My Plecosamus

[siva]

Testing pH is useless.

I think we've been over your options for that pleco. The best you can do simply isn't good enough, and if you think keeping it the way you are instead of taking it into a shop and dropping it off is better for it, I think you're sadly mistaken.

It's not ich. It's not velvet.

If the color just looks washed out, that's normal for a pleco. If it's fuzzy, it's probably a fungus, that should be treated with fungus meds.

 

[alia258]

Shoot! I don't have fungus meds! Are you sure the lighter spots on his tummy are normal? They're definitely NOT his natural scales, and I can't tell if it's fuzzy or not, I'll have to get on the computer so I can delete my old pics so I can post pics of him real quick...okay, after dinner. I'll be back here in an hour. I hope I can fix this. I wish the best I could do could be better man

 

[alia258]

Hey! I can't post pics directly to threads anymore for some reason... But I made a album to keep track of my pleco! Go ahead and check it out! (I think you have to click on my name or my avatar and then go to photos from there, in case you don't already know ^^) I really hope I can do something for my poor pleco

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Why cant you just take it to a petshop? The petco where I live is actually wonderful! They will not just sell you any fish and they make sure you know everything you need to about a certain fish and if you dont have a big enough tank for it they will NOT sell it to you. I mean honestly yeah its going to be a little sad getting rid of it but its clearly for the better! Would you want the fish to slowly die a painful death or take it somewhere where it can find a better home? I have to get rid of one of my dogs because I can no longer take care of her the way she deserves and it is hard but it just happens sometimes. The fish will be better off!

 

[Jess1ca]

I just had to rehome 3 fish that my kids got me for my birthday because they weren't compatible with my other fish. They were really sad, and so was I, but I had to do it.

 

[alia258]

Dudes, I baught 2 females from petco about a month ago (not my current ones either) and they came home that evening. One dyed the next morning. The other squirted out stringy white poo for a day then died too. It killed my favorite male guppy (who I wanted to have babies so I could keep his genes in the future when he got old, and now can't) take that into thought for a few seconds.

Now, when I was buying plecos for the first time ever. I (very very sadly) killed one a few days after I got it. The petco said my tank needed to cycle first and sent me home with 3 male guppies. I cycled the tank and came back for another pleco. The sales lady INTERVIEWED me and in there I told her I had 3 black skirt tetras, 3 guppies, a 10 gallon tank, and it was cycled. She sold me the pleco. Killed it within a week. Holding onto hope, I got the fog out of my water again, went to petco, and did the SAME interview with another lady, and she sent me home with another pleco and three black skirt tetras (the first three died cuz of the pleco) it died again, we went to the peco again, and there was a guy there this time, we went through that same conversation again, and he told me that I needed to wait untill algae grew so my pleco could eat it, and that was why they were dying. We waited three weeks, and there was another lady there (she was old) an we went through that exact same conversation again (don't forget that I told them I had a 10g every time) and this lady FINALLY knew a minuscule amount about plecos and explained that I needed algea discs. That's when I brought Oscar home, and he has lived happily and healthily and I wish he could for longer and I wish I could find him a nicer place to live!

NOW, after hearing this story, do you understand why I don't want to give him back to the petstore? And at all the other petstores (Walmart, petland, petsmart) there are so many dead fish in the tanks that we only buy plants and chemicals from those places! Now PLEASE stop telling me to give them to a pet store, because his death there will be much much worse! If I could leave him there safely, I'd've done it a long time ago!

And I'm sorry for sounding angry, but I felt like I had to make this point because telling you in a calm voice probly wouldn't've worked.

 

[alia258]

And the only reason my female guppies are alive is because the tank I put them in was already treated for the disease that the other females brought to the tank...I really do feel bad for getting angry guys, I'm sorry, it's just stressful, you know? I'm ****ed if I do and ****ed if I don't.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

You are right. Boy what was I thinking...Actually I think I will go lock my puppy and daughter in tiny little cages and see how they do. Thank you for the advice! Now I know they dont really need room to grow and I can lock them in tiny spaces and never have to worry about their well being!

