One Plec Dead, Another One Dying Help Please!

[TimNorwich]

So around 2-3weeks ago I succesfully bred my BN plecs, to begin with I had 2 females (both at breeding size) and a male. About 1 week after they spawned the first female died for no reason.

I've just got home this morning and have seen the other female lie belly upwards on top of this artificial grass stuff I bought from P@H. The plec has red markings on its underbelly and looks sore.

My water perameters are fine, all my other fish are more than happy with the water and haven't had any casualties for aaages.

It would really upset and annoy me to see this plec die as I did everything I could to get them to breed.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

What tank size do you have? What are your water parameters? What else is in the tank with them?

Also can you get a pic of the red sores?

 

[TimNorwich]

The dying plec is dead

Ammonia is 0ppm
Nitrite is 0ppm
Nitrate is 0ppm
PH is 7.6

I really hope the male doesn't end up that way

The other fish are just community fish mentioned below.

 

[ZoddyZod]

Nitrate is 0ppm

zero nitrate? That's quite an odd reading. What test kit are you using and how long have you had it?

 

[TimNorwich]

It's the API test kit, and having a second look it is closer to 5.0

EDIT: I've had the kit no more than 2 years, and have rarely used it as I don't often get problems.

 

[Athena]

What was that artificial grass stuff you bought? Is it plastic/silk..? Just wondering if that has caused some irritation to the plecs underbelly from swimming over it. Could it have been scratching their skin making it sore? If so, maybe it caused a bacterial infection.

Athena

 

[TimNorwich]

It was plastic, but doesn't feel that sharp to my skin, but maybe it was to the fish.

 

[kizno1]

I would remove it. It does sound like it could have been that.

 

[Tracey Kidd]

How is your plec going? The one that died, did he have a swollen belly kind of like a balloon?