Missing Pleco - Aquarium Advice

canuckaquarist · 05-09-2008, 07:50 PM

Hey there,

I have not seen my Pleco for a full day now. I moved around and looked in all my decorations and plants, no sign of him. My aquarium is completely covered, so I doubt he jumped out, plus I looked all over the floor.

All I have in this aquarium is 3 Raspboras, 2 White Clouds, 2 Silver Dollar Tetra, and 3 Amano Shrimp plus this missing Pleco.

I also checked the filter wondering if somehow he got up into it, nothing there also.

Any else have any weird fish disappearances like this? Can Plecos maybe bury themselves under gravel? Could Tetras and Amano Shrimp possibly eat a Pleco?

Thanks,
- CA

**Zagz** · 05-09-2008, 08:22 PM

Yes they can hide very well. Your other fish couldn't have eatn him. He is most likely hiding somewhere very well. Do you have sand as a substrate? He may be hiding in the sand.

neilanh · 05-09-2008, 08:41 PM

They are very good at hiding. I sometimes go days without seeing mine.

canuckaquarist · 05-09-2008, 10:49 PM

Thanks for the replies.

I do not have sand, I have little round pebbles. I literally searched that whole aquarium now and have not found him. Odd, I will keep my eye out to see if he pokes out somewhere, a fish literally can't disappear?

**Purrbox** · 05-09-2008, 11:05 PM

I've had fish simply disappear never to reappear, however they were small fish and there were lots of snails present which could easily clean up any traces.

Skyrmir · 05-10-2008, 01:00 AM

The other thing that makes them hard to find is that plecos can change color to a degree. Pretty much freaked me out when I moved my pleco inside a red bucket once. They also attach themselves fairly well, so if you removed some ornament, be careful, they might be suction cupped to the bottom of it.

warped1 · 05-10-2008, 08:26 AM

I agree ... they can hold on to things very well. I removed an aqua clear (HOB) filter from a tank to give it a cleaning and found that the pleco was attached to the underside of the water return .... and I can tell you he startled me when he decided to jump off.

gsongy · 05-10-2008, 09:14 AM

Call Mulder and Scully, we have an abduction!

Just joking, hope it turns up!

Ilovefish · 05-11-2008, 04:52 PM

Have you checked the back side your heater? Mine is always on the heater.

Courtney8526 · 05-11-2008, 05:07 PM

I don't know how common this is but I found mine under my tank stand. I guess he got out through the hole the filter goes in.

05-09-2008, 07:50 PM	#1 (permalink)
canuckaquarist Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 63	Missing Pleco Hey there, I have not seen my Pleco for a full day now. I moved around and looked in all my decorations and plants, no sign of him. My aquarium is completely covered, so I doubt he jumped out, plus I looked all over the floor. All I have in this aquarium is 3 Raspboras, 2 White Clouds, 2 Silver Dollar Tetra, and 3 Amano Shrimp plus this missing Pleco. I also checked the filter wondering if somehow he got up into it, nothing there also. Any else have any weird fish disappearances like this? Can Plecos maybe bury themselves under gravel? Could Tetras and Amano Shrimp possibly eat a Pleco? Thanks, - CA

05-09-2008, 08:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
Zagz Aquarium Advice Addict Community Admin Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saskatchewan, Canada Posts: 9,968 Images: 75	Yes they can hide very well. Your other fish couldn't have eatn him. He is most likely hiding somewhere very well. Do you have sand as a substrate? He may be hiding in the sand. __________________ Anne My Profile Page My tank & fish photos Have you voted for AA today?

05-09-2008, 08:41 PM	#3 (permalink)
neilanh AA Junkie Community Mentor Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 2,143 Images: 15	They are very good at hiding. I sometimes go days without seeing mine. __________________ ~Neilan In the DC Metro Area? Check out GWAPA Look, I have a My Info Page! Where's yours? Useful Links: Vote for AA, Nitrogen Cycle, Fishless Cycling, Articles, Acronym List

05-09-2008, 11:05 PM	#5 (permalink)
Purrbox Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Iowa USA Posts: 4,106	I've had fish simply disappear never to reappear, however they were small fish and there were lots of snails present which could easily clean up any traces. __________________ ~Joy 10 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 5.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - 2.5 Gallon Planted Photo Log - Pico Planted Photo Log

05-11-2008, 04:52 PM	#9 (permalink)
Ilovefish Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: May 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 16	Have you checked the back side your heater? Mine is always on the heater. __________________ 10 gallon....Three Corys, one Otto 20 gallon....Three Mollies, four Corys, two Ottos, five Neons 29 gallon....Five black-skirt Tetras, five Serpae Tetras, one small Pleco, four Corys. 6 gallon.....Cycling for some ghost shrimp

05-09-2008, 10:49 PM	#4 (permalink)
canuckaquarist Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 63	Thanks for the replies. I do not have sand, I have little round pebbles. I literally searched that whole aquarium now and have not found him. Odd, I will keep my eye out to see if he pokes out somewhere, a fish literally can't disappear?

05-10-2008, 01:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
Skyrmir Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 495 Images: 9	The other thing that makes them hard to find is that plecos can change color to a degree. Pretty much freaked me out when I moved my pleco inside a red bucket once. They also attach themselves fairly well, so if you removed some ornament, be careful, they might be suction cupped to the bottom of it.

05-10-2008, 08:26 AM	#7 (permalink)
warped1 Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: South Philly, Pa. Posts: 224	I agree ... they can hold on to things very well. I removed an aqua clear (HOB) filter from a tank to give it a cleaning and found that the pleco was attached to the underside of the water return .... and I can tell you he startled me when he decided to jump off.

05-10-2008, 09:14 AM	#8 (permalink)
gsongy Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Metairie, LA. Posts: 36	Call Mulder and Scully, we have an abduction! Just joking, hope it turns up!

05-11-2008, 05:07 PM	#10 (permalink)
Courtney8526 Aquarium Advice Apprentice Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: TEXAS Posts: 41	I don't know how common this is but I found mine under my tank stand. I guess he got out through the hole the filter goes in.

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