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The fish i have in the 25 gallon are: 1 sailfin pleco,1 kissing gourami,1 clown loach,1goldfish,1silver shark(illudecent shark/catfish,1 snakeskin gourami and 1 angelfish.

The fish i have in the 5 gallon are: 1 sailfin pleco, and 4 neon tetra.

And 1 male betta in a jar

Note: DO NOT mix snails with clowwn loaches, thr loach will eat the snail!!!

The following info can help you alot belive me, the first times that i read this it helped me alot.

feel free to e-mail me also.

hope this info does you good!

Sick Fish: A Beginner's Dichotomy
Your "obvious" case of Ich may not be so obvious. 70% of all fish health problems are caused by stress, poor nutrition, or most of all: Water Quality. The other 30% of fish health maladies are actually caused by the parasites you think they are.
Tips on stress:
Shy fish need to be kept in schools and given hiding places. Aggressive fish (most cichlids) need to be kept alone, or with others of their own kind. Dusk-feeders (many catfish and knives) need to be fed sinking foods at dusk, or by half-light.
Tips on Nutrition:
The majority of fish do very well on Tetra's Premium Tropical Flake Food, (in the yellow can with the brown lid). You should supplement this weekly in a basket-feeder with Bloodworms or Brine Shrimp, which are available live or frozen.
Larger fish and Cichlids need small fish to eat. Tiny guppies or larger goldfish can be affordably fed to these perpetually hungry, aggressive piscivores.
Contrary to time-honored tradition, Goldfish do not thrive on conventional "goldfish food". For Goldfish under 3 inches, the best food is again, Tetra's Premium Tropical Fish Flake Food. Over 3 inches, Hikari's Oranda Gold (Mini) Pellets provide superior nutrition.
For best nutrition in virtually any ornamental fish, live or frozen foods should be fed frequently; from a basket feeder.
Tips on Water Quality:
You can easily test for the top two water quality killers, that's pH and Ammonia. The test kits are cheap, and easy to use. I prefer the liquid reagent tests.
pH should be maintained between 6.6 to 7.0 for tetras and South American fishes.
pH should be kept above 7.2 for livebearers, goldfish barbs, etc.
For best results in most communities, you should buy a good Neutral Regulator.
You should also be aware that
pH can fall to low levels (5.5) very quickly and especially in older systems that are neglected.
Ammonia comes up in new systems or systems that are over-fed or under-filtrated.
Using an undergravel filter with a powerhead driver is a good idea, indeed, a GREAT idea as this mode of filtration is the cheapest, the most effective and carries the largest biological capacity.
Ammonia should be removed, as it's detected, with partial waterchanges, using a simple dechlorinator each time. Ammonia binding agents are not a very good idea because they can be pretty caustic, and they ignore the original problem which is either overfeeding, or under-filtration.
If your fish are unhealthy, and you know that you are providing excellent water quality (by testing), good environmental husbandry, and superior nutrition, then you should finally consider a parasite.
If parasites are eventually suspected, you should know about Salt.
Salt is safe for most fish, very effective against alot of parasites, and does not harm your biological filter like Formalin and those caustic compounds do.
Salt (0.3%) clears common baddies including Ich, Chilodinella, Costia and Trichodina. These are the four most common fish killers we see in fish practice.
Use commercially available aquarium salt (or marine salt) and add one teaspoon per gallon daily for three days (total dose, three teaspoons per gallon). Leave it in there for 10 days and then gradually reduce it with water changes. Ich clears within 72 hours after the full application of salt. If fish are dying en masse, then you need to add the salt all at once. Certain live plants may be killed by salt. It's best to remove these before salting.

THE TANK
There are many factors in choosing what size and type of tank to purchase. I will address each one individually.

Tanks range from the simple desktop set-up of 1 gallon to 200 gallons or more. I don't know of many beginners that started out with a 200 gallon tank. Instead most beginners opt for a smaller tank. We started out with a 30 gallon tank. I feel that a 30 gallon tank is the perfect size for a beginner if you have the room for it.

