Help pleco down!

[Spencer1044]

I have just come home and come to find my dwarf clown pleco looking extremely sick. I checked the water levels and the PH was 6.4 - 6.5 then ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all at 0. The pleco will stop breathing from time to time i dont know whats wrong! Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ddodad]

I have just come home and come to find my dwarf clown pleco looking extremely sick. I checked the water levels and the PH was 6.4 - 6.5 then ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate were all at 0. The pleco will stop breathing from time to time i dont know whats wrong! Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

I'm sorry it's always hard to find a sick fish

I would retest the water it is really rare to have nitrate at 0 I know ammonia and nitrite should always be 0. What test are you using?

I suggest a large water change

Are any other fish looking sick?
Do you see any wounds on him?

 

[Spencer1044]

Ok im using drops for testing and no wounds all the other fish are fine and i tested again and your right it wasnt 0 but it was .25 which is still good

 

[ddodad]

Ok im using drops for testing and no wounds all the other fish are fine and i tested again and your right it wasnt 0 but it was .25 which is still good

I am not familiar with that scale I use and most people recommend the API master tests. As long as the 0.25 is not in the high range that should not be the issue Any chance you have a qt tank?

Edit. Also can you get any better pics?
Is it still eating?

 

[Spencer1044]

Wait he just stoped breathing i think hes gone. Idk what it was i mean i have a 30 gal tank with two 30 gal filters on it and heater and air pump. He was eating yesterday. There are alot of snails in the tank ive been tryin to get rid of otherwise there wasnt much wrong.

 

[Spencer1044]

Here's the test kit

 

[Surfer]

How high is your water temp? How are you getting rid of your snails?

 

[Spencer1044]

Temp is 76 and i havnt found a way to rid my snail problem

 

[Coursair]

I couldn't tell from the pic, is that real wood ? What were you feeding your Pleco ?
This article says they prefer warmer water.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panaqolus_maccus

 

[Spencer1044]

The wood was fake and i was feeding it algae tablets

 

[Coursair]

The wood was fake and i was feeding it algae tablets

So they need warmer water. Driftwood as part of their diet. And a wider variety of food. Veggie wafers are ok, but blanched veggies are a good addition. Some Protein as well, shrimp pellets etc.

Just in case you try another. Was his underside sucked up ?

 

[Jmunroe]

Don't forget to shake bottle 2 of the nitrate test like it owes you money, and carry out the test exactly as described in the instructions. Is your tank heavily planted? If it's not the only way really to keep nitrates that low with your pleco in that tank would be 75% water changes a day.

 

[Spencer1044]

Oh I shake it well and ya all the plants in there are live