Hello,

I've had my pleco for about 7 years. He was dumped off outside of a daycare I worked at, so I'm not sure his exact age.

He's approximately 8 inches long, and in a 35 gallon tank with three diamond tetras. I did have an ammonia spike in my tank from moving a few weeks ago, but I think I have it under control now.

I'm worried about my pleco. He's been swimming very fast and ramming himself into the tank walls so hard that his nose is all bruised up. I came home today to find another injury under his eye. I'm scared he's going to kill himself.

Is the tank too small for him? I've never seen him display this type of behaviour before.

Thank you in advance for any help.

Yes the tank is too small. with you having him for 7 year he should be twice that size. Sounds like he might be stunted, thats is where the outside body quits growing but the insides don't and I imagine he's having some pain. Commons grow to 24 inches in proper tank sizes, At the size he is now he may not grow anymore, but I would put him in at least a 55 gal to give him more room.

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I second that. I had a common for two years and he got to be ten inches in a 29 gallon tank... gave him away to a woman with a 150 gallon tank recently. I also must say that in my youth, my family had four "feeder" goldfish in a ten gallon tank, and one day, the biggest one rammed his head into the side of the tank so hard he actually killed himself. So yeah, that's definitely something to be worried about.