Jumping Plecos?

[Patr1ck]

Has anyone had any issues with plecos jumping from their tanks? Im asking as I would like to go open top with my tank as to allow better gas exchange.

Thanks,
Patrick

[MatsP]

They are ABLE to jump out of the water. I wouldn't say it's a big problem, but it has been known to happen...

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Mats

[Patr1ck]

So would a wire top like on a reptile cage be the way to go? Or would it rust? Im not sure what metal that they are made from.

Thanks,
Patrick

[MatsP]

Some of the people who keep marine tanks do indeed use a stainless steel mesh on top. It needs to be good quality stainless in a marine setup, since any "polution" from metal entering the water would cause big problems - it's not QUITE so sensitive on a freshwater tank, as the fresh water is much less aggressive against metals.

Plastic or plastic coated metal may also be a possibility - something like the net used for the screen doors in US houses would be a possibility, I suppose.

I personally use glass or plastic covers on all my tanks - it reduces evaporation as well as keep the fish in the tank. I use an air-pump to ensure that the tank water is well oxygenated (along with, in most tanks, a couple of pumps to circulate the water).

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Mats

[Mike_Noren]

I've been running open top for years (due to using metal halide lights) and have never lost a loricariid - my impression is that they don't jump unless they are really, really, really unhappy about water quality or company. I have lost some tetras, though.

[Carp37]

I've had issues with climbing bristlenoses- a 1" fish climbed the last 3 inches above the water line and wound up dried up on the carpet; other aquarists have also had adult bristlenoses "disappear" in open-top tanks, which probably is due to them climbing out and not being found.

[MatsP]

I have found three dried out Bristlenoses on the floor at different times. And that's WITH a top on the tank. In one case it MAY have been a case of me loosing one out of a net when catching them.

The escape artist bristlenoses also, as far as I can guess [1], climb up the pipes for the centralized filtration, and travel "upstream" to the neighbouring tanks!

[1] Both tiny ones and big ones. The tiny ones I can guess will go out through the overflow, and eventually ends up in the pump and spits out in a different tank. But the ones that are 1.5"/4cm long (TL) are WAY to big to go through the overflow by accident (or on purpose), so they MUST be climbing up the outflow.

--
Mats

[Shane]

Has anyone had any issues with plecos jumping from their tanks?

Yes... but they usually only do it once.

-Shane

[Haavard Stoere]

Has anyone had any issues with plecos jumping from their tanks?

Yes... but they usually only do it once.

-Shane

LOL

I have only had experiences with common bristlenoses leaving the tank. I have never had any other pleco species jumping out. Mike is on to something about fish jumping out because of something wrong with the water. It makes sence.

[Chrysichthys]

It has only happened to me once, with a

Hypostomus faveolus

. When I gave it an unusual food, persimmon (sharon fruit), it ate quite a lot and afterwards suddenly jumped out of the tank. I rescued it, and it seemed fine, but I have never again given persimmon to my plecos, in case it is toxic (or hallucinatory and makes them think they can fly ).

[hotchiliz]

There do have many cases, especially for big size ones like megalancistrus and pseudacanthicus, when they are quite new to the tank environment or poor water quality issues.

Mine is a open-top concept so that the temperature will be much cooler, just that, i have a all-round bracing on all the sides.
They normally will attempt to "jump" from the side glass and with bracing on all four corners, it prevents them from leaping over the tank.

It works.

[DJ-don]

this has happened to me-have you maybe check the breathing of the pleco?
my bristlenose have went really into hyperventilation mode when the zucchini stuffed up my tank (too much zucch )
i would reccomend a big water change

also i use to have a internal filter where it flowed out on towards the glass making a waterfall kindo of thing and my little albino's i had use to climb up the waterfall when i was asleep. and my tank was in my room!!