Anyone have trouble with plecos climbing into outlet of HMF?

[2wheelsx2]

I had always suspected it to be a possibility but tonight I confirmed it. I have been running an HMF in a 15 gal tank for raising various fry (BNP, L260, L333, L134, etc) mainly if I want to sell them. If I want to keep them I just leave them in the tank they were bred it so I don't mix.

Tonight I was catching some more L260 to put into the tank and I noticed that some of the bigger ones I caught were not in the tank so I thought I should investigate. I have a big Vecton UV on the side of the tank where the HMF so it's difficult to see behind the filter unless I move stuff around a bit. I shone a flashlight back there and lo and behold a whole host of 1 - 1.5" plecos. I am concerned that the O2 is low back there and or they would get burned by the heater. Do you guys put screens over the outlet? I have one of the jet tube style outlets. Or am I just being overly concerned and I should just pull the fish outta there and not worry about it?

[TwoTankAmin]

I have a 20 Long used for pleco growout. I have had a variety of offspring in it of all sizes. I have an air powered Jetlifter. I have never had any size fry get behind the foam. I have the foam end be above the waterline at the top. Then I use a glass top. I have a few more HMFs on 33 longs. These use custom returns with homemade spraybars which are powered by variable speed pumps. The holes in the spraybars are very small not even a pleco egg can fit though them.

[Jobro]

Bristlenoses seem to love this. Other plecos won't do this on me. But the BNs and their offspring love it. Papa BN spend a few weeks in the outlet of my air-lift pump. He just swims in there making a lot of splashes and then stays right in the air/water stream. I spend 30 minutes searching for him behind and beneath the tank, in fear he might have jumped out of the tank, before I finally realized something was odd with the water outlet.

My only concern here would be the lack of food for juvenile plecos. But my babies usually find their way back to the other side of the foam by their own.

[syno321]

I raise young BNPs and in the tanks where I've got homemade airlifters I use screen door mesh fastened with electric zip ties to prevent the young from going to the dark side. Being on the dark side doesn't hurt them, but I'm sure they're growth rates aren't optimal, and it is a hassle to catch them. Also, while they're on the dark side I don't want them to be in a situation where they may get confused as to their paternal lineage.

[2wheelsx2]

Hmmm...sounds like I might need some mesh over the outlet....or go to sponge filters. My biggest hassle is taking apart the filter to catch them to sell. Defeats part of the purpose of the HMF which was to make catching easier.

[syno321]

The mesh doesn't effect the flow in any appreciable way.

[2wheelsx2]

Yes, I can't imagine it will, but I was surprised no one mentions this as a possibility. My 15 gallon is lidded although with an old school plastic canopy and the foam goes right to the top.