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What is a BN pleco doing head down in the

plastic tube of my sponge filter???? He was all the way at the bottom of the tube (which attaches to the top of the filter). I pulled the tube out, grabbed his tail (thinking he was dead) and he went eeek and jumped back into the tank. WTF??
 

mscichlid

Founder
I've seen that before long time ago, but didn't know why. I removed my tube.

Does he have a cave for himself?
 
this is my new 20 gallon. There are four pieces of driftwood, one large rock with space underneath and two pleco caves that no one uses -- so there should be plenty of places for six small BN plecos. If it happens again, I'll pull off the plastic tube. Is it necessary?
 

verbal

CCA Members
It seems that BN plecos like to find the smallest possible space they can fit in. I had a couple times when I though plecos were dead and they suddenly started wiggling when I tried to pull them out.
 

toddnbecka

Members
I put a piece of plastic canvas in the tubes to keep the BN out. They seem to be attracted to the water flow, and probably feel secure in the tube.
 

longstocking

Members
Ditto... cories, plecos... it seems all things catfish like those tubes. They are death chambers for them. I make sure there are real caves in the tank ... and sometimes even stick a small rock down the tubes.... not enough to block the flow but big enough for them to stay out.
 

Avatar

Plenipotentiary-at-large
Occasionally deadly they may be...

...but pretty certain they significantly enhance uplift and water flow, and hence filtration. Someone needs to come up with an open mesh mini-chicken wire cap or some such.
 
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