pleco and the Lungfish known as Baby

[butch]

My name is Butch, and I am not new here, just haven't been around lately. My "baby" the lungfish is doing great. She has survived many problems, which you all have helped us overcome. Thanks. I have finally posted 2 pictures of her, and will post more, when she is less camera shy!! (and the tank is cleaner!!)
I am writing today because I have just acquired a pleco. They are in separate tanks because the pleco came from a diseased tank, and I don't want to take any chances. The previous owner lost most of his fish due to "ick", the poor fish. He has treated his tank, and the remainder are seeming to recover. My question/problem is this: The pleco is in a smaller tank, alone. I have been treating the water with "quICK Cure". Not only is the tank very cloudy, but there is this slimy/mucousy substance that develops in the tank. I do change the water, and for a few hours, it is almost clear, but soon gets cloudy and whatever that slimy stuff is reappears. Does anyone know what this may be? Could it be a result of the ick medicine? It does not seem to be bothering the fish. It has been eating the algae discs I have been giving to it. Nothing is sticking to the fish, but I haven't a clue what it is or what to do about it. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Butch

 

[Zagz]

It may be because of the ich cure medicine, I'm not sure because I've never used Quick Cure. For ich treatment the heat method is the best IMO. Turn the heat up slowly to 86 and keep that way for 2 weeks after the last spot is gone. Esp since the pleco is on his own. He will tolerate the heat just fine. Sometimes meds affect the bacterial culture. I would do a water change, add active carbon to the filter and start turning up the heat, if the ich is bad, one degree every 6 hours, if not so bad, one degree every 12 hours. This method will definately not affect your bacterial culture.

 

[butch]

Thanks Zags, I will increase the temperature. It is now at 82, but I will increase it gradually. I change the water once a day, or every other day. The Pleco does not seem affected by the ich, or show no signs of having it. They are not very active fish, so it is hard to tell if it is affected. It is eating, I guess a good sign, and the color looks like it's normal color.
I have been told that pleco's don't get ich, because they don't have scales?? Is this right? Are they susceptible to other parasites? I had a pleco for a brief amount of time, but it didn't make it through my last ammonia,nitrate,nitrite month long cure process. Believe me, if I had known about this ich problem I never would have consented to taking it, I would have told my friend to take it back to the pet store. It wasn't until I almost put the pleco with my other fish, that he mentioned the ich problem!! Thank heavens!! I think I would have mutilated him if something happened to my lung fish!!

Thanks again,
Butch

 

[Menagerie]

I have been told that pleco's don't get ich, because they don't have scales?? Is this right? Are they susceptible to other parasites?

They are susceptible as every other fish.
Since the tank was treated and it sounds like the pleco is fine, two weeks with temps at 86 and a touch of aquarium salt (1 TB/5-10 gallons) will be the best precautionary steps you can take to keep your lungfish safe. As with any fish either from the LFS or a friend, always QT them before introducing them to your main tank.

 

[butch]

Thanks Menagerie, you have been very helpful in the past, and as usual you are helping me out again! I will keep increasing the temperature gradually until it gets to 86, and I will also add aquarium salt like you suggested.
I hadn't planned on getting another fish, since my lady is doing so well all by herself. And I had already committed myself (because my friend didn't even mention the ich problem) and it wasn't until the fish was already here and almost in my tank before he did. And the pleco is a nice size and my lungfish most likely will not bother it or think it is something to eat!

Menagerie, did you see the pictures of my lady that I posted?? They don't do her justice, but in one you can see her beautiful face!! (my dirty tank too) and the other you can get an idea of her size in a cleaner tank!!

Thanks
Butch

 

[Menagerie]

I just checked out your gallery--looks like your lady is doing great
A note on plecos--if they are attacked, they will stick up their fins which have barbs on them. If the pleco were to get into the lungfish's mouth, it would stick up all fins and can cause a lot of damage to the point of death if not removed right away (the lungfish would not be able to gill properly). I don't say that to alarm you, but if you feel your baby might go for a pleco snack, it's something to keep in mind. Attached is a close up of the common's pleco's skin and my ugly spotted pleco which shows how raspy the edges of a plecos' fins can be.

 

[butch]

The lady and the pleco.

Menagerie,
Thanks again . I did have a pleco in with the lady, but with all the previous problems you helped me with, I lost it. Actually that was when I threw my hands up and looked for help and found this site. Anyway, my lady never seemed to bother with the pleco, and it wasn't much bigger than the the quarantined one. But I will certainly keep a close eye on them when or if I ever put them together. I may even get a divider for the tank to protect both of them, and see what happens. The pleco seems fine, and no worse for the wear with the ich, or the medication I used. Actually, the water is pretty clear and I keep raising the temperature, just to make sure there is no ich left. Once I am sure it is gone, I plan on lowering the temperature to the other tank, getting some water from the bigger tank in a bag, and let it adjust, and then introduce the pleco into the larger tank. Not using any of the water it had been in. Right now I am just taking a wait and see attitude, after all you recommended patience before, and I still have some leftover I will keep you posted on what is going on, and hopefully get out a picture of the pleco, now that I am familiar with posting pictures.

Thanks again
Butch

 

[Menagerie]

I think plecos would not look very appetizing to other fish, but I'm not other fish

Once I am sure it is gone, I plan on lowering the temperature to the other tank, getting some water from the bigger tank in a bag, and let it adjust, and then introduce the pleco into the larger tank. Not using any of the water it had been in.

Sounds like a great plan. Instead of the bag of water, when you siphon out from the pleco tank--that water will go down the drain and you can replace it with water directly from Lady's tank. It's just 25% at a time and there shound be no problems.
As an aside (I had to ask my husband to retell me the story so I could get it right): Trevor's friend had a Polypterus in with cory cats. The P would try to eat a cory and the fins would come out and of course the P could not swallow it and could not get it out. I thought the P died, but after rehearing the story, the P would have this cory, which would die, in it's mouth for days until the tissue softened and the P could swallow it. Apparently the P was given away because the owner was tired of its antics--really the owner should not have kept snacks in with the large P Anyway, with my poor memory, I thought it was a pleco in the story with a large predatory fish, but I was mistaken. I think your lady will be fine with a pleco as a take mate especially if the pleco is nice and plump

 

[butch]

I have been using the Lady's tank water when I do a water change in the Pleco's tank, then I just put more water in Lady's tank. So the pleco should be used to that water by now. Do I dare even think that there hasn't been any problems since that last fiasco!!! And my lady seems less aggressive than she used to be...perhaps with age she has mellowed a bit . or it could just be the season...I too am not a fish, and I am not from Africa, so who knows for sure!!! The pleco is a decent size, but not huge, yet!! Just going to have to fatten it up As memory serves me, the Lady never bothered with the other pleco, even when it was smaller. I still think I may put a barrier between them, just to be on the safe side and see what happens.
But I think it will be fine and I won't have any problems with compatibility. Who knows, they may like each other and we could have a plecfish...or a lungplec, or a lungco..

 

[Menagerie]

I like "Lungco" Do what you need to do to keep Lady safe and your sanity in check. If adding a barrier allows both room enough to swim and gives you peace of mind, then try that out for a week or so.