Sudden Pleco Death

[Circus]

I am very upset since Shuffle was one of my favorite fish, and only my 2nd death and first unknown death. He is an albino bristlenose pleco in my 29 gallon subtropical tank. It has been looking much chubbier than usual, but I assumed that was just him eating more than usual, since I have been dropping a bit more food in than usual (I was worried about the corydora eating all of his food). Now I am thinking he could have had impaction from sand? I changed the substrate from gravel to sand and he has gotten much more shy, but also much more chubby since. He was pretty active earlier today (I thought he was finally getting used to the new arrangement). Then I found him dead about 15 min ago. He couldn't have been there long since I was taking fish pics about an hour ago. I am checking my water parameters right now. I am very upset since he was one of my favorites.

 

[Barry Tetra]

Wow we have a same problems, my favorite pleco died yesterday and I just changed from gravel to sand last month.

 

[Circus]

Ammonia reads 0
Nitrite reads 0
Nitrate reads 5 ppm

This is from API master test kit.

 

[Circus]

Wow we have a same problems, my favorite pleco died yesterday and I just changed from gravel to sand last month.

I think it has been a touch under 2 weeks since I changed it? Maybe a week and a half?

 

[Circus]

I just did a water change about 4 days ago. Should I change it again?

 

[JuiceBox52]

I just did a water change about 4 days ago. Should I change it again?

I always do a 75% water change after a fish death. Better safe than sorry imo

 

[Circus]

I always do a 75% water change after a fish death. Better safe than sorry imo

Working on that now. Waiting for bucket #3 to fill in the tub.

 

[Circus]

Also, I was just going over tank. What are these? I have spotted 3 clusters of 3 or 4 around bottom portions of glass. Does not look like usual nerite eggs.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Whatever they are, they look fertile. What else is in the tank? I’m sorry for your loss.

 

[Circus]

Whatever they are, they look fertile. What else is in the tank? I’m sorry for your loss.

I have 7 pepper cordoras, a half dozen male guooy, and some golden and standard white clouds. Along with 2 nerites which lay eggs, but those don't hatch in fresh water.

 

[Barry Tetra]

It might be your water quality, I also about to change from sand to fluorite today cause it's too hard to clean.

 

[FishGuest5123]

Both white clouds and cories are egg layers. I’d try to gently move them to another tank if you want them.

 

[Circus]

It might be your water quality, I also about to change from sand to fluorite today cause it's too hard to clean.

My white sand is a nightmare to keep clean in the brackish tank, but the playsand in this one is a dream. Although I do miss the nice uniform black.

 

[Circus]

Both white clouds and cories are egg layers. I’d try to gently move them to another tank if you want them.

I can put them in my qt for now. Soo how that goes.

 

[CassCats]

So sorry to hear you lost your pleco. That is very unusual. What sand did you switch to? Did you add anything else new?

and btw those are definitely cory eggs.