Price is a big factor on choosing what to buy. The larger the tank the more money is involved in the individual purchase of the tank. In addition, the larger the tank the more it will cost to outfit the tank. You will need a larger more expensive heater, filter, etc and you will have to purchase more gravel to cover the bottom of the tank. When choosing the size carefully consider what the equipment is going to cost as well. The additives necessary in your tank will also be more costly in the larger tank. A larger tank requires more additives because additives are based on the amount of gallons. IE: 1 teaspoon per 10 gallons of water. A 10 gallon tank would take 1 teaspoon whereas a 50 gallon tank would need 5 teaspoons.

The larger the tank, of course, the more fish you can put in it. If you are interested in larger fish that can grow to a foot or more then you would want to purchase a 50 gallon tank or larger. However, if you would like a lively tank with a lot of small colorful fish, then a 30 gallon tank would suit you perfectly.

There are two types of material that your aquarium can be made of: Glass or Acrylic. All of my tanks are glass. I prefer glass over Acrylic. Acrylic tanks scratch very easily. Though most of the scratches can be buffed out, some can not. This spoils your view of the fish. In addition, Acrylic tanks cost a considerable amount more money. The plus of an Acrylic tank is that they do NOT have seams in them. They will not leak. Glass tanks are put together by sheets of glass glued together. They are very reliable, but the potential is there for the seam to loosen and the tank to leak. My 150 gallon tank that is now almost 10 years old and it is just fine. Usually if a tank is going to leak it will start out slowly and not just burst open, spilling all of it contents all over your house.

I would strongly suggest deciding where you want to put your tank before going out to purchase it. Measure the area you wish to place your tank and buy a tank that will fit in that area. Figure in space on both sides of the tank so that you can get to both sides of it. This will aid greatly in the process of setting up, cleaning, maintaining, etc. Tanks come in sizes of long and tall. You can get a tank that will be low and long or one that is tall and short and still have the same amount of gallons. If you are limited on space then a short and tall tank would be best. However, one thing to consider in a tall tank is how tall you are. I'm only 5' 2" and when the tank is sitting on a stand, it is very hard for me to reach all sides of it to clean it. So if you are not a tall person you may want to forego a tall tank.

The weight of a tank is an important consideration as well. My 150 gallon tank weighed 350 pounds without anything in it. Water weighs approximately 8.5 pounds per gallon. Add that to the weight of your fish, gravel and other accessories and your tank can weigh quite a bit. Need I say that my 150 gallon tank weighs well over 1500 pounds fully stocked. If you live in an upstairs apartment or plan on placing your aquarium in an upstairs room I would consider the weight before purchasing a very large tank. Many apartment complexes do not allow aquariums in their upstairs apartments.

Be sure that the tank is going to be put in a place where your floor will support the weight. To determine the weight of the water in any size tank: Multiply Width x Height x Length. Then divide that result by 231 to get total gallons. One gallon of water weighs 8.5 lbs. Multiply the number of gallons your tank is by 8.5 to get the weight of the water. Then add the weight of the empty tank plus any rock and gravel you plan to use.

Disease is another thing to consider when purchasing a tank. The larger the tank the better. If a fish gets sick or a parasite, the disease is going to spread much more rapidly in a 10 gallon tank than a 50 gallon tank. However, the cost of treatment will be much more expensive in the larger tank. So far I have not had any type of disease in my 150 gallon tank, but if I ever do it is going to cost a mint to treat the entire tank should that be necessary.

Watch your local paper or visit garage sales. This is a very good place to find a larger tank for really cheap. You can get real deals if you wait. Most of the time you can get the tank, stand and equipment for less than half of what it all would cost new. Be sure and have the person fill the tank with water before purchasing it. Wait around for 15 minutes or so to make sure that the tank does not leak. Another good thing to check when purchasing a used tank is to make sure that the sealant is still soft. Feel the inside of the tank where the edges come together. Makes sure that the seal is still soft and pliable. If it is hard and brittle you are taking a real chance on the tank leaking in the near future.

