FAQs on Loricariids, South and Central
American Suckermouth Cats 1: Environmental Disease
FAQs on "Pleco" Disease:
Loricariid Disease 1,
Loricariid Disease 2,
Loricariid Disease 3,
Loricariid Disease 4,
FAQs on "Pleco" Disease by Category:
Diagnosis,
Nutritional (e.g. HLLE),
Social,
Infectious (Virus, Bacterial,
Fungal), Parasitic (Ich, Velvet...),
Trauma,
Treatments,
Related Articles:
Loricariids,
Otocinclus, From Pan-ack-ay to Pan-ack-zee, A
Detailed Look at the Bizarre But Beautiful Panaque
Catfishes by Neale Monks
Related Loricariid Catfish FAQs: Loricariids 1,
Loricariids 2,
Loricariid
Identification, Loricariid
Behavior, Loricariid
Compatibility, Loricariid
Selection, Loricariid Systems,
Loricariid Feeding,
Loricariid Reproduction,
Other Loricariid Genera: FAQs on:
Ancistrus,
Baryancistrus, Genera
Farlowella, Loricaria, Sturisoma,
Rhineloricaria: Twig Plecostomus, Genera
Glyptoperichthys,
Liposarcus, Otocinclus, Pterygoplichthys, Sailfin Giants
among the Loricariids, The Zebra
Pleco, Hypancistrus zebra,
Hypostomus,
Peckoltia: Clown
Plecostomus, Lasiancistrus,
Panaque,
Pseudacanthicus,
Scobanancistrus, L-number catfish,
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Many Loricariids require soft/er, acidic water
conditions... But do check: some live in hard, alkaline water, and the
commercially produced species have wide tolerance.
Small specimens can live in a few tens of gallons;
larger species need hundreds of gallons to prosper.
These are incredibly "messy" fishes that NEED
oversized, vigorous filtration, circulation and REGULAR (weekly) water
changes.
NEED CLEAN, highly oxygenated water
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Bristlenose Plecos sick 7/8/18
Hello, I really appreciate your attention in this time of need. I have been
struggling with this and come to no solution - would not want to risk more
damage, so I feel I need experienced help. I have been into aquaria for three
months only. I set up a 150-liter tank, with two juvenile (3 cm) Bristlenose
Plecos, 6 gold barbs, 3 corys, two snails, some shrimp (of which 2 survived) and
later one xypho. I used JBL Manado for a substrate, which is just finely rough.
I have used Aquael 3 plus as a filter, one that is nominally capable of
filtering up to 250 l. First, I lost lots of shrimp due to an ammonia peak. 2
corys got fin rot, which I treated. They lost most of their barbells though.
Later, I used some sand that I got from a creek - this caused algae and
agitation in the fish, so I got it out.
Everything seemed fine, except for the algae. For that, I got two SAEs, reduced
the lighting, scheduled a siesta, and all was fine. Then, suddenly my two SAEs
died (haemorrhaging around one gill in one of them, haemorrhaging on the belly
in the other), and my other fish got sick. Since I read a slight ammonia peak,
and people told me the filter was insufficient for a substrate tank, I added an
external filter with 1 liter of Sera Siporax, and ammonia and nitrites came down
to 0. The sickness didn't go away though. Most symptoms - sudden movements,
rubbing against object, torn fins in the Plecos, redness in part of the body,
weight loss - pointed to flukes, so I treated that - first by universal
solutions with formalin and such, then with Praziquantel, taking the Nerite
snail to a smaller tank (other invertebrates are fine).After 2 weeks, after a
treatment with Prazi repeated on day 6 and 7 there is no improvement in my
Plecos (see the pictures - redness in varius spots, weights loss, ripped fins,
large reduction of movement). The corys have a slight rosiness on their bellies,
the barbs a more pronounced one, and are all unhappy. Could they have a
different parasite? Could it be bacterial? Could it be just starving (no algae)
in the Plecos and a natural behaviour in the others? I have no nitrate test, but
have lots of filtration now and a large external plant sucking up nitrates
having its roots in the water...I deeply appreciate your help. best Aron
<Looks like an opportunistic bacterial infection, likely caused by the ammonia
peak. As always, avoid 'general' cures as these simply waste time. Formalin is
toxic, while Praziquantel is specifically for treating worms, for which there's
no evidence here. The fact it's the catfish generally that are struggling is a
good clue that the problem is environmental. Rough gravel can scratch catfish
and loaches, and poor water movement along the bottom of the tank means a lack
of oxygen, which means scratches quickly become infected with opportunistic
bacteria such as Aeromonas and Pseudomonas. These cause inflammation of the skin
and ultimately the death of skin tissue, especially around the fins and
whiskers. The disappearance of the barbels on your Corydoras is an extremely
reliable sign that this is the problem. So bottom line, review the aquarium! Is
the gravel nice and smooth? Ideally, use smooth silica sand. Also remember some
'plant friendly' substrates are too sharp for catfish. Next up, ensure there's a
good strong flow of water along the bottom. Plenty of oxygen needed! Once these
issues are reviewed and fixed, then a standard issue anti-Finrot medication
(such as eSHa 2000) should do the trick nicely. Cheers, Neale.>
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Re: re: Bristlenose Plecos sick 7/9/18
Dear WWM, dear Neal, thank you for the kind answer. I will look into this.
best Aron
<Glad to help, and good luck! Neale.>
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Sick Pleco 5/6/18
Hi there,
<Reneke>
We have a Pleco (Plecunga) that has grown huge over the last few years - we
think he's about 10 years old, and he's about 20-21" long. He's in a
320litre, 7ft tank. Tank is high GH (180 ppm) and KH (approx 100ppm),
which is not ideal for a Pleco but he's always had this.
<Actually, am glad to find you have a modicum of pH resisting hardness here.
This large catfish produces copious wastes... would be trouble if there was
little buffering capacity>
PH 6.9, no detectable ammonia or nitrites, nitrate about 40ppm - nothing
of concern.
<Mmm; the pH is okay, but I'd work on the NO3... at the very least increase the
percentage or double the interval of water changes. In the meanwhile do read on
WWM re Nitrate, control. I'd keep this under 20 ppm>
Tank mates (1 ghost knife fish, 3 silver dollars, 3 Gourami, 2 large clown
loaches and 2 angel fish) are all fine, as is the smaller (~10") albino Pleco.
He is the alpha male and nobody in this tank has ever been seen bullying him -
though he occasionally chases the albino. But his skin is "cracking" on both
sides of his body and looks raw/bleeding near the tail.
<I see this in your images>
He's also almost continually shimmying, like he has an itch.
<Likely both issues are environmental... the low pH, high NO3... Though of all
the other fishes listed, the smaller Pleco might be "riding" the larger, causing
damage>
Dorsal fin not overly affected just some minor splitting, but quite some
splitting of the tail fin (sorry, no photo-he seems stressed enough without me
pulling his tail fin apart). I don't think he's eating. As we are in Australia I
don't have access to the same level of antibiotics that would be available in
the US. Best I could get is aquari-cycline (from blue planet), a broad spectrum
antibiotic based on tetracycline, which we started treating him with, but not
seeing any improvement.
<Mmm; I would NOT treat this fish as such; as the root problem is either
environmental or social. >
We have a 60cm (2ft) fully cycled hospital tank (with some guppies) which we
could isolate him in but I think this would be torture.
<Yes; too large a biomass in too small a volume>
We are very fond of him, and would really appreciate any and all advice you can
think of in our mission to get him better!
Thanks
Reneke and Metis.
<Appreciate your concern; share it. Again, I would have you read here:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwnitrates.htm
and the linked files at top, and:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/BigPlecDisF.htm
Bob Fenner>
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Pleco with Heavy Breathing 2/24/17
My common Pleco has been breathing hard a while. What I mean by
that is that her gills move rapidly and her mouth does too.
<Do try (a) doing a substantial water change; and (b) making sure there
is plenty of aeration, and if necessary upgrading such using an airstone or
spray bar; and (c) checking the water isn't too warm, 22-26C/72-79F being
optimal for most of the common Plec species and varieties. Many aquarists keep
their Plecs much too warm, with the result their fish are somewhat stressed,
especially as the fish get bigger and consume more oxygen than they did as
youngsters.>
She appears to be normal other than that. Her appetite is good. Her body is
light at times. She gets faded patches on her and faded stripes. It appears to
get better in the dark, but they are still there. She does have a more white
patch towards her tail (it seems different colored than the others), but it is
not raised. She doesn't appear to be thin. No breathing at the surface. I am
current trying to watch her poop for parasites. It appears it is always the
color of the food she eats, and it occasionally gets small clear connections
between.
<Normal.>
But not all the time. Would that still mean parasite?
<Hard to say, but de-worming is usually worthwhile with Plecs and L-numbers
generally.>
She seems normal, just breathing hard all the time. I just started feeding her
veggies. I didn't realize the importance of them. She was just eating algae
flakes. I am highly concerned. I would be devastated if something happened to
her. She lives by herself right now, she has since I have had her for the last
year. She wasn't very healthy when i got her. What I mean is she was pale all
over, never fed, and lived in ammonia (this was at her old home). Here current
tank has 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and, 40 nitrates.
The tank recently had tons of nitrAtes! Very high, I could not tell if it was
over 80, or over 160. I don't know how long it was like this. It could
have been a long time. I started doing daily water changes and got it to 40. It
appears I have to do one everyday to keep it to 40. There are no or low nitrAtes
in the city water. I know my tank is over stocked.
<See above; Plecs are riverine fish that are sensitive to low-oxygen levels and
will breathe faster (and in extremis, gulp air) under warm, stuffy conditions.>
I am about to move her to a 150 gallon, but I don't want to move her if she is
sick. I bought this tank just for her! She also jumped out of her tank a few
months ago. I do not know how long she was out. Could this is damaged her gills,
and cause rapid breathing?
<Certainly gill damage, e.g., from Velvet, can cause these sorts of symptoms,
but I'd review environment first.>
We also moved a couple months ago, but her tank is just like it was. Could
nitrate poisoning have caused this? I thought maybe she had gill flukes but I
don't see her scratching.... Since their gills are underneath them would they
just rub on the rocks? I don't know what to do! I am worried sick, I have been
researching for days! What should I do? Thank you!
<Welcome.>
PS. OK so I have been watching her poop. I have been giving her sweet potatoes
so I could see the color of her poop better. Most of the time, like 80% of her
poop is the color of the food. However about 20% of the time her poop is the
color of the food with clear, whitish sections in between and sometimes you just
get a very thin, kind of curly looking dirty white stand.
<Mucous; it's fairly normal for Plecs and L-numbers to consume silt and organic
detritus in the tank, and this binds with mucous to form stringy parts to their
normal faeces. Some bogwood to rasp away at is worthwhile, offering extra
roughage!>
Way thinner than normal poop. And just like I said in the last email. She is
active and eating just fine. Parasites? Stress? I don't know. Would this cause
the heavy breathing?
<Hope the above helps. Cheers, Neale.>
re: Pleco with Heavy Breathing 2/24/17
So my temperature is 76 always. There should be a good amount of oxygen because
I have bug filters on the tank with a lot of surface movement.
<Do you mean "big" filters?>
Should you suggest moving her to the new tank where she may be more comfortable?
<Adult Plecs need at least 55 US gallons, and realistically 75+ gallons.
