I looked at the Mars Fishcare website - it looks like it's the parent company of API, Rena, Pondcare, and Aquarian. Further research showed that my test kits are API kits.
We'd like to go for an all-male Peacock tank, but at this rate we won't have any peacocks left. Our remaining two are very sick. The rest of the fish seem compatible, but we'll have to rehome our venustus and our pleco, which will all be too big (all three are currently juveniles, pleco is probably two inches).
I'm somewhat surprised that the local fish store would not tell us that the pleco gets so large!!!!
We didn't take a nitrite reading. We did do a gH reading, which was a bit soft, so we are increasing the hardness.
The stuartgranti's fins: They look a little tattered along the ends, with white (don't look fuzzy, but fairly bright) spots just along the frayed edge. Sometimes he floats with one fin pinned to his body and the other moving normally. The rest of his body sort of looks blotchy - small round circles that look a bit lighter and duller than the rest, especially under his chin. They aren't really white and they aren't really fuzzy.
W started a does of antibiotics yesterday because so many fish are sick/have already died. Was that wrong? I know we need to test the water more frequently now.
Pleco first, it happens all the time, to often actually. A lot of FS don't care about the fish at all, they just want to make a sale.
But if you want to have a Pleco, there are soooo many that are smaller and will fit really well into your tank. Some are really cool I'll post a few photo's of a couple of them, at the end.
Now for your sick fish. It sounds like they started with a parasite and have developed secondary infections. But not to worry, there are Medicines out there that treat parasites, fungus and bacterial infections all at the same time.
I've had great success with Seachems line of medicines, they have many to choose from. If it were me I would start with one called ParaGuard.
It is used for ectoparasites ( e.g. ick, etc.) and external fungal/bacterial/viral lesions (e.g. fin rot).
Then if it turns out to be internal, I would use Kanaplex. It treats several fungal, bacterial diseases, Dropsy, popeye, fin rot, septicemia. Because it is absorbed by fish it is useful in treating internal infections, even in situations when food is refused.
A lot of people use Melefix and Primafix. I've used both with 0 response from my fish. While I wasted time using Melefix/Primafix instead of the Seachems meds., I lost a few fish. So I went back to my trusted Seachem meds. & the rest of my fish got better.
There are other members that heartily recommend Melefix, but your guy's have been sick for a while. So you don't have the time to try things that won't work.
Which antibiotic are you using now?
Here are a few photos of the smaller Pleco. They range from 5" as an adult to 3" as an adult.
From left to right, & top to bottom-first is the Green Dragon Bushynose (BN) Pleco. Then the smallest Pleco I've ever heard of, the little Pit Bull. Next is a Long Fin BN Albino. Last but not least is the Gold Nugget Pleco. It's really beautiful, but kinda pricey. I bought 2 of them online for $50.00 each and both died within 48 hours of arrival.
Now I have 2 Green Dragon BN in my Mbuna tank & 3 Long Fin Albino BN in my Angelfish tank. They are both hardy and easy to care for. The Pit Bull Pleco is iffy in a Malawi tank, because they are very peaceful and may not defend themselves against an aggressive fish. But you never know until you try.
I think the Gold Nugget would be fine if you buy them locally, instead of shipping like I did. It was just to stressful for the 1.5" liittle guys.