We totally lucked out when we purchased out 150 gallon tank. We could never have afforded that large of a tank if we had not found an ad in our local paper. A man was moving offices and had no time for his tank anymore. We purchased the 150 gallon tank, stand, 3 magnum filters, plants, fish, gravel, heater, etc, all for $450.00. We literally stole the tank. The tank alone sells for over $700. When talking to our friend at the fish store he said the whole set-up would have easily cost us over $1800 had we purchased it new. So... keep your eyes open. Who knows what you might find in the paper.

The stand that you place your tank on is very important. It should be very sturdy and able to withstand a lot of weight. The surface area of the stand has got to be as large as the bottom of your tank. Preferably larger by about 1/2" on all sides. Commercially built aquarium stands are usually the exact size of the tank. Do not place your aquarium on a TV. This can cause the tank to heat up too much and kill your fish. Also, when changing water there is a potential of damaging your TV. Whatever you place your stand on you will get water on the wood at some time or another. No matter how careful you are you always spill a little water or the fish will splash water outside of the tank when the lid is up.

All of my stands are covered with a piece of plastic carpet runner and a piece of carpet on top of that. The plastic carpet runner and the carpet extend down over the sides of the stand by about 2-3". This protects the wood finish of the stand. A friend of mine had a 15 gallon tank sitting on a window shelf for years. It wasn't until he moved last year and moved the tank that he discovered that water had totally destroyed the shelf. The wood was rotted. It's a wonder it did not cave in. If you purchase a 5 or 10 gallon tank, you can use a piece of Plastic Wrap on the stand.

Make sure that you set your tank on a level surface. If one corner sticks up higher than the other this will cause a twist in the tank which will eventually, if not immediately, break the seal and your tank will leak. Try to make the stand level. It is a real pain when filling the tank with water for it to not be level and tilted. We live in an old house which has settled and is terribly unlevel. We had to put spacers under our stands in order to level them. When we first started we did not realize this. We would fill the tank with water just to discover that the powerhead was not covered with water on one side whereas the other side of the tank was as full as we could get it. So it is very important that your tank is level in order for your equipment to function properly. Not to mention the fact that when looking at your tank it looks so much nicer when you don't see the water line on one end and nothing on th other.

Pleco's are also known to eat through the non-glass tanks


FILTER SYSTEMS
Filter systems depend on a lot of things. The types of fish you will be housing, maintenance or the system, your budget and of course, personal preference. I will outline what I use and my experiences with them. This is my personal opinion. Other fish hobbyist may differ in theirs.

UNDERGRAVEL FILTERS: Every one of my aquariums has an Undergravel Filter (UGF) in it. I love these filters. They are easy on the pocketbook (to purchase and maintain) and they do an excellent job. I, personally, have had very little trouble with them. They keep my tanks crystal clear. If installed and maintained properly any fish owner should have excellent success with them. If you are housing particularly messy, heavy waste producing fish (Oscars or Goldfish) you will need additional filtering in order to keep your tank clean. For most fish, however, the UGF works wonderfully.

You will need an air pump to use the UGF without powerheads. They come in a variety of sizes. In the beginning we purchased one that was for a 30 gallon tank. We soon found out that it really was not powerful enough to get the job done properly. I would recommend getting one that is for a larger tank than you own. It will last longer in the long run and do a much better job. Each tube that comes up from you UGF plate will need an airstone. These are very inexpensive and easy to replace. They are not easily cleaned and though I have done it in an emergency, I would not recommend it. After a while they deteriorate and crumble so it is best to always replace them. If you opt to use powerheads instead of the tubes and airstones then you will not need to purchase a pump.