They also need a filter with turnover rated at least 8 times the volume of the
tank per hour; i.e., for a 55 US gallon tank, the filter should be rated at 440
gallons/hour. Obviously filter media needs to be mature.>
Also, I'm assuming you mean it would be a good idea to deworm her? What would I
use? Is it safe to do it not being 100% sure?
<Antihelminth medications are widely sold in aquarium shops; for example Prazi
Pro. They are generally safe to use.>
Also is it normal for her to hold her head up? She holds if off the ground all
the time. Like an inch usually.
<Sometimes this means the bottom layer of the tank has poor water quality, for
example little water flow, or an abrasive substrate that irritates the fish, as
is sometimes the case where "funky" coloured gravels are used instead of smooth
river grave. Review, and act accordingly. Cheers, Neale.>
re: Pleco with Heavy Breathing 2/24/17
She started holding her head up with the heavy breathing. And it is common for
nitrate poisoning to cause breathing problems right?
<Nitrate isn't normally toxic to catfish like Plecs; regular water changes
should dilute nitrate sufficiently. Of course nitrate levels above 100 mg/l
aren't healthy, even for robust fish, hence the need to control the amount of
food that goes into the tank, the frequency of water changes, and the overall
volume of the tank.>
Thank you!
<Welcome. Neale.>
Plecos dying suddenly 2/20/17
Hi Crew,
<Hey Katelin>
I have 2 tanks with Bristlenose Plecos one with a mated pair and 4 Cory
cats and some of the babies that I was letting grow out. The
Bristlenose fry suddenly started dying last night, I've had 4
deaths so far and the rest seem very ill, including my mated pair whom
I've had over 2 years. I had noticed odd white specs all over my
driftwood in that tank and didn't think much of it but now I'm
wondering if it was a sign as the Plecos all have tiny white dots- very
hard to see and not many but they are there.
<Mmm; no to their being the same disease... white spots on the wood and
Ancistrus... BUT, the decomposition of the wood may well have a direct
or indirect effect on water quality, the issue w/ your BNs. I would be
checking what parameters re water here that you can, and in any case
removing the wood for now, executing a good percentage water change
(like half) while vacuuming the substrate... to remove organics>
I know driftwood cannot get ich, but didn't know if the eggs could have
been attached to it like they would the gravel?
<Mmm; Ich is very often present in captive systems; just in a
non-clinical phase... enough "stress" level and it expresses itself...
in numbers and aggressiveness>
I have not introduced anything new into my tank for 1 year 6 months+
(including driftwood) and the Cory cats seem to be acting fine. Before
the sudden deaths I noticed the Plecos had started going to the
surface for air a lot and were hanging out at water line, some even with
their heads above the water.
<The above... removal, water change: Stat!>
I know the tank was overstocked but I did one-two large water changes a
day to combat any issues and my water parameters were always correct
when I tested.
<Ah good; and who knows what... that is untestable by you re the second>
I was actually about to take them all to the LFS when this happened. My
male albino also looks bloated and his tail area is very red in color,
plus his sides are white almost as if he has lost his pigmentation. To a
degree he has always been like that on his sides, but it seems to be
worse. I took a lot of the Plecos out and moved them into other
tanks
<Very good>
and have done a big water change already and will do another before bed.
Should I treat this like ich and raise the temp to 86?
<I would not; as the fish going near the surface... the higher temp.
will result in higher metabolism and less dissolved oxygen>
I have raised it a little but am afraid as they already seem to have
trouble breathing. They are acting very lethargic and not eating and I
am worried more will die if I don't treat them soon. I did add some
extra air pumps to their tanks to increase oxygen as well. Thanks for
any advice you can give me, it is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Kate
<The added air is a good idea; and moving them to known good quality
settings even better. I do not think the problem here is really
pathogenic, but environmental. Bob Fenner>
Re: Plecos dying suddenly 2/20/17
Just an update- lost 4 more Plecos since I wrote you, mostly the smaller
ones that are only a couple months old,
<A good clue... re the cause here being env.>
but also a few up to 5-6 months.
However all seem very ill, not eating, lethargic, showing some very
small white granule like spots, and have noticed some with eyes that
appear sunken. A lot of the dead ones eye's are sunken into their
sockets and have dark grey patches of slime, not sure if this is just
normal with death or not. Thanks so much for the help!
Kate
<MOVE THEM. Bob Fenner>
Re: Plecos dying suddenly 2/22/17
Thanks for the response...I have lost about six more from the main tank
and tank I moved others into, the tank I moved them in seems to be
stable now, have not lost any for over 24 hours, but lost 2 from main
tank that I found this a.m. The tank has the weird tiny white stuff all
over the filter, glass, heater, and floating through water and it looks
like what is on the Plecos.
<Organic... likely decomposition products from the wood>
The Plecos have more of it on them and even have it in their mouths. The
cories are also starting to get white spots and acting sick.
It looks like the exact stuff that was on the wood as well. What Im
wondering is, should I set up a new tank and new filter, new everything
to put them in even though I won't have the beneficial bacteria?
<I wouldn't... the previous mentions of removing the wood et al. should
do it>
(To even assume the bacteria in there is beneficial at all at this
point) Or leave them in their tank and continue with the gravel vacs and
water changes twice daily even though they still seem to be gasping for
air, ill and dying?
<You did remove the wood...>
Do I need to treat for ich, and if so what is safe to use?
<No treatment necessary or advised. I think I've mentioned this already
as well>
Thank you so much for your help, I am very worried about doing the wrong
thing and losing more of my fish.
Katelin
<Understood. Bob Fenner>
Re: Plecos dying suddenly 2/22/17
Hi Bob,
So I figured out what was in tank- they are some type of worm, I'm
guessing gill/body fluke due to their symptoms and appearance. They were
difficult to see, had to use high power flashlight and magnifying glass
but there were definitely worms squiggling everywhere and one was
attempting to burrow into my boyfriend's hand (actually how we
discovered and starting investigating further.) I have moved them to a
new tank, but since they are already infected do you have a
recommendation for medication safe to use on Plecos and cories,
including my Pygmy Cory? I am in the U.S. Much
appreciated.
Katelin
<Yes; there are a few Anthelminthics of use... Prazi/quantel is a fave.
I'd have you read here first:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/fwsubwebindex/fwwormdisfaqs.htm
and the linked files above; where you lead yourself... till you're aware
of your options. Do this soon.
Bob Fenner>
Re: Plecos dying suddenly 2/23/17
Bob,
Will read the link you gave me, thanks SO much for all your help
Katelin
<A pleasure to share, aid your efforts Katelin. Bob Fenner>
Albino Bristlenose plecostomus 2/1/17
Hello I was told by a PetCo employee to ask you about my plecostomus.
<Fire away.>
The end of December we upgraded to a larger tank. He used to be very active
always out where we could see him. since we set up the new tank he has lost most
of the webbing on his fins and he has a sore on his belly.
<I can see this. It's a bacterial infection (so I'd be using a reliable
antibiotic, not MelaFix or salt) but the question is why is it like this.
Usually when catfish show this sort of damage, it's because the
substrate is either too sharp, too dirty, or some combination of the two. What
you've got there are ulcers, you see.
I'm not a huge fan of funky substrates and
would instead always recommend smooth, plain vanilla gravel rather than anything
sharp or jagged. Failing that, a thin layer of smooth lime-free sand (such as
silica sand or pool filter sand) works well too. While sharp or coloured gravels
are often fine for midwater fish, catfish drag themselves across those
substrates, and in the process can damage themselves. Bear in mind that your
Ancistrus naturally comes from shallow streams where the water flows over sand,
boulders and bogwood. So he's adapted to smooth surfaces and has a very tender
belly. Review, and act accordingly. Fix the substrate, keep it clean, treat with
antibiotics, and all should be well.>
We check the water levels regularly and they are always fine. He lives with
three zebra danios, three Dalmatian tail platys and a Japanese algae eating
shrimp. Two of the zebra danios have died though. I'm putting stress coat and
MelaFix into the tank and he is now being more active but he still doesn't look
healthy. Please let me know if there is anything else I can do for him!
Thank you
Tammie
<Most welcome. Neale.>
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Re: Albino Bristlenose plecostomus
2/1/17
Thank you for the prompt response!!
<Welcome.>
I will switch out the substrate for a softer one. What antibiotic do you suggest
and where can I get it?
<Depends where you live. In the US, various antibiotics are sold in aquarium
shops, such as Kanaplex. Outside the US, antibiotics are normally legally sold
only with a prescription, which you get from a vet. So alternatives to
antibiotics are sold in aquarium shops that work almost as well. Here in the UK,
I recommend a product called eSHa 2000 as inexpensive and reliable. Cheers,
Neale.>
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Pleco... 5/3/15
We put some new fish in the tank a few weeks ago and all but one of the
four new fish died. The majority of the fish that were already there
before have also died off over the past week. When they all started dying, I
moved all of the fish to a new tank for a few days while I thoroughly cleaned
this tank and let the filter run for a few days. Shortly after putting the
remaining fish back in the tank, three more died and my Pleco developed
small white spots on his eyes. Now he has one red bump on each eye. Do
you have any ideas what might be happening? As soon as all of this started I
started testing the water everyday and everything keeps coming up fine..
Michelle
<Hello Michelle. Need some data here. At first glance this all sounds like New
Tank Syndrome. All very generic symptoms of environmental stress. The fact your
photo is a picture of a Pterygoplichthys species catfish, which grows to 45
cm/18 inches within two years suggests you have a very large aquarium. Or should
have, anyway, as anything smaller than 55 gallons won't work (too much ammonia
excreted), and anything smaller than 75 gallons will look filthy (these fish
turn defecation into an Olympic sport). So please confirm the aquarium size.
Also, your idea of "fine" might not be my idea
of "fine", so rather than a subjective editorial, can you let me have the actual
nitrite, pH and hardness values. These are important. Things like Neons have
totally different requirements to Guppies, so a tank that contains both will be
bad for one of them. Make sense? Nitrite values tell me something about how well
the filter is doing its job. Anything above 0 is toxic and explanation enough
for sickness and fish deaths, while nitrite values above 0.5 mg/l are quickly
lethal to fish, killing them within days of exposure. Put another way: if one
fish dies for mysterious reasons, you could be unlucky. But when numerous fish
die within a few days, it's almost always the environment. Exposure to toxins of
some sort, whether intrinsic (ammonia, nitrite) or extrinsic (household cleaning
products, paint fumes).
Conceivably, you can introduce diseases with batches of new aquarium fish, but
almost always these are obvious problems such as Whitespot or Velvet. Even then,
you wouldn't expect all the fish to die for no obvious reason.
Instead you'd see a succession of fish coming down with obvious signs of
parasitic infection. That's not what happened here, so we're back to the
environment as the problem. Review, and act accordingly. Cheers, Neale.>
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re: Pleco 5/3/15
Nitrate is just above 0,
<Check your test kit. This is virtually impossible in a 55-gallon tank with an
adult Plec.>
nitrite is at 0, GH is at 75, KH is at 60, pH is at 7.0, and ammonia is at 0.