 

[alia258]

Dude that's just cruel, my only choices are a parisite infected ten gallon at the pet store where they'll probly sell them to someone else who doesn't have a big enough tank, or keep him here in a not big enough tank and try to keep him happy and healthy as possible. What the hell is wrong with you?

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Oh wait...Me keeping a puppy in a tiny cage isnt the same thing you are doing to a fish? Put an ad on craigslist and try to find a home. Or find a bigger tank. I am not trying to be mean but I just went through and read all 21 pages of this thread and it just seems you are set in your ways of keeping this poor pleco in this tiny tank. There are other options but it just seems you want to find ways out of it. :/ If I lived closer I would try and help you find a good home. But I would try calling some pet shops first and see if they anyone who is willing to adopt fish. A lot of people will actually do that. At my petco they have fish for adoption that people bring in and are kept in different tanks from the rest of the fish they have. So its worth a shot. Just dont give up and stop trying for the little guy!

 

[alia258]

Do you realize that my plecos other choice is to go to a diseased pet store and then to someone else with a cage to small?

 

[alia258]

If I could find someone with a big enough tank and a phone contact to keep me updated on him I'd definitely give Oscar to them! My petco is crappy and it's just a death hole for fish! Seriously I'm fifteen, and Craig's list and the such are off limits to me (my parents idea) and if you say like HELPED instead of criticizing me, and perhaps found a nice person with a 100g I would happily give him up! Please realize that I just don't want to put him back in the petstore!

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Ok well I am sure someone can give him a home. We just have to look around! I will try and help you and see if I can find anyone! Why wouldnt you want to ship him? Shipping isnt the worst thing ever. I have heard of people randomly find plecos in old fish tanks with barely an inch of water and no food for months and months and months and they still lived! So they are pretty hardy little critters from what I have read. So I don't think shipping would be too bad! Would you consider that?

 

[brunettebaby4571]

How about someone you know say family or a friend how about having them post a n add on craigslist for you? Or maybe see if someone would be willing to find a pet shop that isnt super crappy for you? There are options you just have to try everything and if that all doesnt work than you can say atleast you tried!

 

[alia258]

I would consider shipping him somewhere, but the issue is that he has a high stress level. It's his personality, and he's very paranoid about his food. If I shipped him I'd be tented to give him a sleeping drug or something to keep his stress level down but then I worry that drugs could kill him. I looked for a good petstore, but the ones I went to the workers simply didn't know about plecos, and that worries me because I don't want him to be put through a diseased tank and then another ten gallon. Can we keep this as a general rule that pet stores are a no-no?

 

[Alyxx]

You just need to find a good one that you can trust. Or at least talk to the people in one of them (not petco) and let them know that you do not want him sold to a small tank. Or, ask if you can put up a flyer in the store advertising him to a suitable home for free adoption with your number on it. Or if your mom doesn't want anyone calling the house ask the manager of the store to call you if anyone is interested.

 

[alia258]

Hmmm this sounds like very possible, I think I could do that! But, you know, just incase, what about a plan B? If the pet store turns down my offer or something that could be bad...do you or anyone on this thread have a 100g? If I can make it safe to ship him, and keep his stress level down, I'll give him to one of you guys, I just ask for your phone number and to keep me updated on him! That's not too much to ask, is it?

 

[brunettebaby4571]

I am sure if you posted something someone would be more than happy to take him!

 

[alia258]

Okay, I'll post a thread and have my requirements! I'll get back to you on what happens (or you could just subscribe to the thread, either way) but, exactly which forum do I put it under? Unhealthy fish or something?

 

[blert]

Okay, I'll post a thread and have my requirements! I'll get back to you on what happens (or you could just subscribe to the thread, either way) but, exactly which forum do I put it under? Unhealthy fish or something?

The Classifieds.