FishProfiles.com Message Forums

	common or not???
chizunk Enthusiast Posts: 160 Kudos: 164 Votes: 0 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	I have a 55 gallon tank with 6 diff african cichlids (4-5 inch) and i have a 5-6 inch pleco who recently has been coming to the surface of the water and eating the flakefood right from the top does this happen often or oes this mean that the pleco is getting to little food and needs more
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
sirbooks Moderator Sociopath Posts: 3875 Kudos: 5164 Votes: 932 Registered: 26-Jul-2004	I think I've heard about this before. It wasn't really a problem in that case, as the fish had just figured out a way to get extra food. Loricariids will sometimes dash to the surface for gulps of air (I've seen my BN do it, but rarely), and the pleco just discovered that sometimes there was food up there. That might be the case with yours. How much do you feed it though? We should rule that out first, before assuming that the fish is okay. And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
chizunk Enthusiast Posts: 160 Kudos: 164 Votes: 0 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	well i usually dont feed it anything i used to put wafer disc in there but the cichlids got it before it got even an inch away from the top or the surface i know its bad but i dont know wat else to do could i put like zucchini or lettuce on the bottom
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
victimizati0n Banned Posts: 1217 Kudos: 1105 Votes: 31 Registered: 29-Apr-2004	my pleco does this occasionaly
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
bettafin Hobbyist Posts: 106 Kudos: 112 Votes: 17 Registered: 11-Feb-2004	Try putting an algae wafer or vegetables in late at night after the gouramis have been fed. Plecos are nocturnal and usually eat in the dark. I bet he's hungry if he's taking food from the surface. I've seen cories do this. I had a pair in a fry tank and they would go to the surface for the baby food. They also ate the plants in the tank.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
mariosim Enthusiast Posts: 207 Kudos: 245 Votes: 20 Registered: 28-Jul-2004	feed it more and see what happens- mine eats zuccini at all times of the day. lettuce is ignored. if yours eats the food you put in it just for him, then it is being underfed. if it ignores it, then it is simply normal behaviour for it. experiment and see what happens.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
chizunk Enthusiast Posts: 160 Kudos: 164 Votes: 0 Registered: 21-Jun-2004	ok ill try that but i have cichlids not gouramis first of and sleeping or not my cichlids will get to the wafer before the pleco is zucchini ok for the african cichlids because if so ill throw a piece down there
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
davetherave Hobbyist Posts: 112 Kudos: 82 Votes: 1 Registered: 12-May-2004	Looks like he is very hungry Cucumber, squash and sweet potatoe supplements their diet If he is hungry enough he will push them out of the way after lights out Gulping air is 1) because the water needs changing also 2) it helps them to attache to the undersides of leaves A very hungry pleco will actually "bring down" a fish in the tank if need be Regards Dave the rave UK
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04
openwater Fish Addict Posts: 565 Kudos: 551 Votes: 0 Registered: 24-Jul-2004	My friends common pleco 11 inch, always comes to the surface to feed. He flips upside down and sucks in the floating pellets. Not because of underfeeding, just because of aggressive feeding africans with him. edit note, The pleco also has sinking food, but still like to eat from surface. Last edited by openwater at 30-Nov-2004 19:27
Posted 26-Jan-2006 12:04


	Jump to:

The views expressed on this page are the implied opinions of their respective authors.
Under no circumstances do the comments on this page represent the opinions of the staff of FishProfiles.com.

FishProfiles.com Forums, version 11.0
Mazeguy Smilies