I just want to say i am 16 and have only been keeping fish for about 2 years and not 100 percent certain on how everything works yet so i have smallish 48l tank which only has two angel fish and a fairly small pleco. I also have a bigger 58l tank which is currently housing one fairly big bristlenose pleco which i have had take from my brother because he was struggling to keep up with the tank and a day before i went to collect the fish he thinks the pleco got a heater burn because he started to notice he was sitting behind it for quite a long time and even though he tried moving him he wouldn’t budge. i am posting because i am unsure what to do in the long run and to see if it is burn or not and whether or not it looks like it could be treated and what to treat it with. Have attached a photo of the whole tank and the pleco up close it isn’t fully white and has a few red specks on the outer edge.
possibly burnt pleco
- Thread starter Harriet
- Start date
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Hi,
Welcome to the community!
It certainly does look like a burn.
The tank size you mention is very small. For the fish you have.
The best way you can help the fish is to keep the water very clean. Doing a couple pwc's are recommended.
First though, what are your pwc amounts and how often?
The new fish adds probably more or less of a 1/3rd increase in your bioload.
Are you familiar with the nitrification cycle, and has your tank got a solid beneficial bacteria colony helping to process the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
Check the water with a test kit so you know the levels and how safe your water is.
I would do 2 - 20% pwc's back to back, one then do another.
Then is all the levels are well within the safe zone, I would continue to do 25% water changes every day. Checking every couple days if the levels look good with that routine.
If the test results are not very safe even doing the 25% water changes, You will need to increase the frequency or amount or both to keep the water in tip top condition.
This helps your fish have as little stress as possible, and lets it's immune system work better.
If you aren't familiar with the nitrification cycle, look at the article in my signature and check out the really useful information.
A big thing is to not change the filter pad and just rinse with treated / dechlorinated water.
You might want to try some Epsom Salts too. Let me know if you are interested in additional information on that process.
A
Welcome to the community!
It certainly does look like a burn.
The tank size you mention is very small. For the fish you have.
The best way you can help the fish is to keep the water very clean. Doing a couple pwc's are recommended.
First though, what are your pwc amounts and how often?
The new fish adds probably more or less of a 1/3rd increase in your bioload.
Are you familiar with the nitrification cycle, and has your tank got a solid beneficial bacteria colony helping to process the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
Check the water with a test kit so you know the levels and how safe your water is.
I would do 2 - 20% pwc's back to back, one then do another.
Then is all the levels are well within the safe zone, I would continue to do 25% water changes every day. Checking every couple days if the levels look good with that routine.
If the test results are not very safe even doing the 25% water changes, You will need to increase the frequency or amount or both to keep the water in tip top condition.
This helps your fish have as little stress as possible, and lets it's immune system work better.
If you aren't familiar with the nitrification cycle, look at the article in my signature and check out the really useful information. A big thing is to not change the filter pad and just rinse with treated / dechlorinated water.
You might want to try some Epsom Salts too. Let me know if you are interested in additional information on that process.
A
i have just realised that the tank is too small for angelfish and unsure what to do about this they aren’t fully grown and have been this size for years and are siblings from the same thing im unsure how to say it but they were born (technically not born) at the same time i guess from the same batch of eggs is what i would say sorry if this sounds strange
They are siblings.
Ideally perfect and very clean water is the best. Proceed with additional pwc's.
Yes. Angelfish can be the size of a woman's medium large hand, and so this is not the ideal for swimming and living a comfortable healthy life.
Assistance while you decide which course of action to take about their small tank can be in keeping the water changed very regularly. Even if the water is in safe levels they produce hormones which build up in smaller amounts of water volume - surprise, one more thing to know, and keeping the water changed will help them develop better and more healthfully.
Ideally perfect and very clean water is the best. Proceed with additional pwc's.
Yes. Angelfish can be the size of a woman's medium large hand, and so this is not the ideal for swimming and living a comfortable healthy life.
Assistance while you decide which course of action to take about their small tank can be in keeping the water changed very regularly. Even if the water is in safe levels they produce hormones which build up in smaller amounts of water volume - surprise, one more thing to know, and keeping the water changed will help them develop better and more healthfully.
Should i start thinking about getting them a bigger tank now? or are they fine in the tank they are in until they grow one is slightly bigger than the other but not by much the smaller one is about 1 inch not including fins and the bigger one is about 1.5 inches without the fins. with the fins i would say the small one is about 2.5 inches and the big one is 3 or 3.5
Yes, usually much bigger. If you get a bigger tank you may see them jump larger in size withing a few months!
Definitely look for a bigger tank, around 35G would be the bare minimum. Especially if you would enjoy other fish in with them again think about the size of an adult hand spread out like you were going to draw it on a paper these fish can grow to a full size like that including fins might stick out beyond a hand size.
They can eat Neon Tetras when they get larger.
Definitely look for a bigger tank, around 35G would be the bare minimum. Especially if you would enjoy other fish in with them again think about the size of an adult hand spread out like you were going to draw it on a paper these fish can grow to a full size like that including fins might stick out beyond a hand size.
They can eat Neon Tetras when they get larger.