One of the drawbacks of this type of filter is that the waste matter (food, feces, etc) tends to build-up underneath the filter. After a while sludge builds up under the filter plates and can eventually plug them up. Eventually the area underneath them gets full. An undergravel filter works by sucking water down under the filter and then back up through the tubes. Because of this, when the area underneath the UGF gets full, there is no where for the waste to go, but back up the tubes and out into your tank. This makes for quite a chore for cleaning. You have to move the gravel over to one side, clean the gunk out of the bottom, wash your plates and start your biological filter all over again. Without proper cleaning (see the cleaning section) you can have real problems.

When installing make sure that you fit the plates right up against each other. The filter will not work properly if this is not done. We had one tank that had a real problem with cloudy water even though we were doing everything right. Finally one day while talking about it we remembered that when we set the tank up we neglected to place the UGF plates right up against each other. We tore the tank apart and put it back together the proper way and never had another problem.

BIO-WHEELS: All of our tanks except for the 150 gallon, which houses the Oscars and various other Cichlids, have Penguin 300 Bio-Wheels in them. These are an excellent size for a 50-90 gallon tank. They keep the water circulating and the tank clean. Bio-Wheels are easy to set up. They come with excellent instructions. You can use two different types of filter media with these which adds to their appeal. I have a charcoal filter sleeve in each one and ammonia remover media in the baskets. They are more spendy than the UGF, but are well worth the money. I find that the combination of the UGF and the Bio-Wheel cuts down dramatically the amount of time spent on maintenance.

If you have messy or heavy waste producing fish, I would suggest using a Bio-Wheel along with a UGF. When we first started out my Goldfish tank only had a UGF in it. It wasn't long before we realized that this was not enough to keep it clean. It no has a Bio-Wheel, UGF and power heads. It takes all three to keep it crystal clear and free of waste material. Nothing looks worse when watching your fish swim around than seeing a bunch of stringy fecal matter floating around in the tank.

The instructions tell you to replace both the filters and the filtering agents on a monthly basis for them to be effective. This can get expensive. I personally don't replace my filters/agents as often as I probably should, however, I don't have any health problems by not doing so. I do rinse/spray the filter cartridges and the filtering media that I put in the baskets on a weekly basis to keep them in good filtering order. Cleaning them is time consuming, but cheaper and works just as well.

CANISTER FILTERS: Until we purchased our 150 gallon tank I had never had any experience with canister type filters. The tank came with 3 Magnum 350 Canister Filters. I must say I am VERY impressed with them. Having used only a Bio-Wheel, UGF and powerheads in the past with my Oscars and other Cichlids I had just come to figure I would have to live with a messy tank most of the time. However, once we set up the 150 gallon tank and moved the Cichlids in there we soon realized the value of a canister filter. The tank stayed crystal clear for weeks. We used to have to do weekly water changes to keep their tank clean. Now the tank stays clean with monthly water changes which we do to keep the ammonia and nitrates down mainly.

These filters are quite expensive. Had we not gotten them with the tank I highly doubt that we would have ever purchased them on our own. They run around $100 each. However, if you plan on having Cichlids, Oscars especially, I would highly recommend getting one. They are total pigs when they eat which messes up a tank real quickly. Oscars tend to put the food in their mouth, chomp down on it, and then spit out half of it through their gills. All this excess food floats around inside the tank making it very dirty and cloudy. With the Magnum hooked up to the tank there is no longer a problem with it.

Maintenance is one drawback to these filters. You have to disconnect and remove the entire filter system to clean it. The hoses that are attached to the filter start flaring on the ends after repeated removal requiring you to cut part of off so that it once again has a tight fit. If not reattached properly they can come off causing mass water spillage. There are several rubber washers on the connectors that require a coating of Vasoline to insure that they don't get dry and brittle which again could cause leaks. If the hoses are not cut properly you can damage the ends of your connectors by trying to force them on and bending the plastic on the ends.

There are valves that turn the water on and off. My boyfriend has made the mistake of trying to move the filter out from under the tank before turning off the water valves. Sometimes the connections would slip off from moving the filter and bending the hoses too far one way or the other. This resulted water, water everywhere. It is very important to turn the valves off before moving the system before cleaning.

