Dead Plec :(

[matt_storey]

I'm bracing myself for the abuse...

I bought a pleco on saturday, not sure on type but he had giraffe like pattern. He was about 6 inches long.
Got him home in the tank, he looked happy enough, same on sunday. On sunday I done my weekly vacuum and 10% water change.
De-chlorinated after adding the water. Came home today after work and found my new pleco is dead totally lost colour on one side and fins looking a bit ragged.

All other fish are fine.

Have I done anything wrong? If so be sure to tell me, I don't want to make the same mistake again.

Its such a shame as I was looking forward to sharing pics, he had such a nice pattern

 

[KittyKat]

Tank size? Other plecos?

A side note: if you dechlorinate the whole tank, you should use more dechlorinator than just for the new water, add dechlorinator before the water and have filter off during water changes or you may crash your filter.

 

[matt_storey]

Tank mates : 2 oscars 5", 1 yellow spot plec 3", 3 gold sevs 3"

Tank size : 5x2x2

I dechlorinated for the whole tank. Could it possibly have been stress? I did water change the day after I bought him?

 

[karin]

How did you acclimatize him? Sounds like a stress reaction. But could be another fish too.

 

[KittyKat]

Probably not tank mates. By the way, sounds like it was a sailfin pleco.

Water parameters? Did you acclimatise properly? Do you know what they were at the shop?

 

[matt_storey]

Had him in the bag, left in the tank for 20 mins, adding a cup of water every 10 mins, after 4 cups let him loose.
He was labelled a 'gibbicep' but was a lot lighter and had a different pattern.

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

sounds like u added him correctly.. did u leave the lights off for abit? i know its a trivial detail but if he was on his way out the light stress and not knowing his new surroundings may have had a negative affect

 

[matt_storey]

Adding him with the light off, turned it on over an hour after... I'm beginning to think it may have been the stress of the water change so soon after being in a new surrounding.

I guess I will have to be a little more careful next time and add new fish after a water change