Pleco Help

[nay27uk]

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.

thanks i will see if the mrs can lend us some money and collect the med, what do you recomend using

 

[WILDER]

Anti internal bacteria by interpet, or waterlife med myxazin.
Take a sample of your water to the lfs as well.
Good luck.

 

[nay27uk]

ok went and bout some med today its made by waterlife and is called protozin it treats, whitespot, fungus, neon tetra disease, velvet, costiasis, trichodiniasis, I also go some water testers and here are the stats

nitrate 40 - 80

nitrite 0 - 0.5

total hardness 150 (8.0) - 300 (17.0)

total alkalinity 40 (2.0) - 80 (4.0)

Ph 6.8 - 7.2

 

[WILDER]

High nitrite reading thats why he's off colour, immediate water change.
How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Wrong med its a parasite med.
Need to get that nitrite reading down, how long has the tank been set up.
The nitrate high, how often do you maintain the tank.
What filter do you use, when did you last maintain it.

 

[nay27uk]

High nitrite reading thats why he's off colour, immediate water change.
How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Wrong med its a parasite med.
Need to get that nitrite reading down, how long has the tank been set up.
The nitrate high, how often do you maintain the tank.
What filter do you use, when did you last maintain it.

How many gallons or litres is the tank.

200 LTR tank

How many fish and which type.

1 X Comon
3 X Tiger Barb
6 X Black Mollie
2 X Red Wag
2 X Golden Sucking Loach
2 X Clown Loach

how long has the tank been set up

10 - 11 months

how often do you maintain the tank

50% water change every two weeks, full tank clean every 5 -6 months

What filter do you use

Interpet biofilter bio250

when did you last maintain it

Last 50% water change last week on wednesday, last clean out of filter today.

acording to the colour chart i got with my tester a nitrite reading of 0 is safe

 

[WILDER]

A good gravel vac plecs are big waste producers, remove the ornaments and give it a vac.
Was wondering last night if he eaten some off food on the bottom, its very important to keep gravel clean with plecs.

 

[nay27uk]

A good gravel vac plecs are big waste producers, remove the ornaments and give it a vac.
Was wondering last night if he eaten some off food on the bottom, its very important to keep gravel clean with plecs.

i didnt know that, can a vac be made diy

 

[WILDER]

So you havent been cleaning the gravel with a vac.
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/listsecti...48&rets=334

 

[blackbat]

my pleco changes colour too when he is moody, usually if the gourami ate his wafers. if your water is fine try feeding him some treat type foods

 

[30tooo]

i didnt know that, can a vac be made diy
[/quote]


Yes quite easy . Just get a piece of hose long enough to get to the bottom of the tank and to a receiving bucket . Then cut the top off of a small cola bottle . Connect the hose to the top of the bottle (don't use a jubilee clip or anything that might affect the fish) and away you go . Put the bottle end in to the tank , start the syphon into the bucket by sucking on the open end of the pipe and then sink the end of the bottle in to the gravel and hold their for a few seconds . Lift up slowly and place in to the gravel again . You will be amazed at the amount of *!*! your fish pump out . This way you can do a water change , clean your gravel and if your a gardener throw the water on the roses and watch them grow as well !!!!

Use a bucket to catch the water because if accidentally suck up a fish you will able to put it back in the tank . Bit difficult to catch the little buggers if they have gone straight down the drain

 

[dwarfgourami]

The change in colouration is typical plec stress behaviour. Probably the nitrites are to blame. Give the tank a good clean and give him a nice treat of cucumber and see if that doesn't perk him up. It might also be worth, instead of fortnightly 50% water changes, to do a weekly 25%; that should be less stressful. Also keep an eye on how he gets on with the other fish, is he getting to the food alright etc.

 

[nay27uk]

The change in colouration is typical plec stress behaviour. Probably the nitrites are to blame. Give the tank a good clean and give him a nice treat of cucumber and see if that doesn't perk him up. It might also be worth, instead of fortnightly 50% water changes, to do a weekly 25%; that should be less stressful. Also keep an eye on how he gets on with the other fish, is he getting to the food alright etc.

thanks for all your replyes i found a site explaining a coke bottle vac but it never explained how to use it, so thanks for that, by the way ive got a large tank can i use a big coke bottle instead??

is he getting to the food alright etc

well when i put his wafers in the greedy molies and tiger barb tend to eat them but he does get 1 or 2

 

[30tooo]

thanks for that, by the way ive got a large tank can i use a big coke bottle instead??


Absolutely . If you have a big enough piece of hose . But don't forget , the greater the internal diameter of pipe you use , the faster the removal rate of water . Then when you go to stop the syphon you find you are hosing down the living room . By the way what is "large"( L x H X D )?

 

[blackbat]

still think this is normal pleco behaviour and nothing to serious. They can be highly strung and he is probably just being a bit teritoral over his fav spot or food.
My pleco changes to a very pail colour whne he is stressed all over with very bright patchy bits but when he is sleeping or moody just the patchy bits are lighter. when he eats and he is happy he is dark all over showing his markings off lovely and his sail(dorsal fin) goes up. There were 4 in the tank he came to me in and he was over crowded so I suspect he developed this behaviour to warn the other plecs off his food. Like go away I am not playing behaviour.
good luck with your pleco they are great fish