# Bristlenose pleco swam into intake tube



## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

I set up a new sponge filter and I see the pleco likes to stay at the bottem of it all the time now. 

Tonight I saw her climb down into the smaller tube where the bubbles come out. She climed all the way down into it while the bibbles were coming out and then climbed backwards out. Is there a reason she went in there and is it safe? I thought she wanted more air....hope I'm wrong.


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

fish do strange things unless she gets stuck, don't worry about it. I have a ADF that i have to fish out of my sump intake box every other day. And a pleco that likes to suck on the mystery snails as they graze on the glass.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

bushynose plecos love to hang in filters...they also like to swim up the overflow of a HOB filter..


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## N0z (Jun 3, 2009)

fish do crazy things lol i have loachs that live inside my filter


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

Ya well it looks like this new sponge filter is her new hangout. She thinks shes totally covered but I can see her perfectly from the side when shes under the filter. She hasnt been eating and doing her duties like she's supposed to be doing. There is more brown algae on the glass reappearing.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

lohachata said:


> bushynose plecos love to hang in filters...they also like to swim up the overflow of a HOB filter..





Knight~Ryder said:


> Ya well it looks like this new sponge filter is her new hangout. She thinks shes totally covered but I can see her perfectly from the side when shes under the filter. She hasnt been eating and doing her duties like she's supposed to be doing. There is more brown algae on the glass reappearing.


KR: The BN is doing what it is "supposed to be doing" and is consuming the algae inside the tube as well as hiding (contrary to the literature BN's have personalities).

What makes you believe that the BN is a she?

TR


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## N0z (Jun 3, 2009)

Knight~Ryder said:


> Ya well it looks like this new sponge filter is her new hangout. She thinks shes totally covered but I can see her perfectly from the side when shes under the filter. She hasnt been eating and doing her duties like she's supposed to be doing. There is more brown algae on the glass reappearing.


maybe she comes out at night when your asleep (if you have a fish tank light turn it of at night so she'll start to come out)


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

I have a pleco that either stays hidden under some driftwood, or right in between the filter intake tube and the glass. I guess plecos love filters 

Plecos are nocturnal and your probably is doing his/her job at night. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and see the street light out of my window reflect off of my pleco's belly as it moves all over the glass from side to side, probably looking for food.


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

Ever since I put that sponge filter in, she stays there most of the time. Before that she was everywhere day and night. This is why the wall of the tank was always clean, now it's getting dirty again.

The reason why I say female is because it's not getting any bushes on the end of the nose. Am I correct in this statement?


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## Knight~Ryder (Dec 2, 2007)

*Now I'm more serious then before. This pleco is not moving from that spot! The tank is getting brown again, the plants, rocks, and ornaments too. Should I move the sponge filter to a a place where she won't hide there all day and night? She needs to get back to doing her job.*


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

Knight~Ryder said:


> The reason why I say female is because it's not getting any bushes on the end of the nose. Am I correct in this statement?


KR: There is a "method to my madness" here.

If the BN is like 2.5" you should be able to observe the bristles.

I have lost track of what you have in your 39G? tank but I believe that you were short on bottom dwellers.

I also believe that you have a planted tank?

If so purchase another four BN's which are like 1.5" and you should be able to get a mated pair which you enjoy. (You should be able to give the other BN's to someone in the mall.)




Knight~yder said:


> Now I'm more serious then before. This pleco is not moving from that spot! The tank is getting brown again, the plants, rocks, and ornaments too. Should I move the sponge filter to a a place where she won't hide there all day and night? She needs to get back to doing her job.


KN: Please refer to my previous comment.

Your BN is a "happy BN"! (I have three Polka Dot Loaches which enjoy sleeping with each other in a wood hole.)



TR


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