<Given the dubious quality of the nitrate reading, I'd be skeptical of any of
these. Could well be the source of your problems: thinking things are fine, when
they're clearly not. Plecs are filth factories. They eat massive amounts of
green and dried foods, and produce a lot of solid waste as well as dissolved
metabolites. Unless there's massive amounts of plant growth, by which I mean
you're pulling out overgrown plants pretty much daily, there's no way nitrate
will be zero. Nitrate is the end product of biological filtration, as you
probably know. Only water changes dilute it, and unless you change 100% of the
water, you reduce nitrate level by a certain amount, you don't reduce it to
zero. That's why I simply don't believe your nitrate reading. Double check
you're using it right, and if
you get the same answer, then the test kit is shot.>
Currently they are in a 55 gallon (they being the Pleco, a rainbow shark, and
two unidentified fish that I have attached a picture of),
<Both Trichopodus trichopterus, the "Three Spot Gourami". Nice fish, hardy, but
males can be aggressive in small tanks.>
but we do have a 100 gallon tank that we will be buying soon.
<Much better.>
We inherited these fish from my parents as they are moving a few states over and
it's kind of difficult to move fish that far. Currently the Pleco is about 10
inches long, 3 years old.
<Stunted somewhat. Quite common, especially when left to "scavenge" or eat algae
rather than properly fed. Nonetheless, even at this size will be producing a lot
of waste. Anyway, I'm 99% sure the environment is the issue here,
notwithstanding the test kit results. The low hardness is a little troubling
too; do bear in mind that low hardness can mean an unstable pH,
and sudden pH drops are harmful to fish. Low hardness and acidic pH levels also
reduce the efficiency of filter bacteria.>
Our tank is about 5 feet wide, just over 2 feet tall.
Michelle
<Cheers, Neale.>
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Plecs gill has popped out 6/24/13
I have a problem with my Plec that I cant seem to find an answer to so
any thoughts would retreat please, it's gill on the right has been
swollen for a few weeks but now it seems to have completely popped out I
think see pic, He seems ok and is behaving normally, he is in a tank
140l with 1 kissing gourami 2 opal gourami 3 golden barbs and 2
goldfish, one of the goldfish has a small growth on his side but has had
this since I inherited them over 18mths ago so I don't know if there is
a link there.
Thanks for reading and any help you can offer x
Lisa
<Hello Lisa. "Gill Curl" is almost always environmental;
specifically, the fish in question is kept in an aquarium that's too
small, inadequately filtered, and/or not given enough water changes.
Given an adult Plec needs upwards of 200 litres, minimum, to do well, my
money would be on a combination of all three, especially when you factor
in the other fish,
some of which, like the Kissing Gourami and Goldfish, need a fair amount
of space themselves. No "treatment" as such; Gill Curl usually fixes
itself once conditions improve. If you can't move the Plec to a bigger
tank in your home, a phone call to your local aquarium shop may be
useful in rehoming; in the UK, the Maidenhead Aquatics chain usually
takes in fish and rehouse them without any hassle. Hope this helps,
Neale.>
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Re: Plecs gill has popped out– 6/24/13
Thanks for your help, i am moving the goldfish to the pond outside so
hopefully this will help and i will save up for a bigger tank. Many
thanks
Lisa x
<Ah, sounds like a good plan. Good luck! Neale.>
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Tank troubles, iatrogenic
3/14/12
Hello, I was given a tank a couple of years ago with a group of fish
including 1 now 10inch id shark
<Grows to a few feet... why don't you, others search, as
directed, on WWM ahead of writing us?>
(he was alot
<No such word>
smaller when i got the tank) 4 Tetras and a large Pleco 8 inches
. I wasn't told anything about fish keeping just keep the
temperature right do water changes watch out for signs of infection
(knowing what i do now i wish i did my research earlier).
<Honest>
My tank is 4ft by 2ft by 1ft. Since i upgraded to this
tank. A few problems have occurred. Iv never had disease in the
tank. In all the time i had it, However i decided to buy some new
tetras and then the problems seem to start (fin fot).
<Environmental...>
Also my Pleco fights with my Id shark and in diving
around the tank damaged the end of his two front fins very
slightly. It appeared to be heeling very well so i didn't put
any treatments in the tank as i was already treating for the fin rot
and i didn't want to add more chemicals after reading the id shark
having no scales is very sensitive to treatments
<Ahh!>
and i don't own a hospital tank. The end of the fin healed over
but after some days turned red on the end of both fins. Also he seems
to be covered in tiny air bubbles. Im not sure if this is
normal.
<Not; again, env.>
Apart from this he eats like a horse, Holds his fins out and dances for
me still and is showing no other signs of disease. After seeing the red
develop on his 2 fin tips i treated the tank with anti bacterial for
ulcers and infections and so on (what the pet store advised). I cant
get rid of the red in his 2 fin tips, Im presuming it is an
infection.
<READ here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/PangCatDisF.htm
and all the linked files above; compatibility>
After treating him twice no change i feel stuck not knowing what to do
help please!
<... help yourself>
Also i added two albino red fin sharks to the tank last
week just over an inch long
<Likely will be inhaled, killed by the Pangasiid>
(since i have the tetras who are small i didn't see a problem with the
bigger fish eating them he leaves everyone alone mostly) All was great
they seem to hide alot but i read that was normal. Last night before i
went to bed they were both swimming around happily playing, In the
morning i woke up and found one of the small albino sharks dead. The
only sign of possible death i can see is bleeding under the skin where
i think the heart is only no where else. His colours are still bright a
beautiful like before. Im worried something is going on in the tank
now. I love my 2 large fish alot i don't want anything to happen with
them. Also i never knew much about water testing and when i read online
or go to the pet store Im abit overwhelmed with so many different
things with expensive prices! i don't have alot of money, Please can you
advise me of the main and most important tests i need to carry out to
determine what is going on in my tank and tips how to treat my Pleco
and save my tank before all hell breaks lose and everyone dies.Thank
you for your time
<Learn to/use the search tool, indices on WWM, and run your writing
through a spell- and grammar checker before sending to us if writing
again. Bob Fenner>
Re: Tank troubles. Why we eat the rude
3/14/12
Thank you for your rude reply, Firstly I know exactly how big the
catfish grows that's why I didn't search this.. I didn't
even ask you for the size so not sure why you needed to be rude there.I
was nervous about posting anywhere else in fear of a rude response and
I find it hard to use your site and read through things to find what I
need unless sent there by google!. So I thought it would be better to
describe my tank and get the right advice and ask you my self! Thanks
for the English lesson, I wont be writing your site again for advice :)
not sure why you linked me to the Pangasiid page i have already been
there a million times. It is the Pleco who is sick not the id
shark as I said in my previous email to you. Have a nice
day!
<And you>
Swordtails golden nugget... ? Env./hlth of both I
guess 1/6/12
Hi I know this sound like a weird combo this will be sorted, but at the
moment I keep 5 golden nuggets
<Suckermouth Catfishes, Baryancistrus sp.?>
( unfortunately now four) a group of seven syrillis cories, along
with roughly 5 large female and a mixture of baby
swordtails.
To the point I recently have lost a few swordtails to a problem that
creeps up every now and again where my large swordtails look slightly
unwell then within 24-48 hours there scales fall off and there flesh
looks flakey as if it's falling off but this only happens from
there belly up and from tail towards head that's the direction the
problem
Move along there body over this short period of time, I have been
keeping these fish together for over three years with no problems what
is causing this?
<Mmm... could be pathogenic... there are some bacterial issues and
protozoan parasites that appear like this... Requires microscopic
examination of sample smears to detect/identify specifically. Or, could
be a matter of water quality issues... Like quite different conditions
than the catfishes>
My next question is could my golden nugget have suffered a random heart
attack it had been fine as usual and died in the blink of an eye when I
was looking at my tank no joke so I am baffled to the nuggets
problem.
<Could>
My tank is 220 liters plus extra ten from filter which is a Fluval 405
my water is fine and constant and doesn't change I do two to three
water changes per week between 20-50 liters and once a month I do a 50%
( expensive I no but only the best for my golden nuggets) No2 0ppm No3
0ppm ph 6.8
<Ahh, this could be the problem w/ your Swords. Xiphophorus need
hard water...>
( my water is very hard in my area so I struggle to get soft
water
<How do you do this? All aquarium life needs some Biominerals,
alkalinity>
but I am setting the nuggets up a 350 liter river setup and paying for
ro on just there tank (once that tank frees up when I get my new 2500
litre Oscar Arowana setup)) no ammonia no chlorine chloramine all heavy
metals are barely detectable for what I can test.
Any thing you can suggest
<See above for my questions, input thus far>
I generally cure any illness using natural methods i.e. I have cured
hith in many a friends fish just using Epsom salts I even saved my
local fish shops Oscar) any help too the swordtail problem would be
appreciated, any conformation on the nuggets would be appreciated but I
know they are a niche for information
Thanks yours sincerely aleck Fletcher
<The swordtails really need to be raised in a separate system...
Cooler, harder water... Bob Fenner>
Re: Swordtails golden nugget 1/6/12
As soon as I repair my another spare 180 litre I'll move the swords
thank you very much, what would I be looking for under the scope ?
<... please learn to/use the search tool and indices on WWM>
I have never had experience under the scope but have done swim bladder
deflation on my Frontosas before so should be capable with research on
scraping etc
<Good>
but what exactly under the scope am I looking for?
<... posted>
How do I soften the water?
<This also>
I just have lots of plants and have homemade soil substrate under the
gravel and lots of bogwood and it just seems to sit around 6.6-6.8
I'd like it bit lower but cannot afford r/o how hard should I also
make the water for the swords cooler?
<Yes, depending on the current temp....>
What sort of temp mines at 28c ATM and it goes up to 30-32 in summer
and it cools at night to 28-29c, any more clues to nugget death would
be appreciated too.
<... see/read on WWM under Loricariid health/disease.>
I'll move the swords once I repair there old tank
<Cheers, BobF>
(email 1) Baby Plecostomus Deaths
12/16/11
Hello Bob and Crew,
<Salve,>
This incident happened a few years ago, so please forgive my inability
to completely remember all specific details.
I have researched the issue in my fish/aquarium books and extensively
on the web, but have never been able to find any information on what
caused the odd death of these fish....I am still curious as to what
could have happened to the little guys.
<Okay.>
I had purchased two small baby Blue Eyed Albino Plecos If I recall
correctly they were Bristlenose Plecos. I believe they were somewhere
between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch. They initially looked healthy and acted
and ate well. I think it was somewhere between one and two weeks later
when the first fish started to have issues
<As is often the case with catfish.>
It developed a thin and increasingly dark band around the mid area of
its body, which looked as if it was situated just beneath the skin I am
fairly sure the band was just before the Dorsal Fin, although if my
memory does not serve me correctly it would have been just behind that
at the front portion of the fin. This band seemed to get tighter and
tighter as he seemed to be trying to grow around it while it
constricted him. It seemed and looked just like a rubber band was
wrapped around him and was squeezing him to death yet the dark band was
definitely internal. As this was happening he lost his appetite and
became increasingly pale (from the usual yellow coloration to white),
until he died which I believe was 3 to 4 days later. Just before the
first baby died, the other baby developed the dark band and died in
exactly the same manor.
There was nothing in the tank they could have ingested that they should
not have.
<With juvenile catfish the problems are twofold. Firstly,
they're living in what is normally the low oxygen part of the tank.
