I Think My Pleco May Have Ick

[Geedarn]

I know, I did a bad thing. But I bought my pleco at walmart.

I just got a 10 gallon tank a week ago and got it all set up and just added my first fishes yesterday. I got a dwarf pufferfish, a scissortail fish (sort of looks like a minnow), a small catfish, and a pleco. They easily transported from bag to the new aquarium. I have been observing my fish and I've watched all of them eat except the pleco. He also appears to be breathing really fast and hard. Upon closer inspection I feel like he has the ick. I feel this way because he has white dots on his eyes (poor baby). Now I've been reading and some people say to raise the temperature and add salt. Well I already have salt because of the pufferfish and I have a heater that automatically sets itself to 78 degrees and won't let me manually change it. What should I do for my pleco

 

[Crossfire]

I know, I did a bad thing. But I bought my pleco at walmart.

I just got a 10 gallon tank a week ago and got it all set up and just added my first fishes yesterday. I got a dwarf pufferfish, a scissortail fish (sort of looks like a minnow), a small catfish, and a pleco. They easily transported from bag to the new aquarium. I have been observing my fish and I've watched all of them eat except the pleco. He also appears to be breathing really fast and hard. Upon closer inspection I feel like he has the ick. I feel this way because he has white dots on his eyes (poor baby). Now I've been reading and some people say to raise the temperature and add salt. Well I already have salt because of the pufferfish and I have a heater that automatically sets itself to 78 degrees and won't let me manually change it. What should I do for my pleco

*sigh* here we go:

1st: Dwarf puffers should't be kept with any of those fish, as they are both aggressive and brackish.
2nd: That "scissortail fish" is probably a scissortail rasbora and needs to be in a minimum group of 6 fish
3rd: What catfish and what plec?
4th: Salt should under no circumstance be used in an aquarium with plecs or catfish, salt burn their skin. This is probably agitating your plec
5th: Ich does not affect the eyes, these white spots on the eyes are probably cataracts. Perhaps from the salt burning them

 

[Geedarn]

My catfish is just fine though. And the pufferfish isn't aggressive towards them at all. And why did many people say salt was good for scalelesss fish?

 

[Crossfire]

My catfish is just fine though. And the pufferfish isn't aggressive towards them at all. And why did many people say salt was good for scalelesss fish?

I need to know the species of your plec and catfish. Many species of these fish can achieve massive sizes, which will easily outgrow your 60l. You may have misheard them, but salt is not good for scaleless fish at all. It burns their skin, since they have no scales to keep the salt out. Imagine sprinkling salt on a slug, thats what your doing to the plec and catfish

 

[Geedarn]

Walmart does not do a good job at listing exactly what kind they are. And I have a friend with a 155 gallon tank I was going to give her the pleco and catfish once she gets it. The catfish is silver and approximately two inches long. It is spotted too. I know is isn't an upside-down catfish though. And the pleco is dark brown with white spots.

 

[Crossfire]

Walmart does not do a good job at listing exactly what kind they are. And I have a friend with a 155 gallon tank I was going to give her the pleco and catfish once she gets it. The catfish is silver and approximately two inches long. It is spotted too. I know is isn't an upside-down catfish though. And the pleco is dark brown with white spots.

Can I see the picture of the catfish? And did the plec have the whitespots when you bought it? Or is it ick

 

[bristlenoseitplecoman]

To what I know alot of pleco species have white spots on their eyes. My BN pleco has one on each. He may breathe fast because of low oxygen or stress. I don't suggest treating them at all. You do not have a great stocking setup though.

 

[Geedarn]

I'm sorry this is the best picture I could get. He's so fast! He's in the back.

This is a larger picture
http/i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l565/geedarn/catfish001.jpg

But the pleco did seem to be a little sick when I bought him, but I guess I was caught up in the moment of spending...

To what I know alot of pleco species have white spots on their eyes. My BN pleco has one on each. He may breathe fast because of low oxygen or stress. I don't suggest treating them at all. You do not have a great stocking setup though.

So what are the white spots?

 

[Crossfire]

I'm sorry this is the best picture I could get. He's so fast! He's in the back.

This is a larger picture
http/i1124.photobucket.com/albums/l565/geedarn/catfish001.jpg

But the pleco did seem to be a little sick when I bought him, but I guess I was caught up in the moment of spending...

It appears you have a Pictus Catfish, needing a minimum of 55-70 gallons...

 

[snake007]

I know, I did a bad thing. But I bought my pleco at walmart.

I just got a 10 gallon tank a week ago and got it all set up and just added my first fishes yesterday. I got a dwarf pufferfish, a scissortail fish (sort of looks like a minnow), a small catfish, and a pleco. They easily transported from bag to the new aquarium. I have been observing my fish and I've watched all of them eat except the pleco. He also appears to be breathing really fast and hard. Upon closer inspection I feel like he has the ick. I feel this way because he has white dots on his eyes (poor baby). Now I've been reading and some people say to raise the temperature and add salt. Well I already have salt because of the pufferfish and I have a heater that automatically sets itself to 78 degrees and won't let me manually change it. What should I do for my pleco

*sigh* here we go:

1st: Dwarf puffers should't be kept with any of those fish, as they are both aggressive and brackish.
2nd: That "scissortail fish" is probably a scissortail rasbora and needs to be in a minimum group of 6 fish
3rd: What catfish and what plec?
4th: Salt should under no circumstance be used in an aquarium with plecs or catfish, salt burn their skin. This is probably agitating your plec
5th: Ich does not affect the eyes, these white spots on the eyes are probably cataracts. Perhaps from the salt burning them

DP's aren't brackish

Read up in the beginners resource center about the nitrogen cycle.