Replacement parts are quite expensive as well. If you use a filter sleeve with charcoal you can clean that the same as I clean the filters in the Bio-Wheels and reuse it. However if you use the paper type filters you have to replace them each time. You can not clean them like you can the filters in the Bio-Wheels. The entire system is easy to clean out, but just make sure that all of your connections are very tight.

All in all, I rate the Magnum Canister Filters as an excellent product. However, due to the increases maintenance required and the expense, I opt not to use them on all of my tanks. I prefer to stay with the Bio-Wheels, UGF's, and powerheads.

POWERHEADS: All of our tanks, but the 30 gallon have powerheads in them. Originally we did not have them, but our friend at the store talked us into buying them. They make a tremendous difference in keeping the tank clean. In addition they keep the water agitated which increases the oxygen to your fish. They are much more powerful than the simple air tubes of the UGF. Be sure that when you buy a powerhead that you do not buy too powerful of a one. Check with the store owner on what size would best be suited for your size of tank. A tank larger than a 30 gallon tank, I feel should have a powerhead in it. You can get one very powerful one and put it on one side of the tank or get two less powerful ones and put them on both sides of the tank. That is what we have done. In order for you to get good circulation and maximum cleaning capabilities on the larger tanks, like our 80 gallon and 150 gallon, you really do need to have two powerheads in there. If you run 2 tubes and only one powerhead you will need to purchase a pump to run the other side.

I have no recommendation on brand. I have 4 different brands and they all pretty much seem the same. Since they are so powerful they will suck up a lot of waste and plug up after a bit, but you can take them apart for easy cleaning. They range in price but not by much. I've never had one go bad yet, so again, it is hard for me to recommend a certain brand to use. I would say, choose what fits in your budget for the size of tank that you own.

I am recently housing 2 aquariumz, a 5 gallon and a 25 gallon, i think its a great hobby.

Pleco
hypostomus plectostomus
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Size : Up to 12 inches
Distribution : Northern areas of South America, including Venezual and Guyana
Food : In nature: mainly herbivorous. In aquariums: feed on surface algae, but also needs a diet of lettuce and fish food in a tank with plenty of plants.
General Care : Thrives best in large aquariums with lots of hiding places and in company with other species. It is most active at dawn and dust, and is a good tank cleaner. No specific water restrictions on quality. Maintain temp of 68-77 degrees F.
Personal Experience : I have had a couple of the Plecos, and enjoyed them very much. Seems to be active in the evening and morning, since my light doens't come on until 5:00pm. Normally you only see them with their fins down,I like them. Very elegant fish that is quite different from typical aquarium fish. No other species seems to bother this species other than an occasional 'Oh, Hi'.
How Many I Have : 1
Quick Information
Common name: Common plecostomus, suckermouth catfish, algae eater (also used for other unrelated species of fish), pleco, pl*co (the internet superstition is that if you spell pleco out, the plecostomus will die), plec (in the UK), sailfin pleco (just for Liposarcus' and Gibbiceps')
Scientific/Latin name: Liposarcus multiradiatus (formerly Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus); other common and similar species include Hypostomus punctatus (formerly Hypostomus plecostomus), Liposarcus anisiti (more gray in color, the snow king pleco), and other Hypostomus, Pterygoplichthys, and Liposarcus
Maximum length: 1 to 2 feet (specifically 16 to 20 inches for Liposarcus multiradiatus)
Colors: Brown, black
Temperature preference: 68 to 82 degrees F
pH preference: 6 to 7.5
Hardness preference: Soft
Salinity preference: Low
Compatibility: Good with small fish; may suck on goldfish, discus, and other large, flat-bodied fish; devours plants; will eat dead fish
Life span: Unknown, maybe 10-30 years
Ease of keeping: Moderate
Ease of breeding: Difficult



