Pleco jumped out of tank and need help on what to do

So my pleco jumped out of the tank. My boyfriend and I have no idea how long he was out of water for until I noticed it when I was vacuuming. He is surprisingly still alive, but in AWFUL shape. I found him by the extension cords and I really thought he wasn't going to make it. His fins are raw, he looks bruised, body is peeling, and I feel so bad about it. I put in stress coat to try and help him out a bit, but was wondering if anyone else knew if there was anything else we should be doing for him. He normally hides during the day but the past 3 days he's been sucking on the glass, recovering from his traumatic event. I don't have any pictures currently, but will add later.

 

We had the same thing happen wit ours a couple years ago… best to leave him in the tank do a good size WC 50-75% and leave the lights off for a couple days. Also wouldn’t hurt to add one or two of his favorite blanched veggie like zucchini or even a couple pieces of algae wafers or shrimp pellets. They are like armor he will recover I’m pretty sure. Good luck!!

 

Okay thank you! He ate some zucchini that I put in for him last night which is good. He's a big boy, around 7 inches so I'm hoping he didn't wound himself too much. I thought he was a mouse when I first saw him on the floor. I never knew pleco's could jump out, it was only a 2 inch opening in the back too. Thanks again!

 

Assuming this is a standard common pleco?

If so they can survive out of water and in the sun for 20 hours to 30 hours and get all dried out and recover from being returned to the water. The armored scales hold their moisture in their interior. The outside can be beaten up and dried out and they will recover.

You might be in trouble if it stops eating or been over a day.

I've come across them on the banks fishing all dried out from someone else who left them to die (they are invasive where i am) and put them back in the water and In a couple minutes they are back to moving around after they loosen up again.

I mean dried up stiff and crispy and no signs of movement to swimming off again.
They are tanks! Water change and make sure he's eating watch for any secondary infections and he'll recover.

when water they live in dries up they will burrow into the mud and it will dry and harden and lock them in until a rain that loosens everything up, survive like this for months even off just the oxygen in their body.
they can also breath oxygen from the water with their gills, or from the air with a gill cavity that functions like a life support lung or something. so they can almost hibernate to where they burrow in and close off retain their interior moisture, and recirculate the oxygen around themselves in minute bits to go long periods without water and just their own air.

yes. plecos can jump out. might want to check on your waters oxygenation, a lot of times if it's not that great they will come to the surface for air, and this is when jumping out is likely to happen.

 

Based on the category I think OP's fish is a well grown bristlenose, but I agree with the above, they're mighty durable fish. Didn't know commons could go out of water that long, that's impressive!

 

Based on the category I think OP's fish is a well grown bristlenose, but I agree with the above, they're mighty durable fish. Didn't know commons could go out of water that long, that's impressive!

Yeah man. It's just too bad they grow so big.

 

To get a better idea of how rough he looks...

 

To get a better idea of how rough he looks...

I think his chances of recovery are decent but I wouldn’t bother using Stress Coat except to condition new water because it’s just water conditioner, it’s not any kind of medicine.

I’d change water daily for a week or so and keep a close eye on him.

Fish can get really beaten up flip-flopping on the floor, so he might benefit from some Methylene Blue, which is an excellent anti fungal and mild antibacterial that I would apply directly to all affected areas just as it comes from the bottle. A vet taught me to use it this way long long ago and while it is a stress for the poor guy to be caught and have MB dribbled all over it will do a lot to stave off any infection with fungal or bacterial getting started.

 

Poor guy, crossing my fingers for your fish. I agree with FishFur, if medication becomes necessary, MB is a good bet for preventing infections of several kinds. Is he eating as usual? Appetite is something you want to see when determining how a fish is recovering from a health event.

This is beside the point, but a note based on your photo: if your pleco is indeed a bristlenose, I would guess that the fish is female, based on the 7inch length. A male bn would almost certainly be presenting large bristles by that size. Obviously, our fish don't care what pronouns we use for them, but it's also possible you have a different subspecies. Where did this fish come to you from?

 

Sad update, Cookie (the pleco) was found dead floating this morning I got her 4 years ago from my local Petco, and wasn't expensive either. I saw her eating two days ago on zucchini, but after that I haven't since I feed her at night and have another baby pleco in the tank that shares the food. I thought since she wasn't moving that much that she was just recovering from her trauma, but I think it was too much for her. Thank you all for trying to help out with your input, I hope I never have to have a fish jump out of my tank ever again!

 

Sad update, Cookie (the pleco) was found dead floating this morning I got her 4 years ago from my local Petco, and wasn't expensive either. I saw her eating two days ago on zucchini, but after that I haven't since I feed her at night and have another baby pleco in the tank that shares the food. I thought since she wasn't moving that much that she was just recovering from her trauma, but I think it was too much for her. Thank you all for trying to help out with your input, I hope I never have to have a fish jump out of my tank ever again!

Very sorry it turned out that way. =(

 

SIP Cookie Very sorry for your loss.

 

wow, so sorry for your loss. Thought for sure if it was eating and not completely shut down it would recover.

 

Sad update, Cookie (the pleco) was found dead floating this morning I got her 4 years ago from my local Petco, and wasn't expensive either. I saw her eating two days ago on zucchini, but after that I haven't since I feed her at night and have another baby pleco in the tank that shares the food. I thought since she wasn't moving that much that she was just recovering from her trauma, but I think it was too much for her. Thank you all for trying to help out with your input, I hope I never have to have a fish jump out of my tank ever again!

I am so sorry that she didn’t make it.