Dying Plecos

[freshfeesh]

I have a 30 gal tank & I have had all of my fish for about 3 years. I have 1 angel, 1 blue gourami, 2 cory cats, & 2 plecos. I recently bought an albino gourami & then a few days later I bought another angel. My blue & angel are pretty big & I was worried about the albino bc he is so little, but he has done great...however the new angel only lived 3 days...I believe my old angel beat him up. But now I am having a problem w/my 2 plecos!!

I returned home yesterday to find them both having an almost white layer over them...it kind of looks like they are "molting". the bigger pleco (almost a foot long), had long white strings coming out from under him & there were long white strings all over the tank. I arrived home from work today to find my smaller pleco dead & the other isn't looking to good. All of my other fish are fine, eating, happy, no change in condition from what I can tell! I have never had a problem w/my tank before & I don't know what to do!

HELP!

just saw the outline for posting about emergencies:

sadly, I have never tested my water, I've never had a problem w/anything.

i change my water 2-3 times a month, removing about 50% of the water. I add a de-chlorinator to the water & some stress coat.

temp is about 72 degrees.

 

[black angel]

adding unquarantined fish to an already established tank is like playing russian roulette... might get lucky and then again usually youll bring in all sorts of nasties.

youve brought in something thats reacted with your fishes slimecoat causing it to thicken and shed. usually this means parasites or a change in water chemistry so keep an eye out for anything looking like whitespot and do regular gravel vacs in the meantime...test your water regularly as well for ammonia and nitrites

 

[WILDER]

Peeling skin can be bad water quality, parasites, columnaris.
was the strings coming off the body of the fish or from the anus.
take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.
I would also strongly suggest in buying some liquid test kits.
You should be doing water changes and a gravel vac one a week.
Bad water quality takes it's toll on fish as it weakens there immune system, burns skin and gills.

 

[black angel]

try upping the temp a little bit too..76