Pleco has a yellow belly

[Avidon]

My Pleco doesn't look too great. His belly is yellow and is somewhat caved in. Water parameters in the tank are normal for an African Cichlid tank. Ammonia and nitrates are at 0 ppm. Nitrites are in the safe zone. PH is about 8.4. Water hardness is about 290 ppm. I've been supplementing the tank every day with algae wafers to help give some additional nutrition to my plecos.

 

[Cactuspixie]

OMG I haven't seen such a concave stomach on a pleco! What is his poop like? He may have internal parasites.

 

[Avidon]

I haven't seen him poop so I can't tell you. He seems to be doing better since I took this picture but his stomach still looks yellow.

 

[jwh0818]

Are you feeding him? Go buy some zucchini asap and blanch it and drop it in. You have to feed them just like any other fish. They cant eat algae all the time and no they dont eat poo

 

[Avidon]

I feed him algae wafers every other day. I'll do what you say with the zucchini though. And yes, I know plecos don't eat poo.

 

[jwh0818]

I feed him algae wafers every other day. I'll do what you say with the zucchini though. And yes, I know plecos don't eat poo.

Do you see him eat the wafers?

 

[Canary bird]

Omg how is he doing ? My Pleco has about 3 different wafers every day algae, shrimp, not sure of the other and sinking pellets they need variety, they just eat and poop , he also gets cucumber or steamed broccoli twice a week minimum , feed him more but do it gradually or he will stuff himself ..

 

[Avidon]

Omg how is he doing ? My Pleco has about 3 different wafers every day algae, shrimp, not sure of the other and sinking pellets they need variety, they just eat and poop , he also gets cucumber or steamed broccoli twice a week minimum , feed him more but do it gradually or he will stuff himself ..

Got it. I'm boiling some zucchini and putting it in the tank now

 

[jwh0818]

Got it. I'm boiling some zucchini and putting it in the tank now

Tell us how it goes!

 

[Avidon]

So I put a piece of boiled zucchini in the tank this morning and when I came home it was mostly eaten. My plecos seem to have been all over it while I was gone. I think my other fish had some too.

 

[jwh0818]

So I put a piece of boiled zucchini in the tank this morning and when I came home it was mostly eaten. My plecos seem to have been all over it while I was gone. I think my other fish had some too.

Thats great news. Do it again tomorrow

 

[Avidon]

Thats great news. Do it again tomorrow

Will do!

 

[jwh0818]

Will do!

Does his belly look a bit bigger?

 

[Avidon]

Does his belly look a bit bigger?

I haven't checked. I had to be in and out of my house quickly so I didn't have a chance to check up on him

 

[Avidon]

I checked up on them this morning and they're looking better! His stomach isn't so caved- in and he seems to be more active. The scales on his belly still have that yellow coloration though.

 

[Canary bird]

They are hungry fish, they need a lot of food, try giving him more veggies and don't scrimp on the wafers , how many plecos do you have ? I have 1 and he eats soooo much , just remember the other fish will help him eat the wafers so make sure he gets at least 2 a day , he might only get to eat a quarter of one but at least he's eating, I think he was hungry mate , I have a mixture of different wafers and some sinking pellets he gets those and veggies , hope he's feeling better

 

[Canary bird]

How is your Pleco ?

 

[Avidon]

How is your Pleco ?

He's been doing much better. I've been feeding him boiled zucchini every day and he just loves it. His stomach still has that yellowish coloration though.

 

[Canary bird]

He's been doing much better. I've been feeding him boiled zucchini every day and he just loves it. His stomach still has that yellowish coloration though.

That's good to hear, are you still giving him wafers too ? I just fed mine a half of a sea food stick (I know canibalistic lol) and he enjoyed that and so did the other fish especially the Molly fry
When my mick comes out for his breakfast his belly is very pale coloured but soon changes to dark brown when he's eating

 

[Avidon]

That's good to hear, are you still giving him wafers too ? I just fed mine a half of a sea food stick (I know canibalistic lol) and he enjoyed that and so did the other fish especially the Molly fry When my mick comes out for his breakfast his belly is very pale coloured but soon changes to dark brown when he's eating

Yep. Wafers too.