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Description
Species and telling plecostomus species apart:
Hypostomus punctatus, or Hypostomus plecostomus as it was known for so long, is a suckermouth catfish with patterned brown skin. So is Liposarcus multiradiatus but since it is not in most fish atlas', I did not know that I did not have a Hypostomus until an expert saw the above photo. L. multiradiatus is in the first Baensch atlas as Pterygophlichthys multiradiatus. The photo shows a yellowish fish that does not look like my fish. A catfish expert says that they can change color and because my pleco was not expensive, it must be a L. multiradiatus. I am not so sure. Do any other experts want to tell me which species they think I have?
Pleco species can be told apart by the number of rays in the dorsal (back) fin. Hypostomus have 8 or 9; Liposarcus, Pterygoplichthys, and Glyptogolipthychs have more than 10 (usually 12 or 13); and Cochliodons have 10. My pleco seems to have 12 rays (he will not sit still!). It is easy to tell the fancy plecos (bristlenose, snow balls, gold nuggets, mangos, zebras, clowns, etc.) apart from the common plecostomus due to different patterns and colors and high prices. There are also plecos with different body shapes and features like the bristlenose plecos.
For more information on the species of plecostomus, visit the pleco fact file.

Plecostomus behavior and size:
Plecos patterns change with the background and their mood. The common plecostomus or pleco is sold in large numbers. Hereafter, references to pleco are specifically referring to the common pleco species (Hypostomus plecostomus, Liposarcus multiradiatus, etc.) and not necessarily other species. The pleco should not be sold with so little thought to unsuspecting customers (yes, I was one about four years ago!). First, plecostomus grow big, big, big!! The little two inch ones that they sell at the pet stores grow typically to nearly a foot if well cared for. Do not buy one, intending to keep it forever, unless you have a tank of at least 50 gallons. Liposarcus multiradiatus grows to 16 to 20 inches. Mine is 11 inches right now (9/4/99).

Plecostomus are noctornal. They feed on mostly plant material at night. During the day, their unusual omega iris blocks a lot of the light out of their eyes. The iris opens at night. Plecos can also wink using an eye membrane.

Plecostomus aggression to other fish:
Plecos just love to suck on ailing goldfish, discus, and other fat bodied fish. Avoid adding them together. There is one pet store near me that has about 20 tanks of fancy goldfish. Every tank has a small plecostomus and at any time, half of them are sucking on a goldfish. The employees apparently believe that any damage overshadows their algae cleaning abilities (in other words, they are too lazy to clean off the algae and do not care about the goldfish). My pleco probably killed the two rosy barbs with him even though he was 9 inches long and they were only about 1.5 inches long. Before that he harmed my goldfish. For more on my pleco with goldfish, visit my goldfish page.

Pleco to pleco aggression:
Large common plecostomus (this does not hold for many other species of pleco) are territorial and will usually not tolerate another large plecostomus in their tank. This may only be a same- species phenomena with two plecos of dissimilar species but similar sizes getting along without incident. Some of the more exotic species, such as the interesting bristlenose plecostomus, often get along with their own species at all sizes. I have never had more than one pleco at the same time in the same tank. Some aquarists report severe aggression; others say they get along fine. It most likely depends on species, size, and individual temperaments.

This said, plecostomus are great and interesting fish. In a large tank with small fish, nothing can beat them for algae cleaning capability. There are many other species of plecostomus more suitable for smaller tanks. Some are relatively inexpensive like the bristlenose pleco and clown pleco and some command higher prices like the gorgeous zebra, scarlet, and mango plecos. These often smaller other species of pleco are also often much less damaging to plants. The zebra pleco for example is much more carnivorous and eats little algae or plants. The bristlenose pleco is a good algae eater that usually leaves plants alone. It grows to a moderate length and can breed in captivity. Plecos can live a dozen years or more. One of my books says that Hypostomus punctatus (and presumably Liposarcus multiradiatus) is a "harmless loner." Small fish may agree but many of my and other people's goldfish and plants would beg to differ!



