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Behavior FAQs on Loricariids, South and Central American Suckermouth Cats

About all they do... Loricaria profile.

Pleco Bloat or Preggers 9/18/09
Hi,
I was just looking at my Pleco (standard) who is about 4" long from nose to tail, a yellow and black striped Pleco (meat eater kind) that is about 3 1/2" and 2 Bushynose who are around 1 1/2". FYI. It is a planted discus tank with a giant apple snail, a few tetras and several discus. It is a 150 gallon. I noticed last week that the Pleco seemed a little chubby, but there is a lot of algae to be eaten, so I gave it no thought until today after dinner it was SO fat that it couldn't barely lay flat against the glass and there was a clear round thing coming out of its rear. It is perfectly clear like glass with a little red dot in it. I have pictures if you want, but I figured you may know what it is.
Thanks
Carrie :)
<Hello Carrie. The standard Plec is Pterygoplichthys pardalis, or some very similar species, a fish that gets to about 45 cm/18" when full grown. So I'm glad you have it in such a big tank! They are generally extremely robust and don't normally get sick when kept in big, clean tanks. Now, like most herbivores they are capable of consuming a lot of food and will look very plump. Providing they don't stay plump indefinitely, this isn't a problem. Cut back on the food for a while and see how things go. In fact with Plecs generally skinniness is the thing to be most cautious about. Being egg-laying fish, they don't become pregnant. The anus does indeed end with a small, nipple-like structure, and under some circumstances it can be visible when the fish is pressed against the glass. This is not normally a problem; the only things to be wary of are Camallanus worms, but these will be very obvious wiggling, red, thread-like animals protruding from the anus. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Pleco Bloat or Preggers 9/18/08
HI,
The Pleco was dead this morning. :(
<Oh dear! Just goes to show that doing a diagnosis without a photo isn't completely reliable. In any event, your job now is to understand why the fish died. Do check water chemistry and water quality. Also look at the cleanliness of the substrate. What aquarists called Dropsy, technically oedema, appears when organ failure occurs. Realistically, cures are very difficult to effect because the damage has already been done. This is why you need to try and establish what factor in your tank wasn't precisely right. Cheers, Neale.>

Re: Pleco Bloat or Preggers 9/19/08
HI,
I do water changes of 20 to 40% every couple of weeks.
<Less than I'd recommend for such messy fish, but if your nitrate levels stay low enough for Discus, no big deal.>
All the other Plecos I had were fine. Just a fluke I guess.
<Maybe. But do remain open-minded and critical. Observe the other fish, and consider the possibilities. Cheers, Neale.>

Pleco problems 5/20/07
Dear Crew,
<Hello!>
It is so good to be able to write to experts.
<Sorry, the experts are all out right now, so you'll have to talk to me instead.>
I have a Pleco, named Plotya, whom I love very much.
<Very good.>
He started having a hard time navigating. Something makes him float up to the surface and he turns belly up and gulps.
<Sounds like water quality issues. When Plecs are in polluted water, they breathe air. It helps them survive in ponds during the summer.>
For three weeks he had one red-tinted side fin and a couple of red spots that looked like tiny wounds on his belly. The spots stayed throughout these weeks but the redness on the fin came and went. Now he looks entirely normal and it seems that everything has cleared on its own.
<Which is good.>
I changed his diet when I saw the red spots. I added shrimp pellets to his usual half wafer of algae to make him stronger. Last night I was not at home to feed him but I gave him more shrimp pellets before I left in the morning and then I fed him more pellets this afternoon.
<All good, but take care not to overfeed. These catfish need mostly vegetables in their diet. 90% vegetables, 10% protein. I'd give him zucchini (courgette), cucumber, broccoli, carrot, potato, cooked cabbage leaves, dandelion leaves, etc. Use meaty foods only sparingly. Plecos are the "sheep" of the catfish world, and feed mostly on algae and plants.>
And then he suddenly starts floating on the surface! I have made a 50% water change and he seems to be able to hang onto the wall vertically, head up. Maybe this is my answer?
<Indeed. Clean water makes him healthy...>
He lives in a 10 gallon tank with 1 angel fish and 9 mollies. Is our tank overstocked and it makes him sick?
<Probably not sick, but suffering. Yes, 10 gallon tank is much too small. Must be at least 30-40 gallons for an adult Plec. Preferably more. If you have no space for a bigger tank, maybe you can find a friend with a bigger aquarium he can live in?>
Thanks a lot!
Anastasia
<Good luck! Neale>

