Pleco Help

[nay27uk]

My plec dont seem happy he is usualy quite active swiming about sucking the glass ect. but the last two days he/she seems to be sticking to the bottom of the tank and keeps trying to hide under/in things and not realy moving mutch, he/she also seems to have gained sort of whitish brown rather thick streaks all over its body, im not 100% sure but i dont think they was ther befor. Please can anyone tell me from what i have explained is he/she porly if so whats wrong

 

[DarkEntity]

When you say streaks is it a slime covering on the fish? A picture would help.

 

[WILDER]

Water stats would be good in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph.
The streak do they look fluffy, velvet like, or a dusting, as it bacterial to parasite.

 

[nay27uk]

thanks for the replys ok water conditions i cant test at present ive ran out of tabs and am skint until end of month but all other fish ok. the rather large streeks aper to the eye almost like dust infact it lookes like someone has got a finger and wiped dust of him with it, its also a tad fluffy in aperance, almost like the stuff you pull out the vaccum bag. tryed to get a pic but i only have my mobile phone camera and it wont take a clear enough picture.

 

[WILDER]

Dusting is a sign of parasites, then the fluff is bacterial.
Shine a torch on the dusty area and see if it glows up, what colour is the dusty area.

Look under early warnings.
http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/heal...thprotist.shtml

http/www.nippyfish.net/flexibacter.html

Can you get a pic up as you are describing parasites to bacterial.

If the plec is the only fish with the symtoms. I would treat it as bacterial for now.
Need to get your water tested and tell the lfs to write the readings down for you.

 

[nay27uk]

ok i tryed shining a torche but not mutch diferance, although some bits looked a bit more white, like i say it lookes like he has been coverd in vaccum bag dust then a finger has rubed it off. i have added two pics sorry best i could get, i have highlited the areas.

 

[WILDER]

Quite hard to tell from the pic.
Stats would of been good.
I would treat it as bacterial for now, can you issolate him.

If there no difference in the gill area which velvet does tend to get a grip off, I would go in with a bacterial med.

 

[black angel]

Looks like he is sleeping. When plecs are asleep or resting they become two toned often looks like lighter shades across the body.
Is that what you are seeing?

 

[nay27uk]

yeah i have a smaller tank its not cycled but i could fill it with water from my tank

Looks like he is sleeping. When plecs are asleep or resting they become two toned often looks like lighter shades across the body.
Is that what you are seeing?

yeah thats about it almost like a lighter shade to his usual colour but the lighter parts are in stripes. he has moved a bit had a munch on some brocoli a small bit of a swim then went back wher he was and aint moved since, just woried because i didnt see him yesterday and he is usualy more active

 

[WILDER]

Black angel is right they can change colour mine did.
But if he listless and looks like he has no energy, I think I would just give him around of a bacterial med in that issolation tank.

 

[WILDER]

Just one final question, is the plec clamping its dorsal fin to its body.

What does it look like when he goes to the toilet.

 

[nay27uk]

maneged to get some clearer pics

 

[WILDER]

Don't know plecs that well to be honest, but something telling me that something not right.
If you know your plec like I did you can tell when there not well.

 

[nay27uk]

Don't know plecs that well to be honest, but something telling me that something not right.
If you know your plec like I did you can tell when there not well.

yeah thats what i was thinking hence this thread i know he aint himself just wonder what the best way of treating him would be

 

[WILDER]

I would definately get your water tested, don't like saying add meds without stats.
But I would issolate him and try a bacterial med to see if that perks him up.