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My absolutely stunning 5" Gibby, which I've had since Nov., somehow got out of the 29 gal. tank sometime last night. Found it just a few minutes ago. The tank is well covered except around the power filter, Had done a water change and filled the tank 1/2" from the top. His behavior wasn't erratic. Has anyone ever had this happen? Are there any preventative measures to keep this from happening again? Or was it just a flukey freak accident?
-Chris

What else was in the tank?

I had a very young common do the same thing.
Several people said plainly fish jump. But you need to determine why. Was it water condition, a tank mate or size. I feel that mine was tank size as the other tankmates were a school of neons and the water was good (7.0 A 0 N 0 N 5). If I were that fish I would probably have wanted a bigger home.

HTH

The tank is currently stocked with 2 medium size angels, a mid-size severum which I do plan on trading in. I had put him in there a few months ago to treat fungus on his head, 2 corys, 4 blue rams, 4 apple snails-average 1 1/2", 2 tetras. It's a very peaceful tank, and the water perameters are good. I was plannig on moving the Gib to my 60 gal in a few months. There was plenty of room for him at this stage.

Unfortunately I believe all plecos will climb out if given the smallest opening. Over the 20 years I have kept them I have found numerous specious on the floor. They especially go out by the filters in an attempt to (swim upstream overnite). I find them in the filters sometimes. I found my 7 inch gold nugget on the floor a year ago all dried up. But he Lived and is healthy today. Good luck.

Gold Nuggets IMO are the first to feel the effects of imperfect conditions. They come from waters which are soft and acidic - if your water is neutral or 7+, they will feel an amplified effect of ammonia and nitrites . Usually they exhibit feeling these problems by swimming up and down the glass - if the water isn't changed they may squeeze out in an effort to find cleaner water.

I have noticed that with other types of plecos - especially when trying to introduce them into an aftican tank.

I have also had a gold nugget live and thrive until I introduced a v argentea into his tank as a recovery tank for the argentae - within a day the pleco was out of the tank.