BN pleco spiraling?

[Lgoldman]

Last night I boiled a small amount of romaine lettuce, red cabbage, and carrot. I left this in my 20 gallon tank overnight and removed it the next day. In the morning, my pleco‘s stomach was blue and a tiny bit big, but it seemed normal. I had a piece of lettuce in the tank attached to an algae magnet, which the pleco was near. I had to move the magnet to remove the lettuce, which may have stressed the pleco out. The pleco hid under the driftwood for most of the day, which is normal. However, later, it went to the new sponge filter for the first time, which may have freaked it out. I turned off the light to hopefully let it calm down, but it began spiraling. It is currently hiding in my Java Moss, which is something it never does. My water levels are fine, and all of the other fish are acting fine. Is something wrong, or did it just get freaked out?

 

[Slaphppy7]

How long have you had the pleco? What kind is it?
How long has the tank been set up?

 

[Lgoldman]

How long have you had the pleco? What kind is it?
How long has the tank been set up?

I have had the pleco for about 3 or 4 months. It is a female albino bristlenose pleco. The tank has been set up for about a year, and I did a fish in cycle about six or seven months ago.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I'd wait and watch.

 

[Lgoldman]

I'd wait and watch.

She is still hiding in the Java Moss. Should I cover the tank to make it fully dark?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Lights out, but no need to cover the tank, just keep outside activity to a minimum, and let her chill

 

[Lgoldman]

Lights out, but no need to cover the tank, just keep outside activity to a minimum, and let her chill

I woke up to find that she hadn’t moved at all. I looked closely and noticed her eyes weren’t red anymore. I put the net in, and she still didn’t move, so I removed her. I still have no idea why she died. The vegetables had nothing on them, the ingredients were just romaine lettuce, carrot, and red cabbage. I boiled them for about 15 minutes. All of my other fish are still fine.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Sorry for the loss.
Do you use a liquid test kit to check params?

 

[Lgoldman]

Sorry for the loss.
Do you use a liquid test kit to check params?

I use test strips. They don’t test ammonia but my nitrite was 0 and my nitrate was less than 10 since I had just cleaned the tank.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Get one of these ASAP, the paper strips are unreliable, and many times inaccurate...ammonia is the first thing we want to test every time there *may* be water quality issues....not suggesting this is why you lost the fish, though

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

 

[Lgoldman]

Get one of these ASAP, the paper strips are unreliable, and many times inaccurate...ammonia is the first thing we want to test every time there *may* be water quality issues....not suggesting this is why you lost the fish, though

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000255NCI/?tag=ff0d01-20

How long do they last? I might be able to get my parents to get it if it lasts a while but I don’t think they’ll let me buy it often

 

[Slaphppy7]

How long do they last? I might be able to get my parents to get it if it lasts a while but I don’t think they’ll let me buy it often

They last at least a couple of years, you get around 800 tests per parameter (ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, and ph)

 

[Lgoldman]

They last at least a couple of years, you get around 800 tests per parameter (ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte, and ph)

I’ll definitely try to get it soon. Do you have any idea why the pleco could have died? I had recently installed two new filters, which could have been stressing her out as her behavior changed when I added them. (She started staying at one spot at the front of the tank).

 

[Slaphppy7]

I’ll definitely try to get it soon. Do you have any idea why the pleco could have died? I had recently installed two new filters, which could have been stressing her out as her behavior changed when I added them. (She started staying at one spot at the front of the tank).

I really don't think that was the cause, but ANY kind of stress is not good for fish.
Did she have plenty of hiding spots?...caves, driftwood, rocks etc....?...they need to rasp on wood to aid their digestive system, so DW is a must

 

[Lgoldman]

I really don't think that was the cause, but ANY kind of stress is not good for fish.
Did she have plenty of hiding spots?...caves, driftwood, rocks etc....?...they need to rasp on wood to aid their digestive system, so DW is a must

I have driftwood. She hid under it often and ate a good bit of it. I also have live plants and lava rock, but she didn’t use those often. She also liked hiding behind the heater or on the old filter.