Do All L270s Do This?

[B.D.S]

I was watching my tank last night and managed to catch my L270 doing what looked like having a sand bath (shimmying around about 1/2 inch under the sand).


I'm fairly sure this is a favorite feeding ground (30-40 small trumpet snail shells every 3-4 days) cos my L264 and common whiptail all have dance-offs(i'm sure you all know what i mean!) over this area and up until last night i had very rarely seen the L270 near this end of the tank and he's been in there over a year.

I expect this from the L264 but is this common behavior for L270s?

Thanks

 

[SuperColey1]

As far as I know plecs love to play in the sand, and also they pick food out from under the sand.

My pitbulls (LDA25) are always doing it, so much so that there is a dip in the sand near the front where they play.

I sometimes see them on the sand and they are rolling the sand in the mouths and out of their gills (or at least that is what they look like they are doing)

Even though they are small they sometimes up root plants when they 'tail swipe' the sand sending sanding up into the water and it looks like a 'snowstorm' as it comes down again.

When I had commons before I had gravel and they used to push this all over the place as well, so I assume its common.

 

[Shadow~Fox]

I have read that plecos do it in the wild, so don’t worry about it.

But in saying so is he rubbing himself up against and tank ornaments or anything? This could be a clue that he mite have ick. Probably not but just keep a eye open.

 

[Spike_ea_2k6]

my LOO1 does that, he loves the sand does it every night

 

[B.D.S]

Sorry guys you have gotten the wrong end of the stick.

i know the sand playing is common(plays merry hell in a planted tank!), what i meant was the snail hunting.

Thanks

 

[Shadow~Fox]

Well they are Omnivores so I guess that its normal to hunt out some meat.

 

[SuperColey1]

Sorry guys you have gotten the wrong end of the stick.
i know the sand playing is common(plays merry hell in a planted tank!), what i meant was the snail hunting.
Thanks

Not too sure plecs go snail hunting although they may eat eggs if they accidentally come across them. If your tank is anything like mine, snails feed in the sand picking up scraps and therefore just happen to be in the same place and the plecs like to be. At least with trumpet snails this seems to be the case, while ramshorns like leaves and bogwood, and pest snails like the top of the tank more.

Coincidence I know, but whilst plecs will eat meat if it is put in front of them I havent as yet seen them go for a snail. Could be wrong

Summary in my tank:

Trumpets - Bottom of Tank
Ramshorns - Middle of Tank
Pests - Top of Tank.

Wish I could get rid of them all but Mr Betta only eats pet snails eggs at the moment.

 

[LisaLQ]

My plecs (sorry, I dont have L270s though so no proper experience here) dont eat my MTS, but mine are kept on fine gravel. I hope mine dont go after the MTS if I change to sand in my new tank....the gravel/sand argument is definitely swaying towards gravel right now lol.

 

[SuperColey1]

My plecs (sorry, I dont have L270s though so no proper experience here) dont eat my MTS, but mine are kept on fine gravel. I hope mine dont go after the MTS if I change to sand in my new tank....the gravel/sand argument is definitely swaying towards gravel right now lol.

Lisa - I guess youre talking Malaysian Trumpet Snails (these abbreviations often lose me). I have them in my playsand, where the leave a netork of lines where they drag their shells through the top layer of sand (a bit like the sandworms on Doodle-Do on CBeebies.lol)
Pitbulls are supposed to be real scavangers but they don't seem to be eating the snails. I haven't seen any plecs eat snails before, so I shouldn't worry. Also the trumpet snail has a much harder shell thatn your average snail and even loaches struggle with them (so I am told).

plus sand is better for plecs and trumpets.