Re: Pleco problems    5/20/07
Dear Neale and Crew, thank you so much for your prompt
response!
<Hello Anastasia!>
When I wrote the letter yesterday, Plotya was vertical but later he surfaced again belly up and had a hard time keeping his mouth in the water. This morning he managed to tack himself behind the plant at the surface to keep his head under the water.
<So, he's not quite at death's door yet.>
Part time he is attached to the wall by his mouth but it is obvious that his belly keeps him afloat.
<Sounds very odd. Catfish breathe by putting air inside the intestine, and it is possible this is making him float. But I think the main problem is water quality in the aquarium. Your 10 gallon tank is too small for a Plec.>
And so his head is at the wall and the body is twisted and upside down off of the wall, floating. And Part time he is just afloat sideways with his head under the water. He does not move at all but I can see he is breathing.
<Not good.>
Unfortunately I cannot tell if he is bloated or not. He's always been plump. I gave him a fresh peeled pea from the garden but it
seems that there is no way he can make it to the bottom to get it.
<Keep trying different vegetables. Root vegetables (potato, carrot, etc.) are usually very good for Plecs, but sometimes they need to soften in the water for 24 hours before the catfish can eat them.>
Does he have a swim bladder infection?
<Probably not. These are quite rare. Usually when fish cannot swim normally, it is a neurological condition (brought on by, e.g., the wrong water conditions) or a dietary problem (constipation). Adding *non-iodised* cooking salt (NaCl) at a dosage of UP TO 1 gramme per litre is recommended as one possible therapy in one of my fish health books. Certainly worth a shot. Add salt in small doses, a maybe replacing 25% of the water per day with water with some salt. Adding too much, too quickly is sure to shock the fish.>
Thank  you so much again! It is Sunday and I am desperate as to where to get advice and how to treat him!
Anastasia
<Good luck, Neale>

Kribs? WWM content to come   3/1/07
Bob,
<Neale>
Hope you're well!
<Yes, thank you my friend>
I've been doing a marathon session of krib writing this month, and  was surprised to see you have nothing at WWM on Kribs and other  Pelvicachromis spp. Have I missed something?
<Heeee! Not likely! We are "missing" several life times of work...>
Fancy something run up  about them for either the site or Conc. Aq.?
<Yes, certainly>
I happen to be breeding  P. taeniatus at the moment, hence the flurry of textual and  photographic activity on the genus.
<Ahh!>
Have you seen that You Tube video of the giant school of plecs  videoed underwater in Mexico?
<No... do you have the URL?>
It's amazing. Totally *not* what you'd  imagine from their aquarium behaviour... but then isn't that so often  the case. Also, are US aquarists up to speed on "Microrasbora" galaxy? Seems within 6 months of discovery and sale to the trade,  it's heading for extinction! Not good.
Neale
<Yeeikes! I do wish I/we were more organized... perhaps with the revenue from the upcoming Banner Ad push... to have you pen a "What's News"
section... BobF>

Re: Kribs? Microrasboras and Pleco URL!   3/1/07
Re: Microrasbora.
<Mmm, M. rubescens... a beauty>
I'm (along with others) looking after it's  Wikipedia page, and have uploaded links to the relevant references. I  don't know about the US, but this species was a *big* hit here, each  specimen selling for about £4-5 (around $8-10) -- quite a sum for  such a tiny fish.
<I'll say!>
It is very pretty though, and seems to do well in  captivity, the first breeding reports being within a couple of weeks  of import. So not 100% gloomy, but certainly alarming (cf. Banggai  cardinals, perhaps?).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celestichthys_margaritatus
Re: plecs, see here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bK5wg2tZ0U
<Neat!>
It's a lot of fun.
Will run something up on Kribs for CA/WWM in the next week or so.  Should have pretty pictures, too.
<Ahh, very good indeed. Thank you Neale>
Take care,
Neale
<BobF>

