Bristlenose pleco fin rot?

[Ms.Michelle]

Help! I have a juvie bristlenose pleco. When I got him he was brown with lighter spots. He is now turning almost black and his tail and dorsal fin have white across the ends. There doesn't seem to be any damage or degradation at all. Is this fin rot? The pic is when his fins got the white, but before he got so dark.


Ms.Michelle

 

[icydeath]

Could you give me a picture of him from the side? He also looks a little starved so supplement him with some algae tablets.

How large is your tank?

What animals do you have in the tank?

How long have you had him?

 

[Ms.Michelle]

This is him now. You can't see his tail in the first pic, and the second one is a bit blurry, but can you see the white on his dorsal fin and how black he is?


Ms.Michelle

 

[Ms.Michelle]

So sorry, I should've included that info. He is with mollies. Tank is 20 gallons, I've had him about 3-4 weeks. I try to supplement with algae drops, but the fish eat them up. He occasionally gets a bit though. I try to feed him while the others are being fed flakes so that they don't mess with his food, but a couple of them still go straight for it. Any advice on how to get him more food?


Ms.Michelle

 

[Ms.Michelle]

Also, he's a tiny little guy. About 1&1/2 inches


Ms.Michelle

 

[Ms.Michelle]

This is him next to my 9-yr-old's finger. Just to give a size reference. Sorry for all the posts.


Ms.Michelle

 

[icydeath]

Try dropping flakes by the mollies then try to drop him an algae tablet (they are sometimes called wafers or disks) the drops are easy to intercept but last I recall mollies don't eat off the bottom too often. They will but algae tablets can be pretty large so if they finish that, next time try to feed them at night because I am pretty sure BN plecos are nocturnal.

In the second pic it makes it pretty clear that it most likely has fin rot. Make sure the water quality is good and that the ammonia and nitrite aren't too high. Try to provide pristine water along with some MelaFix if proves to be bacterial.

I recommend getting an API Master Test Kit and testing your water. pH extremes can also mess them up and if he is stressed this can be it too.

Supplement him with shrimp pellets too.

Good luck, - Raymond

 

[Ms.Michelle]

Thank you so very much! I do have melafix on hand, and an API master test kit that I use regularly . I appreciate the tips on the feeding as well. I had no idea about the shrimp!


Ms.Michelle

 

[icydeath]

The good thing about fish pellets is that most fish don't like to eat them because they melt into the gravel a bit so it can prove too difficult for the mollies but the plecs love searching around for it.

 

[Ms.Michelle]

Awesome! I didn't know they could eat that type of food. I really try to research, A LOT, but came up short with this guy I guess . Not to late though, I hope...


Ms.Michelle

 

[icydeath]

Haha they recover easily from fin rot (most fish do)

Just keep the water clean and give him some MelaFix and see if that helps. You could get a turkey baster and soak the tablet then shoot it in front of the pleco.

When it clears up try to make sure he doesn't have parasites. If you notice anything start a new thread. (I believe you want to use PimaFix if he does happen to have them)

Hope he does okay! - Raymond

 

[tali931]

Lol u have a white tipped pleco .. There is nothing wrong with him he is suppose to get the white tips on his fins

 

[tali931]

Make sure you have a chunk of driftwood in the tank.. They need weed in their diet . Also they love fresh veggies.. Give him a chunk of cucumber tied to a rock or sweet potato and he will be fine. As he matures it's normal for him to get dark and the white tips will get more pronounced.. If he starts getting pale or white then you should be worried

 

[icydeath]

Sorry I thought that he was a bristlenose but fish are easily misidentified in the fish stores... My bad Tali is probably right. Looking at the dorsal in the second picture, it looks like a white tip.

I agree with the driftwood. The plecs really like it.

My apologies Ms. Michele.

 

[tali931]

Sorry I thought that he was a bristlenose but fish are easily misidentified in the fish stores... My bad Tali is probably right. Looking at the dorsal in the second picture, it looks like a white tip.

I agree with the driftwood. The plecs really like it.

My apologies Ms. Michele.

It is a bristlenose but they come in a whack of different colors

 

[icydeath]

Ahh... Sorry bout that again! Color morphs are the best. XD

 

[MICEY]

feed him at night plecos are night feeders mollies eat during the day
make shore to do plenty of water changes , 50% ( 10gal) weekly and don't over feed your fish

 

[anteatergoanna]

Try some cucumber, mine love it. I peel it and leave it in the tank o'night, they will clean it up once the fish have their fill.


Sent from anteatergoanna's burrow

 

[Ms.Michelle]

Thank you so very much! I did start to put in shrimp pellets and as soon as they drop into the tank he swim over to claim one. Do I need to soak these, too? I did do cucumber as you recommended as well. I don't know if he ate any, but some of it had been eaten when I got up in them morning, so probably. I will get my hands on some driftwood. Any ideas as to where I'd find it? I will also try softening the algae pellets ASAP. You guys are awesome! Thanks for your help.


Ms.Michelle