Skin Problem On Pleco

[WILDER]

I had a plec and it could go pale, but those marks don't look right to me, it dosn't look like stress, was those marks on him in the tank at the lfs.

 

[BBrain]

Wilder, I didn't notice the pale patches in the store, but the store's tank lighting was very low. I did look at him in the clear plastic bag, on the checkout counter, but I didn't notice anything wrong. But, I could have missed it, since I was excited to find such a nice pleco!

 

[KathyM]

Kathy M, thanks for that info. Yes, for sure he is under some stress.

I forgot to mention earlier, that the filter is only a week old, being a replacement for one that was running about 3 or 4 weeks. I planted the bacteria-laden filter floss from the old filter into the new filter, but of course it will take awhile for the new filter to be up to speed.

I have no wood in the tank (yet), but I'm boiling some as we speak.

Hey, I thought the British didn't like the French.. ... so how come you use a French word for zucchini? ("courgette")

What's a "gibby"? I did an internet search, and I wonder if you mean a Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps?
Do you think that's what he is? I'm still trying to identify his species (from internet pictures), since the seller didn't know.

Yep he's definitely Glyptoperichthys gibbiceps (commonly known as "Gibbies" or "Sailfin plecs"). They're fab but grow to a very large size. You often find them as little babies in fish shops, and at a small size they are dark grey and nearly white, but change colour as they grow. We're having to look into a new tank for ours in the future - probably 5 x 2 x 2. Here's a pics of what he'll look like when he grows a little bit (De Niro is currently 5", but shows the change in colour from the drak grey and nearly white markings to the orange and black):

This is a pic of De Niro the day he arrived, with stress colouration:

If I can be of any more help, let me know. I'm not an expert by a very long shot but had to do a bit of reading up when we bought De Niro.

 

[BBrain]

Kathy M, thanks very much for those great photos! Awesome shots. The stress colouration on the second photo looks a lot like the skin on mine, so that's really helpful to me....thanks!

I notice that yours, and other photos of "Gibbies" that I've seen, show a symmetrical tail, with pointed upper and lower tips, but my fish has a longer lower lobe, and no long tips. Perhaps this changes with age?

Morning update:
Last night, before dark, but after my tank light was turned off, I put in a piece of zucchini (AKA: courgette/summer squash), and he latched onto it. This morning, it doesn't look like much has been eaten from it, and my pleco's pale skin patch is still there. So, I'm still worried.

I also got a photo yesterday, of his underside, against the glass. He's had that fat belly ever since I got him. He's also been an good eater, but I'm wondering if he may be suffering from an internal problem that's swelling his abdomen.....is this a normal pleco belly?

 

[BBrain]

For anyone interested, the medication I am using, Jungle Laboratories' Parasite Clear, targets both internal and external parasites, as well as helping with secondary infections. Here are the active ingredients, from their website (http/www.junglelabs.com/pages/details.asp?item=TB635). I have added details of their properties, from my internet searching. (hopefully, I didn't make too many errors!) :

praziquantel: AKA: Droncit; an anti-helmintic; for tapeworms, flukes, etc.

*N-[[(N-Chlorophenyl)amino]carbon 1]-2,6-difluorobenzamide: AKA: diflubensuron, Dimilin, Micromite, Vigilante; an insecticide that's highly toxic to aquatic invertebrates, but not persistent in water

metronidazole: AKA: Flagyl; an anti-protozoan, & also has antibiotic and anti-fungal use

acriflavine: AKA: Tryptaflavine; attacks Oodinium, Costia, and Chilodonella, and superficial skin infections; alternative to malachite green


*(I believe there is a typo in the website, and "carbon 1" should read "carbonyl")

 

[BBrain]

Me again!

Hey, Kathy M, I forgot to ask: How big was your pleco when you got him, in that second photo?
Mine is 2 3/8" (6cm) long.

 

[WILDER]

Swollen belly can mean constipation, internal bacteria infection, also can be internal parasites, check to see what it looks like when he goes to the toilet, also check the anus to see if it's enlarged or red and inflamed.

 

[KathyM]

Me again!

