# Scared the *%^# out of me!



## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

We had 2, I guess they are common, plecos about 4.5" long in our 55g. tank. I told hubby that I'd like to put one in the 29g. tank but I was afraid they would miss each other (they've been together since we started the tank about a year ago).

He said they don't even pay any attention to each other so go ahead and move one. Well yesterday I did. Last night as I was going to turn the kitchen light off to go to bed there lay the pleco on the floor beside of the 29g. tank.

It wasn't moving and even looked a little dried out. I was sure it was dead. I bent down and picked it up (keep in mind I think these fish are about the ugliest things I've ever seen) I wasn't even clear back upright with it yet when it let out this squeel or grunt or some kind of noise. I about threw it across the room it scared me so bad but I caught myself and hurriedly ploped it back in the tank.

Has anyone else ever heard one make a noise? How long do you figure it was out of the water? Do you think it was trying to get back to it's buddy in the 55g. tank? Do you think it learned it's lesson or might try it again?:-? It seems fine today.


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## Linka (Aug 14, 2007)

:lol: 
Have to giggle a bit. I had a similar experience with my gibbiceps. They squeel or make a wierd sound. Mine did when I lifted him out of the tank to move him. It was scary.


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## chromedome (Oct 24, 2007)

g-day dewdrop,

well i had to laugh, that would have made a great funny home video.
i don't know anything about this grunt/squell thing,
maybe he/she was voicing their displeasure, i'm sure you've felt what it's like to be a fish out of water :lol: :lol: :lol:

regards chromedome :thumb:


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## copasetic (Nov 26, 2007)

no i dont think it was looking for its friend.. it was exploring its new tank and learning its new smaller dimension.. What size is the pleco maybe the 29g is too small?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

many catfish can grunt (at least that's the name I've always given the noises they can make) and yes, the first time is alarming... we are so used to fish being silent! :lol:


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

In in-shore waters in the Gulf of Mexico there is a fish called a "croaker". They croak like a frog
when caught. Really loud.


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## Hoosier Tank (May 8, 2007)

I had a plecto catfish that "croaked" when netted, almost a clicking noise.
Freshwater "Dogfish" around here "Bark" when taken out of the water... hense the name :wink:


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

The spotted raphael catfish is also called the "talking catfish". It makes a chattering noise when taken out of the water.

And, clown loaches "click"...

Dewdrop, you are a constant source of entertainment, and I mean that in the best way possible! :wink:


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

copasetic, It's about 4.5" inches long. It doesn't look to big for the 29g. right now. I'm gonna try to believe it wasn't looking for it's buddy and was just checking out the new tank and run out of length it was use to having.

I'm sure it was a funny site. Especially the look on my face when it made the noise.

Maybe this post will keep somebody else from throwing one across the room when they make the noise and they didn't know about it. I came so close to giving it toss and squeeling myself.

I think it learned it's lesson though. I stayed up all night last night worried that it might happen again but it didn't.

I'm still wondering though, how long they can stay out of water. It really looked like it had been on the floor for a while.


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Dewdrop, my husband came in with 4 dojo loaches the other day. They were very "snake" like and I was quite surprised to read and find that they can literally spend days out of water. You'll find them all dried up and darkened, put them back in a tank, and they will swim away... 

I've found fry in the floor a hundred times that we dropped transfering from one tank to another, and put them back in the water to find they were fine, but I've never known how long they've been there. (Those fry moving stints tend to take alot of time!)

I once sat an ornament out of a tank with a talking catfish in it and didn't realize I had done it. A half an hour later, I heard it chattering and returned it to the tank. It was fine.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

WOW Thanks Kim. I don't guess my pleco has super powers or 9 lives or anything then lol.
Congrats on the dojo loaches. Aren't they the weather predictors? What fish are you putting them in with?


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I found my Beta out of the water the other day. He must have been there for quite a while and had flipped around a bunch. I screamed when I saw him thinking he was dead and my husband came. I was getting ready to pick him up when he actually moved a bit. He was dry to the touch and covered in dirt and dog hair from flipping around (I think) and I had found him far under a piece of furniture. After a day he was back to his usual self. I was so surprised that he was ok.. I guess fish are pretty hardy when it comes to lak of water.


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

I don't know if this is true or not but I've heard that Betas live in a mud puddles and as it starts to dry up they will bury themselves down deep in the mud and live without water until another rainy season. If that's true they probably can be under a chair for a while lol.


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## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

I had the same thing happen with my betta. I put him in a cup to clean out his bowl. The doorbelll rang, and I had a nice long chat with my neighbor. I went to the bathroom (his home) to finish the job and he was lying on the floor. At least I found him before my cat! Lol. That was over a year ago. He did lose some of his coloring on his fins from his experience, but otherwise fine!


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

Dewdrop said:


> Congrats on the dojo loaches. Aren't they the weather predictors? What fish are you putting them in with?


They are called weather loaches - supposedly exhibiting odd behaviour with barometric pressure changes, but so far, they're just crazy all the time. Of course, we've had our share of thunderstorms lately, so maybe they are just trying to tell me something with their behaviour! :lol:

They are in a SA tank with some rams and other fish. I'll have to remove some of them as they grow, they reach 10-12 inches, but for now they are fine.


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## CichlidWhisperer (Apr 12, 2008)

I just looked at a picture of those online.. they do look like snakes... Don't think I would want one of those out of the water on the floor... I am getting shivers down my spine just thinking about having to pick up one of those little snakey bodies..  ICK


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## cichlidaholic (Dec 7, 2005)

CichlidWhisperer said:


> I just looked at a picture of those online.. they do look like snakes... Don't think I would want one of those out of the water on the floor... I am getting shivers down my spine just thinking about having to pick up one of those little snakey bodies..  ICK


That will be when I remind my husband that they are his fish! :lol:

I did spend a couple of hours wondering how far they can travel once they escape, and needless to say, there isn't an open hole anywhere that they can get out of, thanks to me!


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## hollyfish2000 (Aug 23, 2007)

How the heck does a pleco end up out of the tank? He jumped???


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

I don't know if he jumped or if he was clinging to the back and climbing and went up and over the top then fell or what. The top is only open a bit in the back for the HOB filter.


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## edouthirt (Jan 22, 2008)

I think plecos can handle being out of water a bit better than cichlids. I had a 55 gallon taank full of africans and a pleco that sprung a leak when I was out of town for a weekend. Needless to say I came home to wet floors and a tank of what I thought was all dead fish.

As I am getting all of the fish out... the pleco squirmed... and I was delighted!! Unfortunately I did not hav another tank to put him in, so I put him in a bowl of water until a friend said he could take him...

I learned that he did not survive very long in the new tank and was never acting quite right. But I was amazed that he had survived the experience at all.


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## Guest (Jul 2, 2008)

My pictus catfish makes a weird barking noise when you catch him, it's horrible


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## BenHugs (Jan 13, 2007)

Pictus cats are really noisy they sound like cats fighting at times and even make a vibrating noise that sounds like the pump is straining (took me a while to figre that one out) They do all this in the water and can be heard throught the glass.


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## Cardiff (Jun 2, 2008)

wow made me giggle to and will look out for mine doing it


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