PLEASE HELP! PLEC DYING??!!

[elf]

Quick background- 2.5 year old 55 gallon with Oscy & Plec each about 13"
50% water changes every week, steady temp & water forever...

Last night (3AM) Plec was sucking on the tank as usual but seemed to be sliding down. I looked minutes later to see him on his side.
This has been going on ever since! He will lay on his side or back, then swim around with some bubbles coming out, do spins sometimes like he's dizzy, bump into the top of the tank & "fall"/slide down -
But sometimes in normal position like nothing is wrong. He's breathing normal, looks normal, eyes normal-
WHAT IS WRONG???!!!

He has no symptoms! The ONLY thing is about a month ago the "skin" right underneath his sucker (what would be his "chest")-if he's sucked on the front & you're looking right at him-had a patch that looked scraped off. It even looked kind of bloody.
I watched & it healed back just fine! He never showed any symptoms of anything!

He still shows no symptoms, though that "patch of skin" has a whitish hue-as in you can see where it was, almost like a scar.

We thought he might be bloated, & the inside of his 'mouth" looks kind of red and we thoughiBut sometimes in normal position like nothing is wrong. He's breathing normal, looks normal, eyes normalBut sometimes in normal position like nothing is wrong. He's breathing normal, looks normal, eyes normal where his "bottom opening" did to, but this was in looking for something. It's not obvious stuff.

We put a bit of epsom salt (5 teaspoons) thinking/hoping it is constipation.

PLEASE HELP! WHAT IS GOING ON??!! He's been fine & ALL OF A SUDDEN...!!!!

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[docrak]

Need more info.

First tank parameters, temp, ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

second - exact species of pleco will help, common, sailfin, royal?

third, what has changed in the tank in the past couple months - new food, major cleaning, new meds, new filter, new plants, new rocks?

Fourth, what is his normal diet?

It kind of sound like some sort of poisoning, low O2 but it's to early to tell. Any other information you could think of would be helpful.

 

[BrianNY]

I don't know about the O2 or its' breathing would be labored. Plecs don't do well in tanks with any ammonia. Perhaps something caused a mini cycle. Secondly, what have you been feeding? Is the food fresh?

I'd start doing daily 20% water changes. If this is a water quality issue it will help.

 

[elf]

Thank you for your help. Unfortunately Plec has transcended. I'm just glad that he didn't suffer. He was never sick-was eating & swimming normal. This happened within under 24 hrs. I have NO IDEA what could have happened. Tank is fine. Oscy (thank EVERYTHING) is fine. I have no idea. All we know is we love & miss him very much!!!!