Poor plecs.........

[cheezysquirrelz]

My poor pleco finally died today. he was only 3 1/2 inches long. For the past few days he wouldnt eat(tried flakes, algae tablets, shrimp pellets, frozen bloodworms) and he kept acting funny. Several times I walked in the room and he was upside down, I thought he was dead, but he was barely breathing. he would never suck on anything and would always lean on something strangely. Does anyone know what was wrong?

 

[Cafe Jeff]

I am sorry to hear that. Sometimes, however, it's nothing you've done. Fish, just like people, get sick.
How long did you have him?
Jeff

 

[Essayons89]

How did the fish look physically? Was it's belly sunken in at all?

Sorry to hear of your loss.

Bryan

 

[TankGirl]

Whenever a fish is acting unusually the fist thing I do is test the water. Was there anything unusual going on? A cycling tank, new additions, etc.?

I'm sorry about the poor pleco - I never get accustomed to the loss of fish, it's never easy.

 

[Cherry Barb]

I am so sorry to hear that. I agree with Tank Girl. I always test my water if something like that happens just to be sure. And I get attached to my fish. Its hard to take a loss.

 

[docrak]

Most plecos live ins streams and rivers and are used to very clean water. Sometimes a dramatic change in water conditions can cause this. I try to never change more than 30% of the water at any one time. What kind of pleco was it, and where there any other plecos with him? There are a lot of things that could have caused this.

 

[cheezysquirrelz]

He was a common pleco. his stomach wasnt sunken. I had recently added an angel he didnt like, but I moved him the other day. I have had him since the beginning of March or late February. The tank has been set up since February. I havent done any huge water changes recently only a small like 3gal one. Waters good.

I'd like to get a new pleco soon. Does anyone have a cool kind that stays a good size for a 20gal. I already have a rubberlip so something different. Ill buy one from somebody!

 

[cheezysquirrelz]

OH!! no other plecos were with him, just some cories.

 

[docrak]

This is one of those mysterious deaths that may never be explained. It's possible he didn't like the move for whatever reason. It may have just been his time due to some internal illness. I've had plecos die from moving them from one tank to another. They just stop eating and die. Was he unusually out in the open the past few days?

 

[smallfry]

I am sorry for your loss...

Are plecos not supposed to be out in the open??? 8O If so, then I have a very extroverted pleco! 8O He's a ham and LOVES attention...he plasters himself to the front of the aquarium in full tank light....he never really "hides" although there are spots for him to do so.

 

[grimlock3000]

I'd like to get a new pleco soon. Does anyone have a cool kind that stays a good size for a 20gal. I already have a rubberlip so something different. Ill buy one from somebody!

Bulldog, Rubberlip, Bristle/Bushnose, and Clown Plecos all stay small (under 4 inches). I have a Bristlenose that I never see unless I shine a light into his cave. He just hides all day. I suppose he eats at night, or he would have died about 6 months ago. I have a small Clown Pleco in my 10g that is very active but the thing poops A LOT 8O It eats driftwood almost all day and what goes in, must come out... My Bristlenose just rasps on the driftwood here and there, nothing major. The Clown just eats it like a buffet.

Anyway, for the future, only move fish into dark tanks so they have an easier time getting adjusted, and always do a slow acclimation even if the tank are the "same" for water parameters.

 

[TankGirl]

You can try a clown pleco or a bristlenose, they stay pretty small.

 

[Madame_X]

Bulldog, Rubberlip, Bristle/Bushnose, and Clown Plecos all stay small (under 4 inches). I have a Bristlenose that I never see unless I shine a light into his cave. He just hides all day. I suppose he eats at night, or he would have died about 6 months ago. I have a small Clown Pleco in my 10g that is very active but the thing poops A LOT 8O It eats driftwood almost all day and what goes in, must come out... My Bristlenose just rasps on the driftwood here and there, nothing major. The Clown just eats it like a buffet.

Isn't that funny how their personalities differ?

My bristlenose hides a lot, but she does come out periodically if her nighttime algae wafers aren't satisfying her. My clowns hide constantly, rarely coming out in the open. I have a peppermint pleco that I wouldn't know was alive if it weren't for the fact that I can easily see inside of her hiding spot (she was expensive, and NEVER comes out of her cave).

But my pitbull and frogmouth plecos? The smallest ones I have, and they're constantly moving, never hiding. Fantastic little workers. I'd love to have four or five pitbulls in my 30 gallon cube!

Trouble is, the little buggers are hard to find...

 

[TankGirl]

It seems that when it comes to plecos, the more money you pay for them the less you see of them. :?

 

[Essayons89]

It seems that when it comes to plecos, the more money you pay for them the less you see of them.

I couldn't agree more TankGirl. I see my L114 about three times a year. I see the Gold Nugget more but that's only because his "place" is in a hole in a piece of driftwood facing the front of the tank.

Bryan

 

[krap101]

my clown pleco is about |-----------------------------| with the tail. its so cute. it usually stays in the shady part but doesnt really mind the light. its usually in the shade rather than pitch black. its more active than my bristlenose and 2$ less. it looks really cool 2.

 

[cheezysquirrelz]

I didnt move the pleco, I moved the angel. I would like to get a clown or pitbull pleco, the problem is where to get them.......I cant use aquabid, since Im a kid and my mom wont let me.

 

[TankGirl]

What you need is an aquarium club in your area, where you can meet (with your mother, of course) with other fishkeepers. That is a great way to get fish that you can't get at the LFS.

 

[pkremer]

I second the clown pleco....I love mine, and whoever mentioned that the clowns eat the wood like a buffet, I'm with you there 100%! I swear the piece of wood is way smaller than it was when I bought it, and that clown is on there at least 20 hours of each day! And when I move it to vaccuum the gravel under and around it, 100 poops fall off of it...hehe!

I don't know where you live, but my LFS will order pretty much anything I want in. Could you ask your LFS to order in a clown for you?

Paul

 

[cheezysquirrelz]

I dont think I want a clown if they eat driftwood and poop a lot. I happen to like my driftwood, and I dont want it to disappear! I like the pitbull though. My LFS is Petsmart, petco, patsupermarket, and petland. There are some other places I dont know how to get to(by the big chicken, if you live in Atlanta you know) and this one thats FILTHY(building and tanks)!!!!! It has cool plants like giant aquatic onions though.