Possibly sick pleco

[Amitas]

My friend sent me a picture of her pleco that she thinks is pooping blood. I asked her if it has been acting lethargic recently and she says that it has. Recently she added a male beta from her other tank, the two seem to be getting along without a problem. If anyone has any information on this please let me know.

 

[Greta1981]

The male betta really needs to be in his own tank. How big is the tank the two are in? Do you know the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate parameters?

 

[Amitas]

Yeah that's what I told her, but she's slightly stubborn. And I think it's a 10 gallon semicircle. The plecos petty small and it's only a few inches long. As far as the bio levels in the tank, I wouldn't know she's new to the hobby and I haven't had a chance to go see the tank yet.

 

[Greta1981]

I know very little about plecos, other than that a) they grow to 12 inches and need 125 gallons of water and b) are HUGE waste producers. My best guess, without much more to go on, is that he's suffering from water toxicity. If she can get an API test kit, that will help us figure out the problem.

 

[Amitas]

That's the closest thing I've been able to come up with, I actually know a lot about them and I'm completely stymied on what it could be. I'll teach her how to do test the water but until then I gonna suggest a water change. Thanks for your help by the way.

 

[Greta1981]

Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Looking at the picture, he seems very bloated to me. Has she mentioned him being constipated? How long has she had him?

 

[Amitas]

Yeah I've been thinking that too, I've heard people use pees before but I've never done it myself. Do you know a way to treat it? it's a year old, and I'm still trying to identify it exactly because it's markings and coloration are right for a common pleco but that's what she bought or thought she bought. Dont worry you have been plenty of help!

 

[Greta1981]

With the peas, you just take a couple frozen ones (not canned--too much other stuff added, whether or not the label says it) and nuke them in water in a microwave for a couple of minutes. Let them cool, then squeeze them out of their shell and feed. They can't hurt him, so it's definitely something to try, whether or not it helps. Most fish love peas.

I contacted a friend of mine who has a lot of experience with keeping plecos. He should be here before too long. I'm going to run out to the store, but his name is MedicPanda, so you know when he posts. I'll check back in on this thread when I get back home.

 

[Brookster123]

That common looks like it's about to pop! Has it pooped at all recently?

 

[Brookster123]

Just re-read, that's a common Pleco in a 10 gal? It's stunted, it's irgans are growing while it's body is not, it's probably going to die soon.

 

[Amitas]

Yeah, from what she said it's been like that since she got it. I have never seen anything like it. She thought it was pregnant at first but I had to explain to her it's just a baby as far as plecos go

 

[Brookster123]

Yeah, from what she said it's been like that since she got it. I have never seen anything like it. She thought it was pregnant at first but I had to explain to her it's just a baby as far as plecos go

how long as she had it? Where did she get it?

 

[Amitas]

1 year and petsmart

 

[Brookster123]

Ya, common's get hugeee, in a 10 gal as a juvi it never had a chance. Very sad, shame on petsnart

 

[Amitas]

Yeah I have a common in my 29, and got a clown recently although it died shortly because petsmart sold me a fish with ick. I'm gonna see we can save it but I hope it's not too late.

 

[Brookster123]

Commons should not be kept in anything less than a, well , a huge tank, pet stores sell them when they're tiny and than sometimes they grow growww, and sometimes they get a swollen belly, at any rate I'd think about re-homing your common and look at a rubber lip or bristle nose Pleco, I have a bn in my 29, they only grow to about 4", I will re-home mine at 3.5, unless I have a bigger tank, only because they are poo factories..

 

[Amitas]

I plan on moving him to a 55 I'm getting this week with future upgrades as he grows.

 

[Brookster123]

Good thing for Petco $1/gal sale!!

 

[Greta1981]

Finally got hold of my friend who is an expert on plecos. Here is his advice, quoted exactly:

"He's both bloated and stunted. The first thing that needs to be done is a water change, I'd start at 30% every 1-2 hours x 3. That will reduce both toxins and hormones that cause stunting. Feeding a deshelled cooked pea may help, but spinach would be a better option. As an omnivore that feeds primarily on vegetable matter as a juvenile, the pea won't have as strong of a laxative effect as he may need. Epsom salt baths are NOT an option, as he's a scaleless fish. That is most DEFINITELY a common pleco and he needs to be in a 125 gallon tank."

Stunting is irreversible, but if he's moved into a more suitably sized home and the bloating is dealt with, he could possibly live happily for a few more years. Possibly. He is, sadly, a very very sick fish.