Pleco Problem?   9/11/06
Hello!  I have a 30 gallon, year old aquarium with 3 Bala sharks,
<Will be too small for these three in time>
one Pleco, two spotted catfish, and one cherry barb (it's buddy died recently).  The Pleco, otherwise healthy in appearance, has a white/yellow layer on his belly,
<Mmm... may be natural...>
and his colours seem slightly lighter all over than normal.
<Good observation... these fishes will change to lighter in bright light, light colored surroundings, under stress... I'd be checking your water quality here>
He is still eating and behaving normally.  The pet store suggested an ick treatment
<I would not do/use this... too toxic and this is not ich... or all your fishes would exhibit symptoms>
that seems to have done little but maybe give his belly more of a yellow hue.  I haven't been able to find out why the barb died, other than being chunky, he seemed healthy too.
Thank you for any help you can offer.
Lindsay
<Water changes, water tests... What species of Pleco is this? Loricariids don't like hard, alkaline water like the minnow fishes you have. Bob Fenner>

Pleco with skin disease?   8/18/06
Hello,
<Hi there>
I have a Bristlenose Pleco who seems to be losing his colour.  When I first got him, he was dark brown, but now patches of his skin are a lighter tan colour (I would send a picture, but it's very hard to coax him out into the open when it's light out, and he hides whenever anyone goes near the tank anyway).
<Mmm....>
He's in my cichlid tank, and ammonia and nitrite are both 0, nitrate is always less than 10 ppm.
This change is very recent; he was fine a couple of days ago, and he's been pigging out on algae, but his colour certainly doesn't look healthy.  What could be causing this, and how do I go about treating it?
Thanks!
<Not likely that this is something "treatable"... either just a behavioral/physiological change from the animal being exposed to bright light, light colored gravel... or a fright reaction to the aggressive behavior of its tankmates. I would not "add" something to the water here, but consider moving this animal to other quarters to check this hypothesis. Bob Fenner>

Re: Pleco with skin disease?   8/19/06
Thanks Bob,
<Welcome Kate>
Now that you mention it, I think you might be on to something with the "fright reaction," although the problem isn't his tankmates, who
ignore him (except when they steal his food), but it might have been my fault.  I had to remove every single rock (!!!) in the tank to
catch one of the fish the other day, and I imagine the Pleco was quite disturbed by this turn of events.
<Oh yes>
  Also, the rocks in question are white (or at least they are now that the Pleco has finished cleaning them), so maybe it is just a "camouflage" thing.  Thanks for setting my mind at ease.
Kate
<Glad to. BobF>

Once playful Otos are now lethargic   7/28/06
Hello there,
<Hi from... HI!>
For the past 5 months, I have owned a 46 gallon, unplanted tank, containing 10 rummy nosed tetras, 10 black phantom tetras, 4 peppered Corys, and 3 Otos.
<Better with live plants...>
The Otos were originally quite playful, moved around the tank, stayed within view, interacted with other fish and ate any algae that appeared.  However, for about the past month, the Otos have been in hiding.
<Something in the way of water quality changed>
Now I hardly ever see them, and algae is building up on the glass and plastic plants.   They don't appear to be sick, and none have died.  All the other fish appear to be normal.  My water temperature has increased to about 82 degrees due to the warmer summer weather, but besides that, I can't think of anything that I've changed.
I do 20% water changes once every week or two, and nitrate level is 12.5g/L or lower (my test kit measures only measures 1, 0, 12.5, and 25 mg/L).  I don't add any "Oto specific" food to the tank.  Might I simply have more algae than they can handle, allowing them to become more "lazy"?  Do you have any thoughts on the matter?
<Yes... I definitely would add some live plant material here... Will address many possible ills, shortfalls that could be at play here... Dissolved oxygen, food, shelter...>
Thanks in advance for your help.
Bonnie
<Welcome. Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/otocinclusart.htm
and the linked files above. Bob Fenner>