That's because many filters, particularly hang-on-the-back filters,
don't suck in water from the bottom of the tank. So the bottom
layer tends to have little current and little mixing with the
oxygen-rich surface of the tank. Undergravel filters are much better
because they suck water through the substrate, but such filters
aren't much used these days. So if you want to keep catfish in peak
health, especially juveniles, you need to ensure strong water current
right down to the bottom of the tank. Try placing a filter close to the
bottom of the tank or installing an airstone or two right at the bottom
of the tank so water is pulled upwards with the bubbles. The second
issue is feeding. When newly hatched, the Ancistrus or Corydoras fry
can feed on algae and micro-organisms they find in the aquarium. But as
they grow, they need more of these foods, and eventually they exhaust
the supply of edible microbes of the type they want to eat. At some
point, and it is indeed around a couple weeks post-hatching, they can
start to starve unless you make a special effort to provide them with
4-6 meals of appropriate type and size.>
I attempted to treat with small doses of Melafix and Pimafix,
to no avail. The area pet stores I had contacted had also
never heard of this condition and were not able to help.
<>
The fish were in a 5 gallon tank, which I was planning to keep them in
until they grew large enough to escape the mouth of the 6 inch Raphael
Catfish in my main tank (who is soon to be 19 years old!).
<Not bad!>
I set this 5 gallon up only when needed as a hospital or quarantine
tank, using 3 to 4 gallons of water from my main tank - The main tank
is a fully cycled 29 gallon which has been up and running for many
years. I then top the 5 gallon tank off with 1 to 2 gallons of new
water. The main tank has never had any water quality issues when tested
although the PH in this area does run a bit high at about 7.6. I have
had a few other Plecos over the years (including the Albino Bristlenose
currently in my tank), who have never seemed to have problems with the
higher PH, although they were much larger than these little guys when I
acquired them.
<>
The 5 gallon the babies were in had a power filtration system with
floss and carbon suitable for the tank size I also had added a small
piece of floss from the 29 gallon tanks filter to aid biological
filtration. I had a heater in the tank which was sized for 2 to 5
gallon tanks, and had a factory set temperature of 78 degrees. I always
use water conditioner whenever adding water or making a water
change.
<>
I have been an aquarium hobbyist since I was a very small child, and
have never seen or heard of such a thing. What possibly could have
happened to these fish?
<See above.>
Thank you so much for your help and advice, and for your wonderful
website!
~Connie
<Most welcome! Cheers, Neale.>
Re: (email 1) Baby Plecostomus Deaths 12/16/11
Hello, Neale. Thank you for the quick reply.
<You are welcome.>
Could it all have been due to the oxygen issue you mentioned?
<Yes. Low oxygen level will stress fish without immediately killing
them. Ancistrus are adapted to cool, shallow, fast-flowing streams with
lots of oxygen. They're tough fish, and adults can do well in
ordinary aquaria. But the juveniles are less resilient.>
I don't believe lack of food was an issue....I had been feeding
them small bits of algae wafer, some crumbled flake food, and
'smooshed' frozen peas minus the pea casing - all of which they
were eating well.
<Perhaps.>
I monitored them closely (checking on them several times a day), making
sure they had food at all times .
I also made sure older food was removed and replaced with fresh.
Thank you for the information. If I ever purchase any Plecos that small
again I will certainly include an air stone! I am also going to add
another air stone to my 29 gallon tank for my adult Pleco, just to be
safe!
I'm curious to know physically what this brown band and
'cinching' of their bodies could have been,
<Starvation, stress, secondary infection hard to say.>
as well as the initial cause of it. Any ideas as to what that thing was
and how it constricted their bodies like that?
Thank you so much.
~Connie
<Cheers, Neale.>
Pleco 7/15/11
Dear WWM Crew-
I have a 11 year old Pleco that became acutely
disoriented last night. He is frequently ramming into the
sides and lid of the tank. The only other thing noted is that his eyes
are suddenly sunken. He does not seem to be breathing rapidly or have
any other signs of distress (other than the disorientation...) The tank
is a 75 gallon and also houses a clown loach, an angel, half-dozen
tetras, and two small catfish. None of the other fish are showing any
of these symptoms. I tested the water quality last night and everything
tested fine. The nitrate was at about 30-40 mg/L so I went ahead and
did a 25% water change last night. So far, no improvement in his
symptoms. Any other suggestions?
<Do check you haven't used a copper- or formalin-based
medication in the tank, as these can upset catfish. Also check the
substrate is clean and if you're using gravel, the gravel has been
regularly stirred and siphoned, because anoxic decay can cause more
problems for bottom-dwelling fish than other sorts. Do check the filter
is working well and water chemistry is appropriate ("everything
fine" means nothing to me) -- for a Common Plec, Pterygoplichthys
sp., we're talking about 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 2-25 degrees dH
hardness, and a pH of 6-8. With all this said, I'd expect Loaches
and Angels to react more quickly to environmental problems than a Plec.
At 11 years of age yours is in middle age, but not old, so I don't
think old age will be the problem here. But your Plec is an
air-breather, so do check you aren't using paints or other
chemicals in the room that might introduce toxins that could harm the
Plec (it's a good idea to switch off airstones when painting rooms
with fish tanks, and to keep windows open for at least 24 hours so that
the air in the room stays as fresh as possible). Sunken eyes are a bad
sign for newly-imported L-number Suckermouth cats, but most commonly
suggest starvation, so do make sure your Plec has been well fed with
lots of greens. Your tank is rather small for a Plec and Clown Loach
together, and I'd be surprised if they both get enough to eat AND
water quality stays good at the same time. The fact you have a rather
high nitrate level may well be a clue, especially if your tap water
nitrate level is lower than 10 mg/l (check it). Cheers, Neale.>
Pleco hlth. 1/7/10
Hello. I have looked over many and many of your links on Plecos and
haven't seen this question at all. So I'm going to ask.
I have a Pleco in my tank, I have had him a couple years now. I noticed
a couple weeks ago he was hiding a lot, not really coming out of that
place much at all. Finally he did, he had what I thought looked like a
cloudy eye.
<Generally caused by poor water quality.>
So I used some Melafix in the tank. I thought it might have been
helping some. He was out a lot more an back to cleaning my glass again.
Tonight I noticed that same eye looks kinda bloody.. raw? It looks bad.
Was wondering what I can do to help him out. I would really hate to
lose him.
<Any sharp decor? Territoriality/aggression from the Cichlids, which
vary in aggression, depending on type, but are generally an aggressive
fish, especially when in small, overstocked tanks?>
I have a 15 gallon tank. He is in with 3 cichlids. My tank is pretty
normal.
<Some may call it normal... sounds overstocked to me... from
moderately to heavily depending on what kind of Cichlids these
are.>
Temp is about 74 or so.
<This is a little cool. Do you use a heater? I'd keep it at 78
with the use of a heater. If you're not using a heater, then this
small volume is likely experiencing radical temperature fluctuations
from night to day, when the house heating/cooling system comes on, when
it goes off, etc.>
Any help would be greatly appreciated. And will you write me back here
or should I try to find this on your website for an answer? Thanks for
anytime you can offer me on this.
***Jami***
<Hi, Jami. Firstly, if you would have read the information on the
same page where you found our e-mail address, you'd have noticed
our request for folks to use proper capitalization, punctuation,
grammar, etc. when writing us. If you don't, we have to fix it, and
it takes time. "I" is capitalized, and the end of a sentence
can be adequately signaled by the use of one period. Secondly, please
write back with useful data, i.e., your Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate
levels, as well as what kind of Pleco you own, and what kind of fish
his tank mates are. Melafix is generally useless once you see a problem
on the scale that you're seeing here; however, this is likely a
problem caused by poor water quality in an overstocked, underfiltered
tank. Even if the primary reason for the problem is otherwise, i.e.,
aggression from tank mates or a scrape by sharp decor; there's a
reason this isn't healing on its own, and that reason is likely
water quality, and possibly continued aggression from tank mates, or a
piece of sharp decor that has not been removed. I'd like to help
you get your guy back on the road to recovery, but you just haven't
provided much of the information that I can use to help you. Please
feel free to write back with that information.
--Melinda>
Pleco swollen gills, env. 6/10/09
Hello,
<Hi there>
Thanks for having such an informative website! My Sailfin Pleco, now
about 4 years old, is living alone in a 25 gallon tank with natural
substrate and plants.
<Mmm, is this a Glyptopterichthys gibbiceps? Needs much more room...
and what goes with it... better, more stable water quality...>
There is also a driftwood in there for him. Recently I noticed a small
red sore around his gill area on one side while he was sucking the tank
glass. Today (about a week later) the sore has spread on both sides on
or around his gills. His temperament is the same as always; he swims
around, sucks on the glass and eats fine, but I'm worried about
these sores. I've never dealt with Pleco illnesses so I'm not
sure how to diagnose this.
<You have... just not acknowledged the root cause... Poor
environment>
I clean his water and filter regularly, the water is properly aerated
with an air tube, and he eats algae pucks. The tank is rather clean so
I'm not sure where he could have contracted the sore from.
<Cleanliness is not sterility... Do you do water quality
tests?>
The only thing I can think of is that a month ago my absolutely
gorgeous, healthy and very spunky fantail goldfish who shared the tank
with him died very mysteriously.
<Mmm... not likely too mysteriously>
Literally. One night he was totally fine, feeding well, and the next
morning he was just still behind his plant (his sleeping spot), not
belly up, just hovering there, but clearly dead (broke my heart). There
were
absolutely no visible signs of any illnesses. But could my Pleco have
contracted something from him?
<Just shares the same too small world>
Problem is, I have no idea what killed my goldfish.
Thanks for your help in advance!
<Please read, at least on WWM, re the needs... system and water
quality (and stability) wise re these species. The overall most likely
"cause" here is environmental. Bob Fenner>
Sick Pleco 4/18/09
Hello,
I have a 6 year old, 14 inch long "basic" Pleco.
<Pterygoplichthys sp.; a challenging fish in many ways because it
needs a large tank. If yours isn't well, there's a very good
(90%) chance the issue is environmental. Should be hardy in a 55+
gallon tank with a strong canister filter rated at 6+ times the volume
of the tank in turnover per hour. Anything less than this, and your
problems are very likely "fixable" by moving the fish to an
appropriate aquarium.>
There are only 4 very small neon tetras in his tank and they do not
show any signs of illness. Two days ago, I cleaned his tank and
filters.
<How did you clean the filters? Did you replace any media?
What's the water quality and water chemistry here?>
He was fine. When I woke up this morning, I thought he was dead. He was
laying extremely still on the bottom of the tank, had a white film over
both eyes and has white spots starting at the tip of his nose moving
down his back to the beginning of his front fins.
<Sounds like an opportunistic bacterial infection, if we're
talking about white patches and white films; these are usually
environmental. So while there are cures (for example eSHa 2000 or
Maracyn) these MUST be done in conjunction with fixing the environment.
At minimum, do a pH test and a nitrite test, and then give me the
results. It's dollars to doughnuts that something's
amiss.>
He appeared not to be breathing and didn't move at all. I had to
know if he was alive or not so I prodded him a little and he moved. It
was very slow at first. He began to swim around the tank bumping into
things.
<Again, common sign of systemic bacterial infection.>
But he was not moving in a way that made me think he was panicking.
Through the day, he is swimming around as usual, not bumping into
things in the tank, hanging out in his favorite places and sucking on
the side of the tank as usual. It appears the white film on his eyes is
not so thick. I can see the "round brown" middle of his eye
slightly. Any ideas of what I should do or what it is since it just
popped up overnight?
