Plecs Burrowing In Sand

[MCFCTrick]

Hi .... have just reverted back from gravel to sand for substrate in my tank ... all settled nicely ... but the three Plecs in there have gone nuts in burrowing under rocks and wood pieces, causing major sandstorm and low visibility in the water.

Never had this problem in the past, and just wondered if it's usual behaviour with Plecs, and I either live with it, or go back to gravel?

 

[Aliray]

I think that is normal behavior for a pleco. In the wild a lot of them excavate areas on the side of river banks to make themself a cave . and that is where they lay their eggs. They are just trying to create there own homes. Do they have plenty of caves in your tank? Each one needs their own. Actually the probably think they have died and gone to pleco heaven.. All that neat sand to play inI have three BN type plecos and they are my favorite fish of all time. I have one in each of my three tanks. Alison

 

[enrgizerbunny]

My bn pleco loves digging his own caves under driftwood in my tank. Sounds like you have play sand. Replace it with rinsed pool filter sand and you won't have particles stuck in the water column when they dig. Filter sand has more large granules that don't float easily.

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