Pleco Dying!

[Miamisportsfan45]

I don't know what's wrong with it, but it's surfacing and drifting around the tank. I have a 50 gallon tank. The filter is cycled. I did a Fish-In Cycle using a Goldfish. My tank consists of:

3 Neon Tetras
1 Pleco (Algae Eating Fish)
1 Goldfish
2 Guppies (Male and Female)
1 Ghost Shrimp
Multiple plants thhat are growing from bulbs that I bought at Walmart.

There's more than enough algae in the tank... Which is why I bought the Pleco in the first place. So I don't know what the problem is. I had an Algae Eater previously, but that one died as well. The filter keeps on sucking him up and everytime this happens, I unplug the filter to let him free again. But even then he barely moves. He's still moving (rarely) and is breathing, so I don't know what the problem is.

I wasn't sure what the conditions of the water were, but I just did a water exchange about a week ago. Though, I did another water change after noticing this problem immediately today.

Help anyone? I really don't want to see it die. I appreciate any help that can be given. Thanks!

 

[plecostomus-mad]

what plecostomus is it?

what are your water stats?

what is the temp of your tank?

what do you feed him and how often?

are there any other fish ill?

when was the last water change?

what filter are you using?

what is the size of your tank?


NOT ALL PLECOS ARE CLEANERS! what i mean by this is there are only a select few plecos that actually eat much algea. i have a golden nugget pleco and she rarely gets on the side of the tank.never by a pleco or any other fish because it is soposed to do
something.

i have a suspition you are not feeding him anything other than the algae in your tank? thats probably why he's dying, hes starving to death.

if you are feeding him, what is it and how often?

if he's being fed well and often it could be the water peramiters.....too much ammonia, nitrAte or nitrIte will have bad effects on not just your pleco but ALL the fish in your tank.

does he have any white spots? , like grains of sand? patches? red gills?swollen gills? can you see any worm type creatures hanging out of him or under his skin? is his anus swollen? what does his poo look like?

i hope you reply soon and i can help save a pleco from a inevitable death it seems.

sorry if this reply hits hard.

mark

 

[Miamisportsfan45]

I'm pretty sure I have most of that answered already... But I'll restate. No other fish are ill, or seem ill. The temperature is between 78-80 on different sides of the tank. It's a 50-55 Gallon tank. The type of Pleco it is... Not too sure, but it clings to the walls, well, used to... And it looks sort of like these: http/www.schillmania.com/photos/35mm/image/collection/at_home/pleco.jpg http/www.funfishtank.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/bristlenose-pleco.jpg and I don't feed it anything because it eats the algae in the tank... and there's a lot of algae in the tank, too. Which is why I bought it in the first place... and a lot of algae has been cleaned up since that time, so I assume it eats the algae... the last water change was about a week ago up until today. The water levels read 20-40 Nitrate and little to no Nitrite at all earlier before the water change.

 

[plecostomus-mad]

I'm pretty sure I have most of that answered already... But I'll restate. No other fish are ill, or seem ill. The temperature is between 78-80 on different sides of the tank. It's a 50-55 Gallon tank. The type of Pleco it is... Not too sure, but it clings to the walls, well, used to... And it looks sort of like these: http/www.schillmania.com/photos/35mm/image/collection/at_home/pleco.jpg http/www.funfishtank.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/bristlenose-pleco.jpg and I don't feed it anything because it eats the algae in the tank... and there's a lot of algae in the tank, too. Which is why I bought it in the first place... and a lot of algae has been cleaned up since that time, so I assume it eats the algae... the last water change was about a week ago up until today. The water levels read 20-40 Nitrate and little to no Nitrite at all earlier before the water change.

firstly, im being thorough, secondly you asked for help an thats what im trying to do so less of the snappy sarcasm buddy.

my guess is he's starving to death. he will not survive on algae alone FACT! you better run to your lfs and get him some sinking pellets and in case he cant get to the bottom of the tank some flake food.....he may be able to skim some foods from the surface.

the pic you supplied doesnt help much. cant tell from the belly.

what are these bulbs you talk of? are they garden bulbs? if so get them out right now, they are probably not aquarium safe.do another water change, you should have 0ppm for all. if its showing 20-40 nitrates after a water change your tank is not properly cycled and could be adding to his demise.

so take the bulbs out, get foods asap and do a water change before you feed him. tank temps need to be stable as possible. 80f is too high really for a pleco. also temps that rise and fall will affect a fish of any kind and will most probably become ill.

its past 5am here in the uk so i really have to go to bed, please listen to what ive said, im not talking crap. if you want to help your pleco, follow my instructions and he stands a better chance at survivng.i fear it may already be to late if he's barely active.

