Help with pleco not eating and looking stressed

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sit_n_spin

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Nov 3, 2023
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Location
USA
65 gallon tank
Ph 7.6
Ammonia/nitrites 0
Nitrates 20-40
1 pleco, 1 cory, 4 clown loach

All pertinent info:
I had old tank syndrome for a long time. My pleco started acting strange and it lit a fire under my ass to try and fix it, thinking it was the reason my pleco was being weird so I began doing 25% water changes 24 hours apart. I realized after the fact that I may have dropped the nitrates too fast and further contributed to stressing my pleco out. Now I have not visibly seen him eat in over a week, BEFORE I began doing water changes, and Iā€™m worried that there was some other illness occurring this whole time that has gone untreated even longer. Iā€™ve read about the possibility of opening up a bacterial pocket when vacuuming the tank while having water quality issues. Is that actually a thing? Iā€™ve had this pleco for 16 years and heā€™s NEVER once gotten sick.

16 year old pleco
Splotchy coloring/the stressed look plecos get
Eats cucumber religiously- have not seen him eat in over a week/no poop seen in tank
Breathing normally but mouth hanging open
No external wounds/external infections/external parasites
I attached a picture because today I noticed he almost looks bloated but I really donā€™t know.

Should I treat the tank with something? With what/for what? I have a 10 gallon tank I could turn into a hospital tank but Iā€™m worried the stress of moving him will make him worse. But I also donā€™t know if I should medicate the 65 gallon with the clown loaches in there. Iā€™m at such a loss and worried this fish Iā€™ve had almost half my life is going to die. Any advice greatly appreciated.
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