Colour changing Pleco   6/18/06
Hi there,
<Neill>
Thanks for a very informative and well structured website - it has helped greatly in setting up my 2 foot tank.
<Welcome>
I have a Plecostomus which seems to change its colour frequently, getting lighter patches one minute, then darkening to a healthy looking dark brown a
few minutes later. I really hope it is not ill or stressed!
<Mmm, no... more likely "mood changes". Perhaps a communication device>
I have sufficient filtration, plenty of aeration, do weekly 20% water changes (mainly to keep the water looking good, the log I have in the tank
is still leeching tannins after 6 months).
<Sometimes do for years>
My chemistry is good, 0 Ammonia/um, 0 Nitrite, <20 Nitrate, although I battle with pH a bit, keeping it below 8.0 requires quite a bit of pH-Down.
My Pleco's friends include about 14 Neons, 10 Blood Tails, 7 Platys (including one baby) and 2 Bala Sharks. I feed them Tetra flakes, and then
add an algae tablet, which the Pleco loves, and will aggressively protect from the Sharks and Platys!
Many thanks,
Neill Thompson from South Africa.
<As many welcomes from Bob Fenner in S. California>

Bully Pleco Or Sick Oscar - 05/22/2006
Hi guys, just looking on some answers for why my Oscar is letting the Pleco bully him. The Oscar doesn't seem to know he is the alpha male and cowers around the Pleco. The Pleco is far more aggressive than the Oscar. What can I do, my Oscar has stopped eating now.?
Thanks for your help. Margo
<You Oscar may have an internal protozoan infection and your Pleco is now taking advantage of the situation and dominating the Oscar. Do a 50% water change, vacuum the gravel and clean the filter. Treat with Metronidazole as per the directions on the package. separate the Pleco to prevent him from harassing the Oscar any more while he is recovering.-Chuck>

Floating Pleco beh.   2/2/06
Hi Bob,
<Kat>
Hope all is well with you and your finned friends.
<Thanks>
I have a 65 gallon FW.  Recently sized up from a 55.  A very long time ago when I was having a slight algae problem I bought a clown Pleco, not real
fond of "common plecs".  Well he sure is cute but a waste of money.  Algae eater my fanny!!!  My early ignorance.
<Mine continues unabated>
About 3 months ago I was getting the good old red bacteria, Cyanobacteria I have since discovered, and bought a high fin spotted Plec.
<Most animals don't eat much/any Cyano>
   If I don't feed my high fin he will clean the rocks but of course he doesn't touch the plants nor do the Mollies, or the Gold Gouramis.  So about every third day I
break up an algae wafer and drop it around the tank.
<Good>
Now here is what I find VERY interesting and hysterically funny.  The clown Plec will latch onto a piece of food, any piece of food and be fine.
However the high fin spotted latches on to any type of food and just floats away.  He will allow himself to float about half way up the tank then drops
what he has and looks for something else.
<Neat>
Why in the Sam Hill does one float and the other not?
<Am tempted to go for the Monty Python "Witch Test" hypothesis here...>
  When the high fin starts floating some of the gouramis just stop and look at him, like what in God's name are you doing?
<Enjoying him/herself>
FYI this is what I have. 65 gallon, Emperor 400, Penguin 330 and two powerheads, I know lots of current but all are fine.
6 Clown loaches, after I accidentally boiled my beautiful Synos.  Don't ask or you can.  The guys at the LFS laughed until they cried.  ( I am obsessive
about water changes etc)
7 gold gouramis.  All about 3 inches.
6 mollies, three babies, two adult females, one adult male.  (One of the adult females I have had for two years and I can tell she is just about
ready to die of old age, she was one of my original fish, and when she goes so will the rest of the Mollies back to the fish store. Maybe They are more
mean than the Gouramis LOLOLOL, and the guys at the LFS were worried about the Mollies, RIGHT)
6 various Cory cats, all original, and one I saved from being flushed.
1 spotted Raphael, which I rarely see, unless I sneak in there at night with my tiny flashlight.
Ok so now I am writing and can't stop.
I know there are some snails or something to get rid of the Cyanobacteria, and I have phos ban in my filter, but snails won't take care of the Cyano on
the plants right?
<Correct>
Anyway really want to know about the floating Pleco, if there is an answer.
Have a good one,
Kat
<Just a floater... in a good way. Have thought re the "reasonableness" of animal actions? Why do dolphins et al. cetaceans jump out of the water? Obviously because they can... wouldn't you? Bob Fenner, who definitely would>