<Very likely a water quality, water chemistry, or possibly a
toxicity issue (e.g., detergent, paint fumes or bug spray got into the
tank). So: [a] test the water; [b] review conditions, and fix them if
necessary; and [c] treat
for Finrot using something reliable (as opposed to salt or
Melafix).>
Thanks,
Julie
<Cheers, Neale.>
Ancistrus help! 3/25/2009
Hello again..
<Hi,>
A little question about my Bristlenose Ancistrus.. I had two, one
with more bristles than the other.
<Likely a male and female.>
About 4 or 5 weeks ago they became a lot less active in the day,
co-inciding with the arrival of some adopted fish, which were two
upside down catfish, and a red tailed black shark amongst others.
My research suggested that maybe they were just getting older, as
I have had them 7 or 8 months now.
<Ancistrus are nocturnal fish in the wild, so it's
entirely normal for them to be 'shy', especially in a
busy tank.>
Anyhow, I found one dead yesterday. No signs of any lesions or
anything, water parameters were fine (nitrites 0, ammonia 0,
nitrates less than 10) I do a 30% water change every 10 days or
so, and have a 180ltr Juwel Rio with the internal filter it comes
with.
<Hmm... if the water quality is good, then may just be
"one of those things". But I would be alert to possible
problems, and keep an eye on both fish behaviour and water
chemistry/quality readings.>
Other tank occupants are (BTW - is this overstocked? They are all
very small at present..)
<Certainly busy rather than overstocked, though the Red-tail
Shark shouldn't be here. The addition of a secondary,
external filter will help with water quality as the fish mature,
and should be on your Christmas list perhaps. Something like an
Eheim 2217 or equivalent will work well, and that's what I
have on my Rio 180.>
14 x 5 banded barb Puntius pentazona
Around 14 zebra Danios (they move too fast to count!)
5 adult platies (2 male, 3 female) 2 juvenile platies
3 x Siamese Algae Eaters
1 x Trichogaster Leeri
2 diamond tetras
3 rosy tetras
3 Columbian tetras
<Fin-nippers these, especially when kept in insufficient
numbers, as here...>
2 upside down catfish
<Gregarious, would add at least one more...>
1 red tailed black shark (NB - he is under surveillance for signs
of aggression, with plans to move him soon. He is no bigger than
the Platies and so far has shown no interest in anything other
than food, no territorial behaviour)
<Non-aggressive now because he's young. Once sexually
mature he will become much more aggressive. The Siamese Algae
Eaters will get chased, a lot. This tank is certainly below the
size recommended for Red-tail Black Sharks
because of this aggression issue.>
Around 5 weeks ago, when the Ancistrus became less active, I had
slowly lowered the tank temp to 25 C from 27C, as I had lost two
small platies and wondered if this was due to the tank temp being
too high for them. I also lost two small Danios (around 10 weeks
old) at the same time. As these were inbred (!) and all other
tank inhabitants were fine, water parameters read normal, I had
not overly worried.
<Temperature unrelated to the death of the catfish; 25 C is a
happy medium for all these species.>
The remaining Ancistrus is very inactive. Should I quarantine
him?
<Why?>
It has been suggested he could be guarding eggs (he has taken to
the same place all the time, when I am cleaning the tank they he
tries very hard to stay around the same log).
<Could certainly be brooding, but they are territorial anyway,
and rarely stray far from their resting site during the
day.>
There are no external signs of illness, but I have not seem him
feeding for at least the last week. I wondered if they have just
become a bit more nocturnal, but when I found one dead..
<I'd not worry unduly beyond the comments already made
above.>
Same with the upside down catfish. I haven't seen them since
I put them in the tank to speak of. I know where they are, each
has chosen the underside of a log, and there they stay. How would
I know if there is anything wrong
with them if I cannot see them?!
<At best, Synodontis species are nocturnal fish that often
move about very little during the day, but because this is a
schooling species, this shyness is doubled if they aren't
kept in big groups. Keep six of them, and they might be more day
active. Certainly try and keep three or more specimens, and
you'll likely see them somewhat during the day. I have
three
in a Rio 180, and while not massively active by day, they will
scoot about when I feed bloodworms, and periodically they chase
one another about. Charming, hardy fish.>
Any advice would be appreciated, I was very fond of the
Ancistrus, they were such fun to watch.
<Quite. Perhaps buy some more?>
Thanks
Sarah
<Cheers, Neale.>
|
|
Re: Ancistrus help!
(selection; also Colisa chuna; toxic fumes)
3/26/09
Thank you Neale - your responses are always helpful and prompt
which is just great!
<Happy to help.>
I think the 'shark' will have to find a new home soon,
before he chases anyone or harasses them. My local pet shop has
some baby Ancistrus bred in the shop (very nice they are too) I
will see if he will do me a swap. Will also consider a few more
upside down catfish in a couple of weeks.
<Cool. Baby Ancistrus don't always travel well, or more
specifically, they can become starved in pet shop tanks, and so
lack the energy reserves to handle transportation and being
settled into a new home where they may have to compete for food.
If their specimens are clambering about on the glass, take a peek
at their bellies: they should not be concave. Some of the better
pet stores keep bits of cucumber in their tanks for the Ancistrus
to nibble on, in which case, so much the better.>
Sadly today I lost a little Gourami (I missed these off my list,
they are small golden or honey Gourami, also adopted from someone
just before Christmas) yesterday evening it did not feed, this
morning before school run it was struggling to swim against the
current of the filter - dead when I got back from school. No
external signs of any illness at all.
<Colisa chuna is not an easy species to keep, despite its wide
availability. Indeed, when I started keeping fish as a teenager
back in 1980s, they were considered quite "specialist"
fish because of their need for soft, acidic water. So when you
saw them, they were usually expensive. Nowadays they are mass
produced on farms, including some non-natural colour forms like
the one in your image. While they may be less expensive and
certainly easier to obtain, I'm not yet convinced they're
"easy" fish. I wouldn't really consider them
community fish, but rather better kept in either a single-species
aquarium or in a tank with very small, non-aggressive fish such
as Marbled Hatchetfish or Dwarf Corydoras.>
I tested the water again - it was as it was on Monday after the
water change, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrate.
<All sounds fine.>
Now I am a bit paranoid. Last weekend I varnished some wood
nearby, but I kept the doors to the room the tank is in shut, and
all the windows around the varnished area open. Other than this
nothing has changed.
<Ah, in theory, yes, paint and varnish fumes can kill fish.
Since Gouramis breathe air directly, they'd be especially at
risk; fish that breathe water will only be exposed to the smaller
percentage of the toxic chemical that dissolved in water. That
said, if you open windows, you certainly can paint rooms and
whatnot without expecting all your fish to die. I would recommend
leaving the windows open for at least 24 hours after using
paint/varnish though. If you were worried, this would be one of
those times where adding fresh carbon to the filter would make
sense; carbon removes organic chemicals, reducing the risk of
harm. As you may know, carbon is used for precisely this function
in gas masks for humans as well as in emergency medicine for
removing poisons.>
I am keeping a very close eye for signs of unusual behavior now.
At present everyone else is feeding well (flake and algae wafer
this morning) and all darting about merrily.
<Cool.>
Attached is a pic of my Gourami (pre death!) He had a big bit of
dorsal fin missing when I got him (he came from another local
person getting rid of fish), which did not seem to affect him at
all.
<Fins usually grow back in time, so unless there's Finrot
or Fungus, damage to the fins isn't something that I
personally worry about when selecting fish. If you look at photos
of wild fish from the Amazon, they've all got bloody great
chunks of fin missing thanks to the numerous fin-eating
characins!>
Thanks
Sarah
(enjoying my new subscription to PFK and spotted your name in
it..)
<Glad you're enjoying the magazine.
Re: Ancistrus help! (selection; also
Colisa chuna; toxic fumes) 04/07/09
Hi Neale,
<Have been on vacation, forgive tardiness in replying.>
I am so sorry to keep on bothering you - but I am still
encountering unexplained deaths in my tank.. :(
<Oh?>
Today I found my other Ancistrus dead. I am so sad - I thought
she was OK - she's been coming out in the evenings and whilst
not zipping about, was moving around more. I took a really
careful look at her - she hasn't been dead long as I have
only just found her, and I saw her moving about yesterday
evening. I cannot see anything about her at all to indicate cause
of death (I am too squeamish to dissect - and no longer have my
college kit anyhow!)
<Hmm... dissections and autopsies not much help unless you
know what to look for. Mystery deaths usually down to water
quality problems, sudden variation in water chemistry, or
extrinsic factors such as poisoning.
Simple age may be a factor, if the fish was 5+ years old.>
Yesterday I noticed a Danio in the tank with what appears to be
dropsy - I have isolated it in the QT and am treating with eSHa
2000 but I guess it is probably too late. I am baffled though, as
nitrates are around 10, 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite. But these deaths
indicate poor water quality?
<No.>
I am due a water change (it has been 10 days) and always do 30% -
but the tests do not indicate a problem.. I will do more than
usual, and repeat it in a few days.
Have you any idea what could be causing this?
<None.>
My tank has been running 6 months now, and I do changes of 30%
every 10 days approx. I use tetra aqua safe, mixing it in the
bucket with our tap water, adding water from the kettle to heat
as I do not have a facility to warm the water anywhere else.
<Boiling the water is redundant. Removing 30% of the tropical
water and replacing with cold water from the tap should cause
little harm to your fish. So long as the thermometer doesn't
dip below 18 C after a water
change, I'd not worry.>
I check temp with a thermometer before it goes in the tank. I
make sure that I use the mains tap, as we have a water softener
and we never use softened water in the tanks.
<Good.>
All the fish are behaving fine (even the one with dropsy is
eating and swimming about well)
<Well, that's a good sign.>
Help! I really do not want to lose any more fish. I haven't
put any meds in the main tank as I do not know what is causing
the problem...
<Agree.>
(needless to say, I'm not buying new fish at the moment)
<Also sensible.>
Yours worriedly
Sarah
<My gut feeling is let the system "shake itself
out". Don't add fish; do moderate water changes of 25%
weekly; be careful with things like food and removing organic
wastes like dead plants. Generally, adopt a wait-and-see
approach. A lot of aquaria "just work" with a certain
number/combination of fish; likely has much to do with water
chemistry stability, filter, etc.
See what happens for a month. If no other fish get sick, I'd
expect the tank to settle down by the end of that period. Cheers,
Neale.>
|
Pleco hlth. strange bubble 12/31/08 My father has
asked me to research a problem he has with his Sailfin leopard Pleco.
He is about a year old and is about 8+ inches long. My father does not
test his water and when I checked it last, the ammonia levels were
through the roof , the Neons had mouth fungus and he had a white spot
problem which has meant the death of most of the other fish. Having
found strange worms in the water he decided to clear out his 120 litre
tank which meant a complete scrub out including the gravel. He has 3
uplift tubes and an under ground filter and he does a 50% water change
about every 3 weeks. I know this isn't the "ideal"
maintenance program but I've given up telling him he needs to watch
the water quality. However he comes to me when things go wrong! His big
catfish had caramel patches on it after the ammonia poisoning and
looked very dehydrated but has recovered well since we cleared out the
tank. We put in some Methylene blue when we cleaned the tank and some
filter start and saved "gunge". The catfish initially looked
very well, put on weight, lost his caramel colour and became a lot more
active. Of late he has been jumping out of the water and gasping lots
of air and then flushing his gills at the bottom of the tank. Anyway
now ( a week later and 2 30% water changes) we see that around his anal
vent he has a large bubble (polo mint size)with a small cotton thick
strand from the centre of it. He is not showing any other signs of
distress but hasn't eaten all week and isn't pooing. He is not
bloated or sunken. He usually gets algae wafers and catfish pellets. He
has 2 tank companions(only ones left)... a neon and a platy. Prior to
the changes the water was acidic (6) nitrate (5)ph (6.4) ammonia (4).
