About 3 months ago maybe more I lost my Pleco, I checked everywhere under rocks behind wood and in planted areas, I took all the rocks out periodically to clean and never saw my 6-inch Pleco. I know he used to hide in the stones under the cave rock, he is a tough cookie and can make a hole in the stones, I just assumed he was better at hiding than I was finding, I couldn't believe he was dead because I didn't smell anything bad or no remains and I couldn't image anyone eating him (Looking at the clowns, You better not have!)
As the days went by then the weeks I started to lose hope (Finger now pointing at the clowns) I had given up on him ever returning to the community of the tank. After seeing the fish in the pet shop valued of them smaller than mine over £100 I was gutted I had lost such a valuable fish, and with no sign or signals, I was totally duked into thinking it was my clown fish ''Grr''.
Anyway, I had bought a canister filter and it had been set up for a few months now It was time to take out my old Juwel Filter that came with the tank, It was stuck to the glass and covered in stones at the bottom, id already put my hand right in to see if he was in there, and no luck.
I wanted to take out the Old filter so that the flow of water is all going one way across the tank, so set about prising off the plastic from the glass, once it had come loose I took out the heater and removed the pump, then started to lift it out, My wife was watching and starting screaming ''Omg stop he's there!'' 'Who there?'' I asked ''It's him it's him, The Bristnose omg it's huge'' she cried. So I stuck my head to the side and sure enough, he was inside the bottom underneath the filter not inside.
The only way he could have got in there was by digging under the stones, These are one crafty fish, I have no idea if he came out at night each day or just hibernated in there for over 3 months, needless to say, he's doing very well about 8'' now and the bottom of the filter is kept hospital clean
Now he's back where he belongs under the lid of the cave, I'm surely planning on his next great escape. I will capture some pictures later when the lights are on before he vanishes again. What a crazy animal these are I had lost all hope but there he was all this time! amazing.
Spot the Bristlenose, and yes my clowns are asleep in volcanic rock with holes like bunk beds, cool guys.
![:]](./images/smilies/smile.gif "Smile"){kind=small}
& welcome to 
