# Plecos Jump?



## svolk (Apr 5, 2005)

My friend had a pleco (she's not sure what kind, it was spotted) and last night the tank lid accidentally was left open. This morning she found her pleco on the floor about 4 feet from the tank. Unfortunately it was too late to save him.

I wasn't aware that plecos would jump out of the tank. Is this common?


----------



## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

Actually it is, i have found fry in my AC filter before they get swimming in current from filter or powerhead or something and do jump...
Sorry to hear about ur loss


----------



## fishfreaks (Jan 19, 2005)

I wouldn't say it's that common, but yes it does happen.


----------



## Alisha (Aug 5, 2005)

I didn't had any idea they jumped at all...huh...


----------



## Osiris (Jan 18, 2005)

I see it happen to younger ones more cuz wild their from rivers swimming against current so have them speratic jumps from rock to rock...


----------



## Lara (Sep 4, 2005)

I was not aware that pleco's commonly jumped, my male very occasionally rushes to the surface of the water but has never actually jumped out (mind you there's a lid on the tank), the female doesn't do this. Does anyone know the reason for this behaviour, how interesting! This isn't an issue for my tank but it might be worth checking the KH/pH of the tank in question. Dropping pH levels is one reason why fish might jump out of the tank at night and keeping the kH (carbonate hardness) up will ensure the pH doesn't fluctuate too rapidly. Of course maybe this is just normal pleco behaviour that I didn't know about till now. Poor fishy :rip:


----------



## cucci67 (Aug 3, 2005)

My pleco jumped out while I was on vacation a few years ago. He was atleadst 4 feet from the tank.


----------



## flynngriff (Jan 19, 2005)

I've never seen my plecos jump, but I've been woken up at night by the sound of one of the climbing through the hole in the top of the tank where the heater cord and airline come out. The pleco is about 5 inches long and 1.5 inches wide at its head, and the hole is square and only about 1.75 inches across. He had to go through diagonally to get his fins out, but he did it.

Luckily, I got to him before my cat did, and he's been fine for months. I don't know how he managed it without fingers!

-Flynn


----------



## Xator (Jul 29, 2015)

I have a Gold Spot Pleco (L001) and the last 4 yrs I've had him there hasn't been a night were he doesn't jump clear of the water. Though before I got him?/her? I had no idea, I'm just lucky my tank lid is elevated, to give him room to jump!:-o


----------



## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Plecos walk over land in nature moving between bodies of water. That's what lets them take over places like Texas and Florida. I don't recall ever seeing one jump, but they definitely walk. Well, crawl, anyway.


----------



## big b (Aug 17, 2014)

They can crawl? I wonder if my bn pleco would do that ....


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

They'll also swim up the outflow from a hob filter, and don't always make it back into the tank on the return trip. I've found a couple BN and even small Synodontis catfish dried out on the glass cover.


----------



## big b (Aug 17, 2014)

I am thinking about trying to teach my bn pleco to crawl over my floating driftwood for a treat, what ya think?


----------



## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

I've found a few desiccated plecos under tanks. They can get out if they want to. They are also the fish most likely to survive some time out of the tank, so put them back in water if its only been a few hours, sometimes they revive.


----------



## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

emc7 said:


> I've found a few desiccated plecos under tanks. They can get out if they want to. They are also the fish most likely to survive some time out of the tank, so put them back in water if its only been a few hours, sometimes they revive.


Pleco Semetary: sometimes they come back...


----------

