Bn Pleco Problems

[nadajdui]

I have had this cute little guy for about 2-3 months now, and there have been no problems up until now. For the last 3 or 4 days he's been breathing rapidly, and he's lost a little bit of weight. I never see him eat, but he could be eating at night. It doesn't seem like it though, judging by the weight loss. Not a lot, but enough to worry me a bit. All the other fish appear to be all right and breathing well. Eating well, too.
Tank size: 33 Gallons
pH: 6.5
ammonia:0
nitrite:0
nitrate:5-10
kH:1
gH:1
tank temp:25C

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Unusually fast breathing. Not eating

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 40-50% weekly

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank:No chemical additives. AC70 Filter with bio sponges and carbon

Tank inhabitants: 2 BN Plecos, 4 corydoras cats, 5 colombia tetras, 2 otocinclus(sp?)

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): cactus tree decoration, Male BN Pleco

Exposure to chemicals: No

 

[WILDER]

Not sounding good with not eating and laboured breathing, sound like he has a bacterial infection to me.
They tend not to eat and labour breath.

 

[nadajdui]

What do you suggest I do about it? Is there any way I can identify it, or do I need to take a wild guess? I lost one BN already, and I don't want to lose another one.

 

[WILDER]

To be honest with the laboured breathing don't think he could handle a med.
If you can issolate and run an airstone you could try a bacterial med, but once they labour breath and stop eating there dying really.

 

[nadajdui]

Well, I am not going to just sit back and watch him die. So I will isolate him and try the airstone, I have another tank he could go in.

 

[WILDER]

Thats fine as long as you have a heater, need location for a med.

 

[nadajdui]

Yup, got a heater, as well as a filter. Just gonna try and make him as comfortable as I can.

 

[nadajdui]

Well, as it turns out the cactus ornament I purchased was not made for aquariums, and had been painted. I can chip the paint off. Soo, it's likely paint poisoning, or something along those lines. It was a mistake. I have learned from it. All I want is advise on how to proceed from here, if anything can be done for the pleco. Nothing more than that. I know what I did wrong, that's that. My only concern now is helping my boy out. Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

Yes run some black carbon and a water change to remove the poisons and increase aeration, good luck.

 

[nadajdui]

I have him in that 10 gallon. Water changes every 8 hours. Right now I'm in the process of doing a huge waterchange in my 33 gallon. Thanks for the luck and advise.

 

[nadajdui]

Well, he died today. Thanks for the help everyone.

 

[WILDER]

R.I.P. In litle fellow.