Hey, Kathy M, I forgot to ask: How big was your pleco when you got him, in that second photo?
Mine is 2 3/8" (6cm) long.

We only got him recently, so he was about an inch smaller than he is now (he's about 5" now).

The baby gibbies I've seen tend to have a longer bottom to their tail and a shorter top, with sometimes very little curve in between. I assume that comes as they grow because De Niro's wasn't prominent when he arrived (althoug he had a bit of curve to it) and it is more so now. He still has a shorter top to his tail, as do most gibbies I think - it's just there's more curve in between.

I'm trying to find a nice pic to show you what I mean but might have to come back to this *lol*.



Here we go - this is a little gibby I picked up a while ago (didn't make it ).

He was about 4cm at the max. See how his tail is quite straight at the edge, and shorter on the top?

 

[BBrain]

Great shot of the tail, Kathy. Thanks again. Sorry to hear that one didn't make it.

Swollen belly can mean constipation, internal bacteria infection, also can be internal parasites, check to see what it looks like when he goes to the toilet, also check the anus to see if it's enlarged or red and inflamed.

I'll watch for any problems there, but all I see so far is the occasional string of greyish-tan poop caught on a plant. I don't see any red or inflammation at the anus.

Okay, he was posing on the zucchini, so I tried a couple of tricky shots through a magnifying glass. You can see the golden-coloured specks on his skin. Actually, the specks are spread out over much of his body, including the fins. Is this normal, or perhaps Velvet?

You can see the specks on his pectoral fin, here:

 

[WILDER]

velvet looks like a golden dusting, but it could well be velvet, get you some info.

http/www.fishtanksandponds.info/care-mai...vet_disease.htm

http/www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/heal...thprotist.shtml

turn out all aquarium and room lights and use a flashlight, the point source of light will make Oodinium more visible. Longterm Oodinium infestation may result in darkened heads and backs of fishes.

 

[WILDER]

If he coping with the med at half dose i would increase it now.

 

[BBrain]

Wilder, your second reference makes Oodinium sound really difficult to treat. Therefore, since he's doing well, I'll take your advice, and give him a full-strength dose, in a few hours: 48 hours after the first dose (as per the medication's instructions). Thanks again! This forum is most excellent!

 

[WILDER]

Yes it's more difficult than whitespot, as it nastier, they can also lose weight with velvet, good luck, maybe try the three quarter dose then the full.

 

[BBrain]

Okay!

 

[BBrain]

Update since Sunday, May 21st:

Monday, May 22nd:

He still had a swollen belly, plus a 3" (8cm) long poop hanging off him, as in this photo:

Changed 25% of the water, and then gave him second dose (2/3 dose) of Parasite Clear. Concerned about rising nitrite level (between 0.3 and 0.8 mg/L) (ammonia negligible, so tank must be cycling still....new filter a couple of weeks ago). In the evening, I did another 20% water change, since I felt the nitrite problem was more urgent than the skin problem. Gave him a slice of cucumber at night....looked uneaten in morning.


Tues. May 23rd:

He looked a little better, but nitrites still rising (about 1.6 mg/L), so did 25% water change, bringing it down to 0.6 mg/L. Fed him frozen peas (thawed, de-shelled, and squeezed), which he went bonkers over!


Wed. May 24th (now):

His belly is now flat, and there is normal-looking poop around the tank gravel. He posed for me, showing good finnage, but still with that pale area:

On closer examination, I saw a small (less than 1 mm) milky-coloured lump on his tail. Gentle stroking with a wet cotton swab did not remove it. I wonder what that is? Can you see it here, by the red arrow? It looks like there are 2 lumps in this photo, but I think that's just poor photography:

BTW, his behaviour seems fine. He's active (light or dark), eats anytime, doesn't rub, has erect fins, and comes to greet me (wants food! Just like my dog!).

One other thing about that pale area: It seems to almost disappear when he's going nuts on those peas, in the evening! I mean, he really goes nuts! He's totally focused on eating, and just lets the current move him off the bottom, and around the corner of the tank, and he even lets it push him upside down! As long has he's latched onto that pea, he doesn't care!! It's hilarious! The "Pleco Pea Ballet"!