Pleco swimming to the surface of the water and returning to the bottom?

[bkbrianbk]

Just as the title says, my common pleco is swimming up to the surface of the water and reaching the top only to return back down to his place at the bottom of the tank and he will do this about every 5 minutes. Is this normal behavior or something I should be worried about? He has never really done this in past ( had him for about 7 months).

Thanks in advance

 

[studd muffin]

There is something wrong with the water. He is coming up for air. The last time i saw my pleco do this was when i added to much chemicals (pimafix, melafix,water conditioner, parasite clear, and ich med)Never add this much! Check your water parameters. You should do a water change.

 

[bkbrianbk]

Alright thanks, I'll do one right now ha.

 

[Greez]

I've read from a few places that this is "normal" pleco behavior, I've noticed my pleco do this every now and then and my water parameters are and have been fine since the tank finished cycling.

 

[bkbrianbk]

Hmm, well either way im gonna do a water change just not right now, but in the morning. Cant hurt to change the water. Thanks for the input guys

 

[zerojquan85]

if your pleco is a chocolate pleco... that is normal behavior for it... I've own three in the past to know that that is normal for them...

It has to do with their feeding habit...

 

[FoxDragon]

Mine does this on occasion. He likes to gulp air on occasion and blow bubbles with it. My water parameters are all good and that tank gets water changes every week, he just likes to blow bubbles.

 

[knobhill]

could be normal behavior, could be lack of oxygen in the water. If none of your other fish are breathing heavy, the pleco should be fine. A water change never hurts--unless you have to lug a bunch of water around!

 

[daviscanbefound]

ok both of my plecos do this and my polypterus......today b4 i went to work i noticed my 5'' oscar has the begining stages of ich so water change and treatment time......i have a 2 filters.....one of them is a dual filter but the only component is the carbon.....ive treated ich b4 and ive had to remove the carbon so should i just turn that filter off then?......the other filter i have is a fluval 403 .......its 130g tank.....any suggestions?

 

[syddakyd]

i had bristenoses do this when i accidentally changed too much water...and i seen a large common do it too. e was crammed in a 55g with cichlids and a small filter. luckily catfish can breath air...the cichlids were gasping. i told the workers wtf is this ****