Now the levels are good but the blue tint remains from the Methylene
blue. Is this chemical not good for catfish? Great site. I've
learnt loads! Karen <Hello. Saying this tank isn't
"ideal" doesn't begin to cover things! This tank is a
death trap, and nothing I can say here will fix things unless your
father is prepared to return the fish he can't keep (i.e., the big
catfish) and properly maintain the tank so that the rest of the fish
have a chance of surviving. The Plec is swimming about because water
quality is poor; normally they rest during the day, but when poisoned
they surface regularly to gasp air. The various signs of Finrot (damage
to the fins) and systemic bacterial infections (around the anus) may be
fixed with a suitable antibiotic (e.g., Maracyn) or antibacterial
(e.g., eSHa 2000) but without fixing the tank, treating the fish thus
would be spitting into the wind: they'll get sick again within
weeks. Ditto any fungal infections (anything that looks like white
cotton threads) or Mouth Fungus (slimy tufts on the face and body).
Your "levels" don't make any sense to me: acidity and pH
should be measured with the same test kit, and a pH of 6.4 is low, and
dangerously low so far as Platies are concerned. The ammonia level is
just plain lethal. Cheers, Neale.>
Re: strange bubble, Pleco dis. ~ 01/01/09
Neale Thanks for your prompt reply. <My pleasure.> We shall get
some of the treatment you suggest and work on the water quality.
<Cool.> You will be pleased to know that after another water
change today the levels are better but still a way to go. A 30% water
change and addition of stress zyme and stress coat hopefully with help.
<The water change will certainly do a lot of good; the other
"potions" certainly do no harm, may even help a little.>
Can you tell me if it would be ok to do this every couple of days or is
this too drastic? <Just fine; so long as the water going in has
roughly the same chemistry and temperature of the water going out, you
can change as much as you want!> I am mindful that it is not good to
alter conditions too quickly. <Quite so; does depend on whether
you're in a hard or a soft water area. Most of Southern England for
example is hard water, and water chemistry changes hardly at all
between water changes. So if you're in a hard water area, the
bigger the better so far as water changes go. In parts of the UK with
soft water, like the Scottish Highlands, things are different, and
it's best to do multiple small water changes rather than big weekly
or two weekly changes.> I think the problem occurred because he
doesn't test the water and because he cleared everything out he
hasn't been maintaining the bacteria to restore the biological
filter. <Sounds a good hypothesis.> He has however reduced the
feeding to a fraction of what he was until the catfish starts eating
again. <I'd not feed at all while ammonia is not equal to zero;
fish can go many days, even weeks, without food.> Have you any
advice re improving the biological filter in the short term?
<Rinsing out the sponge or ceramic noodles in a bucket of water from
the tank is a good way to clean away silt without losing bacteria. The
"cleaner" the biological media, the more bacteria it will
host. Of course, brand new media contains no bacteria at all, hence the
art is keeping mature (6+ week old media) as silt-free as possible.>
How often could the stress zyme be added safely? <Weekly should be
ample. It isn't a product I use myself, but I have no objections to
others using it as they prefer.> I think this problem has encouraged
him to take notice of the levels as what arrived as a small sucker fish
to keep the glass clean has grown into the ugliest and biggest thing
I've ever seen but he is really quite attached to it and is very
sad he has caused it distress. <Big catfish can be fun pets;
I've had a Panaque nigrolineatus Suckermouth cat for some 15 odd
years, and am very attached to her -- despite the fact she destroys any
plants or wood I stick in the tank!> Regards Karen <Happy new
year! Neale.>
New Pleco has white lines on underside... Need info.
12/28/08 I recently added a Pleco to a 20 gallon tank that
already has one cichlid in it after my last Pleco passed away. <What
species of Cichlid, Pleco?> He was very light in coloration when we
first got him and has darkened a lot in our tank, <Will change with
mood... conditions> and his coloration now resembles the one we had
before (before he died). I have notice whit lines on the underside of
the Pleco and I was wondering if Plecos have plates on the bottom,
<Yes they do><<Mistake... Only on the rear area underneath,
not the "belly". RMF>> and if it is common for them to
have this or if it is a fungal infection. Unfortunately I do not have a
quarantine so he's in there with the cichlid now. Do you think
it's a fungus? <Mmm, no. Not likely... else it would be dead in
short order> If so I can treat with Mardel powder I have on hand.
Thanks, Brett <Brett... like the show "House" on TV, we
need more information (and your test results) to make accurate
"diagnoses"... Need to know the species involved here, your
set-up and maintenance history, water quality tests... to help you. Bob
Fenner>
Re: New Pleco has white lines on underside 12/28/08 The
cichlid is Julidochromis ornatus. The Pleco is Liposarcus anisitsi.
<Mmm, gets much too large for this tank: http://fish.mongabay.com/species/Liposarcus_anisitsi.html>
The tank is my dad's and does not get cleaned very often, it's
a 20 gallon with a bottom filter. The cichlid is about 4 inches long
and the Pleco is about 3. pH 6.4-6.8; <Mmm, low for the Juli...>
alkalinity b/w 120-180; hardness 250-425; <Good... sufficient
buffering> Nitrates are at 40 ; <Yeeikes! Much too high... see
WWM re...: http://wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwnitrates.htm...>
nitrites are 0.5. Temp is 72 F. Let me know if you need to know
anything else. Thanks Brett <For you to read the linked files above.
BobF>
Re: New Pleco has white lines on underside 12/28/08 Thanks,
those links were very helpful, I'll take care of the nitrates and
pH. <Bob didn't mention, but will add, that nitrite levels not
equal to zero are dangerous in freshwater tanks generally, and highly
dangerous to Tanganyikan cichlids. Suspect this tank is overstocked: a
single large Plec-type catfish would overwhelm any but the most heavily
filtered 20 gallon system.> I also noticed that there were chunks
missing out of the Pleco's left rear fin and was wondering if that
might be fin rot. <Could easily be.> Also, do you think I should
worry about the white lines around the plates on the Pleco's
underside? <Plecs don't have plates on the underside of the
body; they bellies are leathery skin. This is distinct from the other
armoured catfish family, the Callichthyidae, such as Corydoras, which
have plates all around the body forming a robust "box". By
contrast Plecs (family Loricariidae) are armoured on the flanks and
dorsal surface only. Plecs generally do not suffer from many diseases,
but Fungus and Finrot are certainly possibilities and worth being on
the alert for. Fungus usually looks like fluffy white stuff, whereas
Finrot on the body at least reveals itself as patches of dead white
tissue around red inflammation. These two diseases have similar causes
and often occur together.> Brett <Cheers, Neale.>
Pleco with red spots 1/11/08 Hello,
<Ave,> I have a 4 1/2 year old, 14 inch Pleco, the brown one with
a squiggly line pattern and approx. 11 or 12 rays on his sail fin.
<That would be one of the traded Pterygoplichthys sp., which attain
a length of up to 45 cm/18" in captivity.> I had him in a tank
with a pair of zebra Danios only. I decided the tank could handle a few
more small fish so I got a couple more Danios and neon tetras about 2
weeks ago. He was very content with the "one pair of Danios".
<No such thing as a pair of Danios; they are schooling fish, and the
only kind way to keep them is in groups of at least 6 specimens.
Anything less is, not to be too fine a point on it, cruel. Likewise
with Neon tetras. Do note that both Neons and Danios appreciate cooler
than normal temperatures, around 22-24C is ideal for Neons, and as low
as 18C good for Danios. This is a bit cooler than your catfish wants,
but it should be fine at 23 or 24C.> The tank seemed a little empty.
As soon as I put the new fish in, my Pleco "Jaws" became very
unhappy. He wasn't calm anymore. He became agitated, swimming from
one side of the tank to the other, up and down, whipping his tail
around taking out all of the fake plants and trying to push around the
decor with his "nose". <Very odd. Do check water
quality.> All of this because I added some tiny fish???? It seemed
like he doesn't want anything in his space. Can a Pleco be a very
solitary fish? <How big is this aquarium? Yes, Pterygoplichthys is
territorial, but not normally towards midwater fish. So in the smallest
possible tank for these catfish, a 55 gallon tank, the addition of a
school of Neons or Danios should make no difference.> Now, he has
started going up and gulping air - frequently. <Again: check water
quality, i.e., nitrite and pH at the very least.> He used to do it
occasionally but it has become quite often and when he comes back down
he makes a splash with great force. I have even wondered if he has hit
the lid. <These catfish will breathe air when water quality drops or
it is too warm for them.> I recently noticed he had some spots on
his head behind his eyes that appeared to be fungus after doing some
research. They looked like matted hair but the same color as his skin.
<Sounds like fungus, yes. Treat with a combination Finrot/fungus
medication such as Maracyn or eSHa 2000. Don't waste your time with
Melafix/Pimafix. Do remove carbon from the system (if you're using
it) while treating. Do not delay! Treat right now!> Today, on his
belly, some of the tiny dots in his pattern that are usually cream
colored are now red dots. The edges of his fins are red, his rays on
his sail fin appear to be red and the tail fin appears to be red on the
bottom edge also. I also saw a couple of red circles on his side.
<Sounds gloomy.> I checked the water quality and all things
checked out normal. <Meaning what precisely? Give me numbers! Zero
ammonia and zero nitrite are essential, and nitrate should be less than
50 mg/l, ideally less than 20 mg/l. The hardness should be in the
"slightly soft" to "very hard" range, and the pH
should be between 6 and 8. Salt is not required.> I have a 55 gallon
tank. It has a 80 gal Eheim canister filter, plus I put a 60 gal Topfin
filter and two bubble curtains. I think there is good aeration. <The
ratings stuck on filters in terms of tank size are meaningless. Rather,
assume a big, messy catfish needs filtration of at least 6 times the
volume of the tank in turnover per hour. So a 55 gallon tank needs
filter (or filters) that provide not less than about 300 gallons per
hour turnover. You'll see the turnover rating on the pump someplace
(either in GPH or LPH).> I keep the temperature between 76-78*.
<A bit too warm for Danios and Neons, both of which come from
relatively cool environments. Aeration is relatively unimportant in a
tank with good water circulation, but certainly does no harm.> What
could be causing the spots that look like matted hair, all of the red
streaking/spots and is any of this related to the possibility of him
just getting to big for the tank? <Finrot/Fungus is the immediate
problem, and needs to be dealt with ASAP. Both are almost always caused
by either [a] poor water quality or [b] physical damage, such as
fighting or rough handling. This type of catfish should be happy enough
in a 55 gallon system, though obviously 'the bigger, the
better'. Do check the filter you have is properly maintained, and
you're doing sufficient water changes.> Thanks, Julie
<Cheers, Neale.>
Re: Pleco with red spots 1/11/08 Hello
again, <Hello!> Thanks for the quick response. <No
problems.> What would be an acceptable temperature for my Pleco,
Danios and tetras to live with? <I'd go for 24C, tops.>
According to the test strips I am using from PetSmart to test my water
quality, the results are: ammonia = 0 <Good.> chlorine = 0
<Good.> nitrite = 0 <Good.> total hardness = 50 which is at
the top of the soft end and bottom end of the? moderate scale (done by
color coding so it is a guesstimate) <This is mg/l calcium
carbonate, I'm assuming. Yes, this is pretty soft, and one problem
here could be lack of pH stability. To cut a long story short, all
tanks acidify, and tanks with limited carbonate hardness (measured with
a carbonate hardness rather than total or general hardness test kits)
is that the pH plummets between water changes. There are various ways
to deal with this, but all involve raising the carbonate hardness. See
here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwh2oquality.htm > pH
= 6.8 (done by color coding so it is a guesstimate) <Acceptable,
though would be interesting to compare plain tap water with aquarium
water a week after a water change. The absolute value is rather less
important than the rate of change.> My test kit doesn't include
a nitrate test. <Ah. In that case, pre-empt things by doing 25-50%
water changes weekly.> I have 6 Danios and 5 tetras with my Pleco.
