Plecos 'blinking' and bristlenoses flaring gills ?

All posts regarding the care and breeding of these catfishes from South America.
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biomechmonster
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Plecos 'blinking' and bristlenoses flaring gills ?

Post by biomechmonster »

Just a couple questions, maybe they're stupid but hey....

:?: Why do plecos 'blink'?

:?: Last night after I cleaned the tank and all my plecos were crowded into the corner behind the heater, I was watching my rubbernose and Ancistrus sp. squabbling for more heater space and the Ancistrus sp. was actually flaring its gills at the rubbernose--I've never seen a pleco flare its gills before! I didn't know they could do that, has anyone else seen this?
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Suckermouth
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Post by Suckermouth »

1. Not sure, probably to just clean stuff of it.

2. I've seen it. It's even scarier with adult Royals, with all those odontodes (I think that's what they're called)!
nonamethefish
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Post by nonamethefish »

I haven't seen them "flare" in any sense, but I have seen them "lock" the spines under there gills. Very aggravating when you are trying to remove them from a container with your hands.
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