Help! Common pleco floating on its side

[mulishafan90]

I just bought my pleco at petco 2 days ago and put it in my 35 gallon with 4 african rainbow and an orange swordtail. The pleco is small and it was eating algae off the walls then I decided to go get some algae tabs for it too eat. When I got home I saw it floating around the tank with the current and I thought it was dead so I picked it up with my net and it swam out... It keeps "fainting" then coming back, its been 4 hours and it is still alive. Is their anything I can do?

 

[DoubleA]

It helps if you give the required basic info...

Before posting about unhealthy fish, read this!

 

[mulishafan90]

He died right after posting this, saw it coming though

 

[DoubleA]

Sorry for your loss

If you could still post your tank parameters it may help in providing an explanation or prevent further losses...

 

[mulishafan90]

Oh forgot about that... Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 5 Ph 7.4 temp 79. I have 2 medium size plants in their with a 4 inch bubble stone at half air flow. 40 gallon biowheel filter and i did a gravel vac/water change 2 days before purchasing him.

 

[hellaasian]

Did u float the bag before you put him mine did the same way to its cause it was stressed

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Oh forgot about that... Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates 5 Ph 7.4 temp 79. I have 2 medium size plants in their with a 4 inch bubble stone at half air flow. 40 gallon biowheel filter and i did a gravel vac/water change 2 days before purchasing him.

I'm so sorry for your loss mine is currently twelve inches and if he died... God rest my soul I probably would to but I want to warn you not to get another common pleco he will get so big especially if you feed him algae disks... It kinda makes me sad I can't get a125 tank a fifty is the best I can do for him and I know it's terribly small but I don't have the heart to get rid of him...
So just you may wanna save yourself the heart ache and get a bristle nose or rubber lip pleco
(by the way I only tell you this because he died if he was alive I would not have told you but IMO you don't want a pleco that will grow like 24" :/)

Here's a pic of mine he I huge and loves cucumber :hint::hint: (if you really want to make a pleco happy a cucumber is the way to go!!)

But again I'm so sorry for your loss my pleco means the world to me!

 

[mulishafan90]

Thanks for the info Tenacious, your pleco looks good! I really like those bristle nosed plecos. After research I decided I will purchase one in about a month, they get the perfect size for my 35 gallon. My LFS said it was most likely a swim bladder infection that took him... I tried

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Thanks for the info Tenacious, your pleco looks good! I really like those bristle nosed plecos. After research I decided I will purchase one in about a month, they get the perfect size for my 35 gallon. My LFS said it was most likely a swim bladder infection that took him... I tried

My first fancy goldfish I got got that next time you suspect that feed them nothing but pees for a few days ad I'm like your decision! Good luck and be sure to post a pic in time when you get him