They have been swimming at the bottom of the tank - could this be due
to the water temperature being to warm? I thought they were mid-water
swimmers? <Neons actually stay close the bottom; Danios at the top.
Does rather depend on how secure/happy they feel.> I have done a
recent water change and cleaned the filters. <Good.> I have done
some quick research and my combined filters (if you can add them
together) are doing about 400 gph. <Should be ample for a 55 gallon
tank.> I will get the medicine to take care of the fungus. Any ideas
on the red stuff? <It's irritated skin/blood.> My Pleco has
been jetting all over the tank, hitting everything in sight, just like
he is in a bad mood so maybe the redness is due to him slamming into
everything. <very odd, and usually a sign there's something
that's making him cranky. If water quality is acceptable, as seems
to be the case, then do check other factors. Do you use dechlorinator
when doing water changes? If your local water supplier adds Chloramine
(call/check web site) you need a dechlorinator that removes that as
well. I'd do a big (50%) water change now and another tomorrow.
Why? If there's something in the water, like a poison, this will
dilute it. Possible poisons include things like paint fumes. It's
surprisingly easy to poison fish.> He has 2 small holes in his sail
fin where he has tried to squeeze into between some fake plants. I have
seen that before and it heals up. <Should do again, all else being
equal.> Your advice is greatly appreciated. Julie <Happy to help,
Neale.>
Oto Quarantine Question (RMF
please comment/correct) 12/29/07 Hi
Crew! Happy Holidays to you! <Thanks!> I have some Otocinclus and
Corys in quarantine. I got them the day before yesterday and all have
been acclimated into the quarantine tank and seem to be doing fine. I
have some driftwood in the quarantine tank with them. <Good. Also
remember they need MASSES of oxygen, and will often suffocate under
less than perfect aquarium conditions. These are fish of very shallow,
fast-moving streams.> I have lightly fed frozen bloodworms (the
Corys ate them, I didn't see the Otos eat these) and Ocean
Nutrition Formula One flakes (I saw one of the Otos nibble on these).
Today I am going to blanch some zucchini for the Otos. <Hmm...
Otocinclus are really pretty much green aufwuchs/algae eaters in the
wild, taking in the algae and the tiny animals hidden among it. In
captivity they can be tricky to feed without healthy growths of green
algae. Do try prepared alternatives such as crushed tinned peas, Sushi
Nori, algae wafers, etc. But the best is nice lumps of green algae
grabbed out of a clean pond. The lifespan of Otocinclus in tanks with
no/little green algae is very poor. Brown algae, blue-green algae, red
algae (hair algae), etc. are not substitutes! It has to be GREEN algae,
the fuzzy leaf-green stuff that grows in clean, brightly illuminated
tanks.> I've been reading WetWebMedia (love your site!) and saw
that Otos can be a host to a number of parasites. While in quarantine,
should I give them medicated food for parasites and or Treat with
Fluke-Tabs for parasitic worms? If so, what type of food? I'm not
really sure if the Otos will eat it. <Your main problem is diet: in
my opinion the majority of Otocinclus starve to death, and if parasites
are an issue, it's mostly after they've been starved into a
state of weakness. So your quarantining is as much about fattening them
up as fixing any parasites. In any case, getting these fish to eat
medicated food will be tricky, so the simpler option will be to add
something to the water, such as Fluke Tabs. That said, Otocinclus are
peculiarly sensitive to chemicals in the water, and I'd tend to
treat them only if there were signs of ill-health, or at least no signs
they were fattening up. RMF may disagree/have alternative
thoughts.><<I do not. Commercial importers might do this... to
benefit, but most imported members of the genus are so
"beat", starved, that it's best to not quarantine them at
all... but introduce directly to the main/display and get feeding ASAP.
RMF>> If I should treat the Otos, should I do while the Corys are
in the tank, or after they have been moved into the main tank?
<I'd do them together, if required.> Thanks for your answer,
and for this wonderful site! Happy New Year. Michelle <Cheers,
Neale.>
Pleco with weird spots -- 10/30/2007 Hello,
<Hello.> I have, what I assume, is a common Pleco
(Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus). He looks like the picture that
appears with this name. <Also check Pterygoplichthys pardalis; the
two species are sold interchangeably as "Common Pleco" and
are easily confused. There are other Pterygoplichthys that might be
traded too. All very similar.> He is approximately 4 years old and
13 inches long. <Ah, still a young 'un! Maximum size of
Pterygoplichthys multiradiatus is 50 cm. These are BIG fish.> I got
him when he was less than 2 inches long and started in a 10 gallon tank
to a 20 gallon tank and now in a 55 gallon tank. <Yes, they grow
fast!> The tank has good filtration, 2 bubble curtains for aeration
and is sparsely decorated so he has room to move around with ease but
he can hide. Although, he likes to be out in the open and comes up to
the front of the tank to see me. His only tank mates are a pair of
zebra Danios. <Sounds fine. But you might want to add some more
Danios.> I feed him: algae tabs, veggie tabs, cucumbers,
occasionally water melon, he cleans up any left over fish flakes and he
keeps the tank algae free.? <All good. But do also try carrot, sweet
potato, Sushi Nori and courgette. Cucumber is 99% water, so not really
good for anything much, though I agree that all Plecs seem to love it.
Do also add some bogwood, which Plecs seem to use as a source of fibre.
The odd prawn or mussel will also be welcomed, maybe once a week. Pterygoplichthys is an omnivore rather than a strict herbivore.> I
was having a hard time keeping the tank water clean and water
conditions stable. <No surprise. Welcome to the Big Catfish = Dirty
Tank club. I was thinking of having some jackets made up.> He was
producing a lot of waste. <You're effectively keeping a cow in
an aquarium. So expect masses of faeces. On the plus side, there's
hardly any ammonia in them, so the ammonia and nitrite will stay low.
It's more a cosmetic problem, though obviously a clogged-up filter
is a Bad Thing.> My filters were constantly dirty regardless of how
often I rinsed them out or put a clean one in. <Normal. That's
why you need something around 6 times the volume of the tank in
turnover, and ideally 10 times. In other words, in a 55 gallon tank,
you need filters with ~ 300 to 500 gallons per hour turnover.> It
was suggested to me, to add "Waste Control Organic Waste
Eliminator" by Nutrafin and "Nutrafin Cycle Biological Filter
Supplement" to help break down my Plecos waste and any left over
food. This has solved my water condition problems. <Can't think
why. Neither product sounds magical, especially the latter, which is
basically unnecessary in a healthy aquarium. The solid waste produced
by your catfish is mostly cellulose. It will break down over time, but
it is messy. Because it contains minimal nitrogen, its effect on water
quality is virtually zero. Here's my strategy: arrange your gravel
so one of the corners is shallower than in the rest of the tank. The
filter current should push the faeces into this "crater" over
time. Each day, you can siphon out the unsightly waste.> I noticed
he had a round brownish looking spot on the side of his head towards
the top. I actually thought he had gotten a burn from the heater. He
likes to get close and suck on the heater at times. Today, I noticed he
has several spots that are roundish in shape, brownish in color and
have a light white fuzz like coating on top of the spots. I had to use
a magnifying glass to see the white fuzz. I do not recall these spots
before I added the "Waste Control Organic Waste Eliminator"
by Nutrafin and "Nutrafin Cycle Biological Filter
Supplement". <Hmm... the fuzz is fungus and needs to be treated
immediately. The heater MUST have a "heater guard" around it.
These are plastic tube-shaped grills. Some heaters come with them
anyway. If yours doesn't, go buy a heater guard. Put it over the
heater. That will prevent heater burns. What you are describing is
quite common, and easily prevented.> His overall color is good, he
is eating and moving around the tank as normal. Do you have a
suggestion of what these spots are and what I should do? <The fungus
is eating up dead skin caused by heater burns.> Thanks, Julie
<Good luck, Neale>
Pleco problems 5/20/07 Dear Crew,
<Hello!> It is so good to be able to write to experts. <Sorry,
the experts are all out right now, so you'll have to talk to me
instead.> I have a Pleco, named Plotya, whom I love very much.
<Very good.> He started having a hard time navigating. Something
makes him float up to the surface and he turns belly up and gulps.
<Sounds like water quality issues. When Plecs are in polluted water,
they breathe air. It helps them survive in ponds during the summer.>
For three weeks he had one red-tinted side fin and a couple of red
spots that looked like tiny wounds on his belly. The spots stayed
throughout these weeks but the redness on the fin came and went. Now he
looks entirely normal and it seems that everything has cleared on its
own. <Which is good.> I changed his diet when I saw the red
spots. I added shrimp pellets to his usual half wafer of algae to make
him stronger. Last night I was not at home to feed him but I gave him
more shrimp pellets before I left in the morning and then I fed him
more pellets this afternoon. <All good, but take care not to
overfeed. These catfish need mostly vegetables in their diet. 90%
vegetables, 10% protein. I'd give him zucchini (courgette),
cucumber, broccoli, carrot, potato, cooked cabbage leaves, dandelion
leaves, etc. Use meaty foods only sparingly. Plecos are the
"sheep" of the catfish world, and feed mostly on algae and
plants.> And then he suddenly starts floating on the surface! I have
made a 50% water change and he seems to be able to hang onto
the wall vertically, head up. Maybe this is my answer? <Indeed.
Clean water makes him healthy...> He lives in a 10 gallon tank with
1 angel fish and 9 mollies. Is our tank overstocked and it makes him
sick? <Probably not sick, but suffering. Yes, 10
gallon tank is much too small. Must be at least 30-40 gallons for an
adult Plec. Preferably more. If you have no space for a bigger tank,
maybe you can find a friend with a bigger aquarium he can live in?>
Thanks a lot! Anastasia <Good luck! Neale>
Re: Pleco problems 5/20/07
Dear Neale and Crew, thank you so much for your prompt response!
<Hello Anastasia!> When I wrote the letter yesterday, Plotya was
vertical but later he surfaced again belly up and had a hard time
keeping his mouth in the water. This morning he managed to tack himself
behind the plant at the surface to keep his head under the water.
<So, he's not quite at death's door yet.> Part time he is
attached to the wall by his mouth but it is obvious that his belly
keeps him afloat. <Sounds very odd. Catfish breathe by putting air
inside the intestine, and it is possible this is making him float. But
I think the main problem is water quality in the aquarium. Your 10
gallon tank is too small for a Plec.> And so his head is at the wall
and the body is twisted and upside down off of the wall, floating. And
Part time he is just afloat sideways with his head under the water. He
does not move at all but I can see he is breathing. <Not
good.> Unfortunately I cannot tell if he is bloated or not. He's
always been plump. I gave him a fresh peeled pea from the garden but it
seems that there is no way he can make it to the bottom to get it.