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Setup and Water Preferences
Plecostomus need big tanks as adults. Or they can grow with your hobby. Every time I got a larger tank, good ole Plecy moved in it. Adults need tanks with a minimum volume of 50-100 gallons.

Food:
Plecostomus require special food. At dusk, add those dry spirulina tablets that say they are made for plecostomus. Mine prefers those made by Wardley the most. Also, cut a cucumber in half (I only use about 30% of its length), spoon out the seeds (I use a grapefruit spoon), attach it to something (they make special vegetable holders), and place it on the bottom. They will also eat squash and zucchini in this way. Boiling is not necessary. Remove the leftovers every morning. Feed as often as necessary, depending on their size. Mine is about 10.5 inches and gets his cucumber every 1-3 days, depending on availability. They are supposed to eat leafy vegetables like lettuce and kale too but mine does not care for them. Also, be sure to include driftwood for them to chew on for roughage. They also like to camouflage themselves while sucked onto the wood.

Plecos WILL devour or destroy virtually any plant that you can think to add to the tank. The only plant that mine left alone was a large onion plant (crinum thaianum) and java moss (it must be secured with a clip to the wall or the pleco will uproot it). A well fed pleco will not eat all plants but it will uproot them. Give the pleco large pots, driftwood, ornaments, etc. in which to hide during the day while it sleeps. Light the tank well so that during the night, it will have some natural algae to eat. Also, be sure to provide lots of aeration in their tanks and vacuum up their copious volumes of feces every week with a 30-50% water change.

Water preferences:
They prefer slightly acid, soft water. Being from fast moving waters, common plecostomus like a strong water current and water with a lot of oxygen (although they can and do gulp atmospheric oxygen too). They do well from about 68 to 82 degrees F. My plecostomus survived a 42 hour power outage at about 55 degrees F for most of that time. I had battery air pumps. Not only did Plecy survive, but he was looking for food most of that time and thought night time was all the time!

Pleco air gulping:
Many species of plecostomus, including the common varieties can gulp air to gain better control of their buoyancy. It is not clear but in oxygen-poor environments, they may use some of the oxygen. Often, at dusk, a pleco will rush very quickly to the top of the aquarium and gulp air and then make a splash on its way back into the water. Some plecos are known to be more forceful while doing this, creating quite a splash. If there is no lid, they may jump out. If there is a lid, the pleco may bash itself on it. Usually, the event is not so violent. On their way back down into the aquarium, the pleco will open its fins and sort of glide down and often emit some bubbles from its mouth. With the extra air in their bodies, the pleco can now go about its nightly sucking ritual in almost any position. This is all normal behavior and no cause for concern.

See my aquarium page for information on my plecostomus and his new 40 gallon setup.



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Sexing
I once read that the male's chin barbels are more hooked while the females are smooth. I do not know if this is even true. People who can sex common plecostomus are few. I do know that plecos will fight with each other over territories so stick to a single one, unless you want to breed them or have a huge tank (200+ gallons). For Hypostomus punctatus, the males are supposed to be smaller with larger barbels than the females. To determine sex this way, you would need many large (a foot or more) plecos to compare.



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Breeding
Common plecostomus have only been bred a few times in captivity. I read a report of a Hypostomus punctatus breeding in a tank where the male guarded and fanned dark brown eggs and later guarded fry in tree roots . Some think that is just a myth. Males take up residence in caves where the female lays her eggs. In the wild, these spawning caves are along river banks near the surface. The male sort of hangs out with the eggs and hatched fry who suck on whatever is around. The keys to their breeding are HUGE tanks (500-2000 gallons), a pair of plecostomus (very hard to tell sex) that get along, lots of surface algae and vegetables, and few distractions. Most plecos are raised in ponds in the far east, Florida, and other places. A few plecostomus, like bristlenose plecostomus, have been bred in aquariums. With this species, it is also possible to tell male from female with certainty (the male has more barbels and adornments).