 

[Miamisportsfan45]

There were two pictures there. Links anyway.

Also, a few hours ago I put celery in the tank.

Edit: Also, the type of pleco it is, is a Hifin Spotted Pleco.

 

[plecostomus-mad]

There were two pictures there. Links anyway.

Also, a few hours ago I put celery in the tank.

most pleos are omnivores, they eat meat products, they need protein in there diet as well as veg.

 

[Miamisportsfan45]

It's a Hifin Spotted Pleco

I just looked it up at the local area that I got it's website.

 

[plecostomus-mad]

It's a Hifin Spotted Pleco

I just looked it up at the local area that I got it's website.

hi fin spotted pleco

the above link is of a hi fin spotted pleco. yours looks more like a bristlenose. anyway this is besides the point at the moment.time to save a pleco isnt it??

It's a Hifin Spotted Pleco

I just looked it up at the local area that I got it's website.

and the second link says bristlenose in it!

 

[Miamisportsfan45]

No, mine is a Hifin Spotted Pleco. The pic I sent you in this forum was just a random Pleco google search to try finding a close picture since I didn't know what it was... But the Pleco seems to be doing alright for now... At least for the last hour. Though, it's on the wall (part of glass) behind the filter. However... That's also where all the celery is surfaced and current is weakest...

I got mine from Petsmart, and on their website they only sell two types of Plecos, and only one looks anything like mine. The other is yellow. Mine is a Hifin Spotted Pleco.

 

[plecostomus-mad]

No, mine is a Hifin Spotted Pleco. The pic I sent you in this forum was just a random Pleco google search to try finding a close picture since I didn't know what it was... But the Pleco seems to be doing alright for now... At least for the last hour. Though, it's on the wall (part of glass) behind the filter. However... That's also where all the celery is surfaced and current is weakest...

I got mine from Petsmart, and on their website they only sell two types of Plecos, and only one looks anything like mine. The other is yellow. Mine is a Hifin Spotted Pleco.

i went by the pics you supplied, i id'd it as a bn.

well im guessing you think he's ok for the moment, maybe he is but very doubtful by your description an hour ago. i urge you to get some other foods for him, sinking pellets of some kind at least.

ive tried to help but i feel im talking to a brick wall to be honest. you ask for advice then concerntrate on arguing over the id of a picture you supplied via link that is in fact a bn, it also states it in the link address. pets smart should not be able to ell people fish of any kind.search this forum and there are many discussions about it.

my advice to you is as follows....

do regular water tests

do a 25% water change weekly

buy correct foods for your fish, AGAIN, A PLECOSTOMUS WILL NOT SURVIVE EATING ALGAE ALONE.

and do some research before you buy fish.

ive stayed up way to long to help you any further.i hope you take heed of what ive said and i also hope the little guy survives.

if none of this hits you as making sense or the thing to do OR yeah, i should do that, give up fish keeping, your not cut out for it.
mark

 

[indigoj]

Plecs, all of them, every single one needs a proper diet of suitable wafers, veg, pellets etc. NOT just algae. Sounds like he is starving.

Never ever buy a fish to do your job (clean the tank)

If you have readings for nitrIte at all then the tank is not fully cycled and you are poisoning your fish.

 

[Paradise3]

Well said indigoj and plecostomus-mad.

Just a quick question, won't a hifin spotted pleco grow to big for the tank? Or am i thinking of a different species of pleco? Them pictures in the link you put up, plecostomus-mad, look very similar to what my pleco looked like so i'm wondering whether it was 1 of those or a sailfin.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

 

[plecostomus-mad]

Well said indigoj and plecostomus-mad.

Just a quick question, won't a hifin spotted pleco grow to big for the tank? Or am i thinking of a different species of pleco? Them pictures in the link you put up, plecostomus-mad, look very similar to what my pleco looked like so i'm wondering whether it was 1 of those or a sailfin.

Xxx~misscosmo~xxX

IF he survives he/she will grow to 18 inches long! among one of the big boys in the species way too big for his 50g tank he has.