Pretty Sure My Plecs About To Die

[mattshez]

bad news people my big white spotted pleco has been alot more active the last few days, well, as in active i mean hes been visible round the tank. However today, hes been sat on the sand hardly as vibrant as normal. Hes made no attempt to hide under my advances, and didnt move at all when i stuck my fingers in the tank to see if hed scuttle off.

this morning he was at teh front of the tank, i thought he was dead, didnt make any attempt to move when i netted him and it took a good 20 seonds to notice he was still breathing. i released him from it to which he swam away, only to find him lying upside down a few seconds later

Fearing the worst

water perameters

A - 0
Ni - 0
Na - not quite 5ppm (Api)

 

[Carlovel1]

Maybe he had internal parasites?

 

[mattshez]

also, i should note, he has a few 'light patches' on his skin, very very faint, bbut something ive never notivced before

 

[roadmaster]

Is this a L142 pleco? If so I have one as well, and had trouble when first introducing the fish to a newly set up 75 gallon tank.
Much that I read seemed to indicate that they fair much better in well established tanks perhaps (6 months), where plenty of biofilm was present on substrate and wood. I believe they also appreciate a bit of current in the aquarium.
I moved mine to older 80 gallon tank which had plenty of said biofilm,mulm,etc, and also added a Aquaclear 804 powerhead and fish slowly came around after a couple weeks.
Mine has thus far proved to be more omnivore than herbivore, but will on occasion take vegetables but is much more fond of New life spectrum H2O stable Wafers along with krill,shrimp, and pieces of night crawler if he get's to em before the Electric Blue dempsey.
The fish store where I purchased mine (wasn't cheap) lost three of the four they had with mine being the fourth and hgappily still alive.
I felt lucky that mine survived.Would by chance the fishes belly look concave, or has the fish been eating?
Pleco's I have kept if not trailing streamer's of poop near constantly,, and possessing a round full belly, get treated for parasites as someone mentioned as possible problem.

 

[mattshez]

Is this a L142 pleco? If so I have one as well, and had trouble when first introducing the fish to a newly set up 75 gallon tank.
Much that I read seemed to indicate that they fair much better in well established tanks perhaps (6 months), where plenty of biofilm was present on substrate and wood. I believe they also appreciate a bit of current in the aquarium.
I moved mine to older 80 gallon tank which had plenty of said biofilm,mulm,etc, and also added a Aquaclear 804 powerhead and fish slowly came around after a couple weeks.
Mine has thus far proved to be more omnivore than herbivore, but will on occasion take vegetables but is much more fond of New life spectrum H2O stable Wafers along with krill,shrimp, and pieces of night crawler if he get's to em before the Electric Blue dempsey.
The fish store where I purchased mine (wasn't cheap) lost three of the four they had with mine being the fourth and hgappily still alive.
I felt lucky that mine survived.Would by chance the fishes belly look concave, or has the fish been eating?
Pleco's I have kept if not trailing streamer's of poop near constantly,, and possessing a round full belly, get treated for parasites as someone mentioned as possible problem.

yeah its a l142. the tank is over a year old, ive moved him back into the tank he was in a few months ago, not for his own comfort, more for the health of the previous tank (discus)

 

[mattshez]

his skin appears to be getting worsee im now able to upload a decent pic

http/img263.imageshack.us/i/img2011041800083.jpg/

his belly appears fine, hes been eating alot of hair algae from the larger tank, lots of big patches about where hes beenmore active, nothing wrong with his poo. whatever it is its completely degrading his skin it looks worse, as if the top (dark skined) layer has come off and the lighter layer is showing

 

[minnnt]

Most of my Pleco's go patchy from time to time, possibly stress (although i have no idea why!) but always seem fine afterwards. Hope he makes a full recovery!!

 

[mattshez]

it looks very patchy, even his fins look a bit patchy. it was housed with several corydoras and two small clown loaches, is it possible he may have been bitten? even by the discus?

 

[mattshez]

hes gone :'(

 

[mattbleasby]

Awww man that sucks Its a shame after both threads he didnt make a full recovery thats hat i think we were all hoping for. Try not too be down, He had an amazing life, and unfortunatly these things can happen.

 

[minnnt]

Sorry to hear that mate. would be good to know what caused it, so annoying!

 

[mattshez]

Sorry to hear that mate. would be good to know what caused it, so annoying!

picked up a new baby today

http/img27.imageshack.us/i/22170810150588185095145.jpg/

nice, smaller than my last pleco, hopefully this guy is here for the long run, looking active already

anyone care to identify him? he was labelled a sunshine plec but even the girl selling thought he was a form of golden nugget. larg yellow spots, yellow edged fins.

 

[Plecostomos Fan]

"anyone care to identify him? he was labelled a sunshine plec but even the girl selling thought he was a form of golden nugget. larg yellow spots, yellow edged fins".

I think it is a Golden Nugget L018, the Sunshine pleco L014 has smaller,dense spots according to my
Back to Nature guide to L-Catfishes

 

[joeskandal]

wow, that is a real cool looking plec, well done...
Where is that from?

 

[mattshez]

went into P@H after going in for somefrozen food