<Keep trying different vegetables. Root vegetables (potato, carrot,
etc.) are usually very good for Plecs, but sometimes they need to
soften in the water for 24 hours before the catfish can eat them.>
Does he have a swim bladder infection? <Probably not. These are
quite rare. Usually when fish cannot swim normally, it is a
neurological condition (brought on by, e.g., the wrong water
conditions) or a dietary problem (constipation). Adding *non-iodised*
cooking salt (NaCl) at a dosage of UP TO 1 gramme per litre is
recommended as one possible therapy in one of my fish health books.
Certainly worth a shot. Add salt in small doses, a maybe replacing 25%
of the water per day with water with some salt. Adding too much, too
quickly is sure to shock the fish.> Thank you so much
again! It is Sunday and I am desperate as to where to get advice and
how to treat him! Anastasia <Good luck, Neale>
Plec
with Cloudy Eyes Hello. I was wondering if someone could help me?
First of all let me give you a little bit of info. We have a 55 gallon
tank with a medium-sized Oscar and a Pleco. Up until a couple of days
ago there was also several goldfish that had grown quite large (we
bought them as feeder goldfish when we bought Oscar, but he was too
small and they just kept growing. There were 10 of them and last week 3
died. The others we moved to an outside little pond that we bought.
Yesterday the Pleco's eyes were looking totally white. What can do
this to him? Is there anything that can help him? We had had some
problems with the water being cloudy recently, but added some new water
and some drops of a store bought product to reduce cloudiness. I was
just curious, as he is a really cool fellow, and I really want to help
him. Thank you for any input/help you can offer. Have a great day!
Barbara <Most eye problems start with water quality. Do a few large
daily water changes, 50% at a time. Use a gravel vac to get the bottom
clean. Please, no chemicals except dechlorinator. If the eyes start to
bulge add a tablespoon of Epsom salt for each 5 gallons of water. If
they do not clear in a week or so then we may need to medicate. Best
done in a small QT tank as most meds will also kill the good bacteria
in your system. You may want to ensure to have something ready to hold
him just in case. Furan 2 would be my choice if a med is needed. But I
would try pristine water conditions first. Plecs don't take meds
well. Use half dose for twice as long. Don>
Sailfin Plec Dear Sirs I have 2 problems that
hope you will be able to help me with. <Will try> 1st is my
Sailfin Plec seems to be losing the soft part of the lower half of the
rear fin and its turning black, almost like a small fish has nibbled
away at the fin itself, and the same for the lower rear fins apart from
the colour change. This started happening around Christmas, but I
thought it was getting better. The Plec has no character change and
seems happy to do the usual swimming inverted and sucking food of the
surface and general tank ornamental re arrangement at his
leisure. This might be tied together ! 2nd is that I had to put a
3 spot blue Gourami in my tank from my parents as the guppies were
pecking at it constantly, which is weird as there is a pair and one is
not bothered and the other seems happy to be eaten. At first in
my tank it was fine and then it was back to the attack of the killer
guppies, and now the Gourami is, for want of a better expression, bent,
just like a ~ shape. this fish doesn't defend itself, it
just endures hours of swimming backwards forwards and is only left
alone at feeding time. <Yikes> I've managed to keep
neon's for once and no dead guppies so the water is usually fine,
no other fish are affected. The only other thing is that I put a lovely
deep red very long finned Betta fighter in the tank and a couple of
days later the fins do not look as nice as before with slight darkening
at the end and a few gaps in the previously unmarked fin, but as
before, no change of character. Do you think all this has been
the result of the Gourami, and its some sort of fin rot ? <Not due
to the fishes themselves... but something IS awry with your tank... the
chemistry is off for some reason/s...> Any help would be
fantastic. Many thanks in advance. Best regards Alex Price
<Thank you for your good notes here... As stated, there is something
amiss with your water quality... NOT a biological disease per se... Do
you have rocks from outside, a seashell... other decor that you can
describe? The color on the Pleco may be natural, nothing to worry
about, but the bent spine on the Gourami? Perhaps genetic, nutritional
in origin... I would utilize a chemical filtrant, like carbon or
PolyFilter here... remove the possible source of contamination (if we
can find it). Bob Fenner>
Three Pleco Deaths I have a 26Gal community
tank. Over the years I've only had a few Plecos. My
common Pleco, which I had for 2 years and was 6-8" long,
just died. He used to have a great appetite, but I hadn't seen
him eat in at least a month. I gave him things like
zucchini and Spirulina discs, which he loved. Over the last couple
of months I had added 2 other Plecos at different times.
A chocolate Pleco and an albino -- both were very young and
small. The first lasted a few weeks, the albino lasted about a month. I
hardly, if ever, saw either of them eat, despite the availability of
food. I do have some Corys and my other fish graze food at the bottom
of the tank, but they posed little competition for the Plecos who had
ample opportunity to eat. My tank is also abundantly planted. The
chemistry is fine. I always fed them after the light went out,
which is on a timer. The water is very clear except recently I
noticed what looks like suds that accumulate around the
surface edges of the water. Water changes don't get rid of them for
very long. The suds appeared long after the Plecos stopped eating.
I've never used any cleaners or soaps on the tank. The rest of the
fish are fine. Any ideas as to why they weren't eating and where
those suds are coming from. Sara <Hi Sara, Don here. Sounds like you
are feeding them correctly, so my second thought is water conditions.
You say it's fine, but what are you testing for and what are the
readings? Three is a lot of Pleco for a 26 gallon tank. It may be high
nitrates. I also see more bubbles on the surface when my nitrates start
to climb. Try to keep them below 20ppm. If confirmed you need to
increase your water change schedule. Also check ammonia and nitrite.
Both must be at zero. Plecos use a lot of O2 and nitrites effect the
gills. If ammonia or nitrite are present, do water changes to correct
and add more bio filtration or reduce the number of
fish.>
Plecos Poor Survival in Tank 9/16/-6 Hi there,
<Hi Cali, Pufferpunk here> I have a 20 gallon hexagon freshwater
aquarium. I've had it for about a year and a half
now. I have 2 red rainbow fish, 2 strawberry tetras, 2
silver/white mollies, 1 black molly, a frog, <Dwarf frog, I
hope!> 1 powder blue dwarf Gourami and an upside down
catfish. <The Synodontis (upside down cat) can grow
quite large & so do the rainbows--way too large for your tank,
especially with the lesser swimming room in a hex. The
rainbows need a very long tank to swim across.> I have fake silk
plants and some tank decorations. I have tried several
species of Pleco fish over the last year and none of them
survive. I have algae and when there is no algae I
supplement with algae tablets. The longest surviving Pleco
was a butterfly variety and that lasted about 2
weeks. Considering they are supposed to be hearty fish,
I'm not sure why they keep dying. Any suggestions?
<You want to start by testing your water parameters for ammonia,
nitrites (should be 0 at all times), nitrates (should be under 20)
& pH (most Plecos prefer low pH but can handle neutral,
7.2). If all that is good, then the next Pleco you buy (must
be a dwarf species for such a small tank), be sure it has a nice convex
tummy--not caved in. Most Plecos are wild-caught & need
to be treated for internal parasites after purchase or they will
quickly waste away. You might have better luck with the
dwarf Bristlenose Pleco, as many are tank-raised. ~PP>
<<Likely the species involved need much more room as well.
RMF>> Thanks, Cali Day
Sick Pleco - 01/24/06 Our office has a 50 gallon
aquarium up front with two Oscars and a large Pleco. <Need more
space...> It's probably about 10 or 11 years old, and about a
foot long. He was acting normally last week, but we came in
this morning, and he's laying upside down at the bottom of the
tank. <Not good> He's still breathing, and
occasionally we see him move, but nothing more than an inch or so from
a small wave of the tail. He looked in good shape last week,
but we noticed he's got a small white spot on the tip of his nose,
like he scraped it on something. <Likely so... generally not a
problem> We've seen him do that before and it's gone away
pretty quick, so I don't think that's a cause here, I just
wanted to give all the details. We tested the water, and
everything seems to be in the normal range. Any ideas what
we can check next? Or is this maybe just the end of the road
for an older fish? (How long does a Pleco usually live?)
<In this setting... a decade is a good long time. In a bigger tank,
perhaps twice this long. I would change about a quarter of the water
(every week) and leave all else be. Bob Fenner> Any help would be
great. Thanks, Mike Williams
Water Quality, Plecos, and Praise - Oh My! Sabrina, <Hi
again, Chris!> many thanks for the prompt and helpful reply. <Oh,
goodness.... I hope you can forgive the delay on this
one! Computers crashing all around me.... I think
I have bad computer vibes emanating from my fingertips, or
somethin'!> As you suspected water quality was (is still not)
ideal. Nitrites and nitrates are high and I'm getting them down
with water changes <Ah, good.> although I'm equally cautious
about doing too much too quickly. <Not much to be cautious of, here;
just be sure to match temperature and pH to that of the tank.>
We've added some bogwood and improved the hiding place. <Also
good.> We've also left the light off for the last few days, room
light is quite good. <That will definitely help soothe this
primarily nocturnal critter as he settles in.> The tank bottom is
all sand so he (or she - I wish I could tell) <Sex can be determined
in adults during breeding time (or if you simulate conditions of their
breeding season) - males of most Loricariids will develop
"odontodes", these are fine bristles that will show up on
their pectoral fins and on their 'face'/'cheeks',
especially on the operculum. Females will lack these
odontodes. Other than that, it can be extremely difficult to
tell gender.> should have a soft place to lay up. I've also
noticed its adhering to the glass more so I suspect there's some
algal growth forming up. <It could also be that the sand is too
sharp for him (er, her? it?). Please watch for any
redness/irritation on the plec's belly.> In general the Plec is
looking calmer but I'm not complacent. Its just getting the balance
right of trying to do the right thing and not causing too much stress.
<You nailed it on the head right there, mi amigo!> It's my
son's tank and the fish, especially the Plec, are real pets if you
know what I mean. <I do know, indeed.> If I could ask you a
couple more questions please: 1. How do you sex a Plec?
<Yikes! I jumped the gun. See above.> 2. We
live in a very hard water area - I have access to deionized water -
should I mix this in with the tank during water changes? <That is
certainly an option. Though, you could try using peat in
your filter instead; this certainly does the trick for my tanks, and I
recommend it highly.> 3. Does having hard water change the water
parameters I should aim for? <No. Ammonia and nitrite
should be zero, and nitrate ideally below 20ppm, and as close to zero
as possible - regardless of pH and alkalinity.> 4. The filter is
within the tank and has a compartment for charcoal - do you have a
point of view on using it as I've received mixed opinions? <It
most certainly has its uses! It can remove toxins that find
their way into your water - which is quite important - among other
things. If you choose not to use it constantly, consider at
least running carbon in the filter for a few days each month.>
Lastly, I have to congratulate you on the web site - truly one of the
best web sites I have been to (not just fish but all web sites). Highly
informative, realistic in expectations and advice and welcoming to all
levels. Well done indeed. <From all the crew, thank you very much
for your kind words! Erm.... I really hope the
delay in response on this one doesn't change your view!> Thanks
again for your help. Chris <You're quite welcome, and
thank you again for your praise. Wishing you and your Plec
well, -Sabrina>
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