Sorry about your loss. Better luck next time. It wasen't your fault that he died, most lfs's starve their plecs, its one of those things unfortunatly. It's best to get them when they first come in, rather than waiting a few weeks, as once a plec has any sigs of starvation setting in, it is touch and go as-to whether they make it.
Sorry for the loss
rabbut

Hi all,

I took him back this morning to Swallow Aquatics in Colchester. My fears of them finding a reason to refuse to refund me where unfounded. The manager tested my water and said that it was fine, and I explained that I realised he had a sunken belly (after some of you posted) when I got him home. I also said, as unpatronisingly as possible, that keeping plecs in betta tanks so that people can see them was not a good idea, as typically they are shy and require places to hide, and the panaques need wood to eat, and he took that on board.

I have to say 10/10 for customer service. 5 day guarentee with production of receipt, dead fish and water sample, and no quible with the store credit. He even took the time to speak to me for a fair while about plecs and how they obtain them etc etc. I had to stop him in full flow and say that I needed to get to work.


Andy

bummer for the loss, good to hear the LFS came through.

I always have a good look at them in the tank and when bagged to make sure belly is full, eyes aren't sunken etc.

you gonna get another plec then with the credit?

I would disagree completely and would say it's better to wait a few weeks. Plus, any lfs which starves it plecs isn't an lfs worth going to.

Agreed, 100%.

If its fresh in and you really really want it then put a deposit on it, let the LFS acclimatise it/get it feeding after what must be a fairly traumatic journey from South America, its bad enough in Economy class!

That's fair enough. I am not aware of any lfs's in my area that would qualify as being worth going to then. My bad for giving advise applying to people in my area only again

Appologies to all, I stand corrected
rabbut

Sorry for your loss you did everything you could im lucky enough to have one which has settled relly well. If you see any in the future which seem in better condition I would definitly recommend you buy them, a very nice peacefull pleck.

I was in Swallows today and it would seem they took no notice of you pointing out a plec should not be in a betta tank as they had a royal panaque in one. I tried my best to convince them that that wasn't the best environment for a pleco but they said they hide too much in the normal tanks and need to be seen to be sold.
Sorry your lovely new plec passed away

sorry for your loss mate
a way round that print a pic and put a price on it put it on the tank its in and if a customer wants a look it aint hard to disturb his peace for a few mins by moving the bogwood or rock



cheers dane

I agree.

That Royal has been in that betta tank for at least a month. Thats when I first went to check what L numbers they had. When I took back my L066, I did say that panaques would be particularly affected by being kept in a betta tank because they eat wood. The guy agreed with me, and it's still in there. It seems the only way that they will accept that a betta tank is not suitable for a plec (or any fish for that matter, I think even male Bettas can be housed in a community display tank each) is very sadly for one to die. Even though they guy accepted that my L066 had died from starvation.

Being a sucker, if I had a tank big enough I'd of bought it.


Andy

.

This post has been edited by madgap: Sep 24 2007, 08:44 PM

If you want to go for a drive, I'm trying to get rid of two if you're interested?

Hi All,

I'd just thought I'd let you know that I used my store credit to buy another King Tiger Plec. I really wanted a King Tiger and it was the last piece in my stocking jigsaw puzzle. I stood watching the remaining two King Tigers, wondering if it was a good idea. I almost bought a Candy Stripped Plec instead, as it was more active than the two King Tigers. It was a nice plec, but I would of been always thinking that I should of got the plec I really wanted. One of the King Tigers was very pale in colour. I asked the LFS worker to disturb the other one so I could get a better look at it, and decide if I wanted to buy it. It didn't seem to bothered at being encouraged to the front of the display tank, and it rose of the gravel a little so that I could see that it's bully wasn't sunken. It wasn't in peak health but as I wanted a King Tiger, and I had a credit for the value of it and I didn't need or want to buy anything else, I decided to risk it.

While I was acclimatizing it, it was trying to break out of the bag, which I thought was a good sign as at least it had some energy. After releasing it it went straight behind my large piece of bog wood. It wasn't long before it found one of Russell's caves, and it stayed half in one all weekend. I thought here we go again. I know that they are a particularly timid plec but two days not moving, doh!

To my surprise and joy, when I checked the tank on Monday morning I found it on the remains of courgette. Over the last few days it has been eating allot of courgette, I can tell that it has been eating it even if I don't see it, as it demolishes it allot quicker than my Bristlenose or Leopard Frog. Courgette seems to be the favourite food of them all. I have also seen it eat meaty catfish pellets and shrimp.

I didn't want to announce to the forum that I'd bought another one until I was happy that it wasn't going to die, and I'm hopeful that this one is going to make it. It is the most timid plec of the three, but it is getting a little more confident. I'm lucky that it's favourite hiding place is under the large piece of driftwood, which is visible.

Here are some pics:








Andy

nice they are next on my plec list


cheers dane

Really nice.

I have a few and they all started off shy. They are qiute active now though.