Can anyone help me with my pleco?

[SLang82]

I'm not sure what kind of pleco he is. We've had him for years and he's very tiny, only around 3 inches long. He has a giant red bump right under his mouth above his belly. He still seems able to eat but he looks very uncomfortable. I was just wondering if anyone knew what it was or if it could be treated.

 

[Brookster123]

What size tank is he in?????

 

[SLang82]

30 gallon tank.

 

[Brookster123]

How long has it looked like that?

 

[SLang82]

I just noticed it 2 nights ago. I don't see him very often though because he hides most of the time in that house in the pic. But I don't think it's been there long. I think I would have noticed something so large on him.

 

[Brookster123]

Well if it's a common Pleco that can grow quite large it could be stunted which means it's organs grow while it's body does not, it doesn't look like a bristle nose which stay pretty small.

 

[SLang82]

I don't think it's a common pleco. We have a common pleco in our living room tank and he's about a foot long! This one doesn't look anything like him. My husband seems to think he's a rubbernose pleco. We've had him for so long though I don't remember.

 

[Brookster123]

I don't think it's a common pleco. We have a common pleco in our living room tank and he's about a foot long! This one doesn't look anything like him. My husband seems to think he's a rubbernose pleco. We've had him for so long though I don't remember.

Hmm, there are some serious Pleco nuts on here so hopefully they jump in here, I'm stumped, had he been poooping??

 

[SLang82]

I really don't know if he's pooping. I'm not sure I've ever seen it. lol He seems to be going about his normal day, not acting weird or in pain. He's moving around fine and constantly loving on that house like he's always done. Just has that weird growth.

 

[Brookster123]

Pleco's poop a lot, mine have a poop hanging 75% of the time, it wasn't surprising for my 3 1/2 " bn to be dragging a 10 incher around the tank. What do you feed? Is there driftwood in the tank?

 

[SLang82]

Hmm yeah I've never noticed him with a poo hanging. My huge pleco in my other tank on the other hand always has poo strands following him around. I don't think the little guy has ever had that though.

 

[Brookster123]

Hmm yeah I've never noticed him with a poo hanging. My huge pleco in my other tank on the other hand always has poo strands following him around. I don't think the little guy has ever had that though.

Ok, now were getting somewhere, diet? Driftwood??

 

[SLang82]

There is no driftwood, just regular tank decor (mostly Spongebob) lol. He eats what I feed the tank. He's in a tank with mystery snails, mollies, 2 guppies, and I think barbs. They get fed tropical flakes daily, shrimp pellets every few days and algae wafers every once in a while.

 

[Brookster123]

There is no driftwood, just regular tank decor (mostly Spongebob) lol. He eats what I feed the tank. He's in a tank with mystery snails, mollies, 2 guppies, and I think barbs. They get fed tropical flakes daily, shrimp pellets every few days and algae wafers every once in a while.

Alright so Pleco's def need wood in their diet, he could be massively constipated, get some driftwood in there ASAP. Try feeding cucumber slices, soak an algae wafer in garlic juice and get it to him.

 

[SLang82]

Ok should I move him into a different tank to make sure he is the one getting this food and driftwood? Since my snails and fish will attack anything I put in there. Is driftwood sold in regular pet stores?

 

[Brookster123]

I haven't seen it in stores around me no, do you have any specialty fish stores? You can throw some peas in there too which will help. I'd just try to selectively feed. Wouldn't stress him by netting or grabbing.. Google constipated Pleco, I just did and there were some tips, I'd act fast though, he's looking pretty "full"

 

[SLang82]

I will try the two pet stores we do have. With the peas should I cook them first or just throw them in frozen?

 

[Davep]

Just throw them in frozen they thaw out within minutes

 

[Brookster123]

I'd microwave them a bit to soften them up, cool them down and feed..

 

[Brookster123]

Just throw them in frozen they thaw out within minutes

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