Whitish Patch on Pleco (Updated: With Better Pic!)

[fishfairy]

When I woke up this morning I noticed a slightly discolored patch on the side of my gold nugget pleco. It is a whitish color but as far as I can tell it doesn't look fuzzy or anything so it doesn't really look like a fungus. He also appears to be acting normal, but of course normal for a pleco is pretty much just laying around and hiding during the day anyway. I hope it isn't too serious because I just got him 2 days ago and he is already one of my favorite fish.

Water parameters are 0 for ammonia and nitrite and around 20 for nitrate. The tank is a 55g with an Aquaclear 70 filter. Other tankmates include 9 zebra danios, 2 boesemani rainbows, 5 albino cories, and an apple snail. I don't see anything similar on any of the other fish.

I am attaching a picture although it isn't very good. I circled the spot in green.

EDIT: I got a better look when he came out from behind the heater and it actually almost looks like his skin is peeling in that spot.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Is this a new pleco or has it been in your tank for a while? My pleco gets similar whitish areas on him but they dissapear later on. I took it as a regular color change of some sort.

By peeling, do you mean actually peeling off? Are the edges of the area white? how about redness?

 

[fishfairy]

He has only been in the tank for 2 days. And no it doesn't look like it is actually peeling off. More like a dry skin patch like a person would have if their skin was peeling.

 

[plecoperson]

Is the heater on? Perhaps it's a heater burn if the fish likes to hide back there.

If the white patch is just on one side it would be unlikely that it's stress coloration; that is usually symmetrical.

 

[fishfairy]

Heater burn sounds likely. Is there any way I can keep him from hiding behind the heater?

 

[fishfairy]

Ok I took a better pic this morning when I turned the lights on and he was still out in the open. Does this still look like heater burn or is it something else? I need to know if I need to be treating him!

 

[fishfairy]

Anyone? The spot is still there and doesn't appear to have spread although it does seem a little lighter and I've also noticed there is a tiny bit on the underside of his tail.

 

[fishfairy]

Well he died today.

When I found him the white had covered about half his body, but it didn't look like the picture. It was like part of him got bleached out. Also his stomach was purple and kind of looked like internal bleeding. At least it happened during the 2 week "guarantee" period so I got my money back, but I'm really upset because I've wanted a gold nugget pleco for a long time..

 

[plecoperson]

I am so sorry you lost this nice little fish. I was hoping someone with good fish-disease experience would advise you on how to treat it, as I am a relative novice in that area.

My sympathy; I lost a special fish a couple weeks ago, and I know it's depressing. I wish you could have gotten more help, from this list or elsewhere. If you come up against a situation like this, and don't get prompt help online, then do go to your local fish shop, the best one around, and ask for help there.

Again, I am sorry--take a breather and then have another go at a nugget!