Spotted Sailfin Pleco behavior, health 7/15/05
Hi I was wondering if you could help me. I have a 190 litre tank which is currently being filled out with Tetra. I also have a spotted sailfin
Pleco which I have had for approximately five years.  I came home yesterday to find the Plec at the bottom of the tank resting on the
artificial grass but more on its side.  It looked liked it was dead! Anyway when it was touched it swam off but came back minutes later to
again lie on its side and not move.
<Happens>
It has never been like this before it has always been an active fish and I am quite concerned.  I have checked the ph and nitrate levels which seem fine and the water temp hasn't risen dramatically (very slightly due to the weather).  I have also caught him and given him the once over but there are no odd areas
of spots or anything on him.  Any advice as to what is happening or is he just dying of old age.  Thanks.
<Large Loricariid species can/do live for a few decades. I suspect yours was just resting... natural. Bob Fenner>

Plecostomus poo
Hi, my Plecostomus poops ALL the time/ long stringy thingies.  His diet is varied and I keep the tank quite clean, so does he have a parasite, or
what???  I can't seem to find info on this problem.
                         Thanks,   Norma
<Nothing wrong here... Bob Fenner>

Research First, Stock Later
Hi Don - Oranda died. All this started when I inherited a huge brandy snifter and thought it would be really cool to turn it into a fish tank so I bought 2 goldfish - that turned out not to work too well because it had an air problem which led me to get my 10-gallon tank.  Since then, nothing but problems: daily water changes and testing at least twice a day, constant monitoring, keeping logs, faulty equipment, faulty test equipment, QT tanks, meds, shrinking fish, cannibal fish, etc. and now 5 dead fish to show for my hard work.  Fish should be considered "pets", not disposable hobby items, and I will not be getting any more.  I have decided this is NOT for me and will pack up my tank and equipment once these last two fish die.  I'm going back to kitten rescue which is what I did before. Yep, still hard work but much more rewarding for me.
<Sorry to hear this. We all go through these problems at first. Learn from it and improve. Your underlying problem is species selection. Goldfish and Plecos will grow to a foot. Too big for a ten, even when small (but growing)>
In the meantime, I'm not giving up on the two fish remaining and am now wondering about my new Pleco (who I've named "Hannibal") and how he was eating my Oranda before she died. Does this mean he's a carnivorous Pleco? Never heard of that, never warned of that, and I need to know if my calico goldie will be in any danger being in the tank with him?  I've read a couple websites that say he will start eating fish mates if he's hungry enough - how to guarantee that Hannibal stays well fed?  Since he was sucking away at my Oranda, I guess this means all the algae in the tank and the algae tabs I put in at night aren't enough. Both pleco's I've had refuse veggies. I have followed the advice of WWM: steamed but not squishy, nice big chunk so it's heavy enough to stay at the bottom, tried zucchini, broccoli and peas,
but neither Pleco would touch any. Tiny bite size pieces don't work because they float. Any advice you can give that will save him from being flushed is appreciated. Thanks very much for all you've done for me.
Robin
<Robin, no matter your feelings on keeping fish, never flush one alive. Think of the horrible death you are imposing on him. Return him to the fish store. Give him away. Never flush. He is a bottom dwelling scavenger whose normal diet is anything that sinks to the bottom of the river. This includes sick and dead fish. He was doing what nature intended, and what you intended when you bought him. Keeping the bottom clean. A hungry Pleco will try to eat the slime coat and flesh of any fish he can catch. Since this fish seems to want a more meaty diet than most, try a shrimp or other raw human seafood. Again, feed at night and on the bottom. If you would like a fresh start with a all your new knowledge, return them both now. Throw a small shrimp in the tank. It will decay and produce ammonia. No fish in the tank means no water changes. Test it once or twice a week. When ammonia and nitrite have both spiked and crashed AND nitrates are rising, you can add one or two fish without all these problems. Stock slowly, keep the number of fish low and research their adult size before buying and you will find this much easier. But I would return the Pleco in any case. He will outgrow the 10 soon enough. So will a goldfish. In an unheated 10 gallon tank six White Cloud Minnows would work well. Add a heater and it would be a great home for a Betta and three or four Cory catfish. Don>

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