je_suis_ketan Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Hey another question from the Newbie :oops: You always see pictures of people holding Pleco's in the palm of their hand. The other day I was vacuuming my tank and brushed up against the side of one of my Pleco's and it made a dash for it and splashed me in the process. Without being to aggressive and hurting the fish, how do people get to hold them or does it depend on the fish themselves and how comfortable they are with you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ktttk Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Easiest way would be to net them out and then pop them on your palm.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
je_suis_ketan Posted October 30, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 But do they not Thrash around when you pull them out the water? I think my 2 Plecos are really skittish. They tend to swim away (VERY quickly) when someone goes near the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ktttk Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 They do thrash about when you net them out and put them on your hand.. but will eventually settle down.. not something I recommend you do as it does stress the fish out.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarBoy Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 wat eva u do dont grab there fins there spiny lol ive had bd experiance when catching them to sell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted October 30, 2007 Report Share Posted October 30, 2007 Yeah most plecos I've owned (commons etc) were covered in spikes, at least once large. You don't really want to touch them. Once out of the water some will just stay in your hand, and do the play dead thing, others will flip out. Another trick is to turn them upside down then they're in your hand. Bristlenose are fun too, whenever I go near my males they bring out their collection of spikes to scare me off, and later, to poke me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsarmina Posted October 31, 2007 Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 i will not handle my pleco or adult bristlenoses, but i do handle the baby bn's only if need be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tHEcONCH Posted October 31, 2007 Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 Hey another question from the Newbie :oops: You always see pictures of people holding Pleco's in the palm of their hand. The other day I was vacuuming my tank and brushed up against the side of one of my Pleco's and it made a dash for it and splashed me in the process. Without being to aggressive and hurting the fish, how do people get to hold them or does it depend on the fish themselves and how comfortable they are with you? I'd recommend that you don't handle them if you can avoid it - they don't want to be handled - just leave them be and they'll be happy. If you start picking them up, they'll associate you with danger and hide every time you go near. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
je_suis_ketan Posted October 31, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2007 I don't really want to hold my Plecos, I was just curious because mine seem to bolt away when I just brushed passed them and I always see pics of people holding them. He got me really well though, jumped out the water and splashed me. Caught me by supprise! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuglyDragon Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 Im handle my plecs all the time, they get rather tame after a while. I never use a net to catch them as they inevitably get their cheek spines (Interopercular Odontodes to use the correct term) tangled up in the mesh. The ultimate solution is just to drain out most of the water and then pick them up from the bottom of the tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Afrikan Posted November 5, 2007 Report Share Posted November 5, 2007 we never handle ours unless we have to, wouldn't go out of our way to pick them up or handle them unless there is a need. Shifting larger plecos from one tank to another, we never net them, nets are more hassle than good with plecs... we gently cup the body underneath and hold firmly but gently the lower end of the body going down to the tail and the pleco will usually go stiff for a quick easy transfer, bugger trying to untangle a thrashing large pleco from a net... that is far more traumatic for the fish imo 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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