty regular, as soon as the lights go off I can hear them doing it, and since they dont do it much during the day I am not really worried. I have notice the gulp of air thing, pretty interesting...

 

[cichlidbuddy]

do you have plants in the tank?

 

[oashieo]

i noticed mine did that last night too. i was like cause i thought he was really going to jump out. but before he did it i noticed a huge bubble he burped out pretty interesting.

 

[JayK1320]

do you have plants in the tank?

I have two plastic plants, no real plants. I was told I should not put live plants in there because of the Oscars. They are always atacking the leaves on the plastic ones so I would think they would make a mess in the tank.

What would that have to do with it, just curious...

 

[AKblue]

My clowns did it more than the rest of the plecs I had.

 

[JayK1320]

But if they just do it accasionally it's normal.

Yeah I have been here all day today and have been paying attention and they didnt do it once I dont think they did it once all day. I garuntee that when the light goes off though they will start again...silly plecos