To test if your pleco is dead or not, you can try to touch it and see whether it reacts. In addition, there are specific treatments you can purchase to help your fish suffering from diseases like rotting fins and ich. Maracyn Two is a product that you can purchase to treat fin rot. Molly lying on side on bottom of tank, moving very little. If the temperature of the water gets too low, then that could kill them. As you can tell, its important to treat things as soon as you can. Its also possible that nothing is wrong at all. Here are some tips on how you can notice a sick pleco thats possibly even dying. . Keep reading to know more. There are even plecos that are considered to be carnivorous. But what they carry and what will work I couldn't say. How big of a tank do they need? The best way to prevent your Pleco from dying is to feed them a variety of food and provide at least 10 gallons of water for them every day. Ensure that youre feeding the fish appropriately. Make sure to add plenty of caves and natural hiding spaces if you keep multiple males in the same tank. An air pump is optional, but recommended to prevent your pleco from swimming up to the surface to gulp air. He (or she) is normally pretty active, being a good vacuum cleaner for the tank. Problems can occur when caring for plecos. Monitor your fishs feeding to ensure he is eating. Fixing the water conditions will usually be enough to get the fish to become more active again. (Per Species Guide), The 7 Biggest Giant Pleco Species You Didnt Know About, Do Plecos Eat Plants? Nitrite is the most dangerous, and should always be at 0 ppm. Take any remaining fish out of the water and keep them somewhere safe. (his color blends in real well with the wall - and where he wedged himself in is hard to see unless you are looking for it. The fish might be very sick and it feels unable to move. Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving : r/Aquariums - Reddit Read on to learn about things to look out for that show that your plecos might be dying. How to Keep Baby Plecos Alive? 11 Facts You Should Know - WhyPetFish.com The most common cause of this is poor water conditions. Theres a good chance that youre not doing regular tank maintenance. I read that they loved blanched vegetables, so I have given them a cucumber slice the last three nights for about an hour and then took it out. Water parameters are good. You need to monitor the water parameters to keep things in check. This can happen to any fish if it does not have . This situation can be turned around if you act fast. Some plecos will swim upside down because they want to eat the food on the surface of the water. You might need to address water quality issues. in 60 degree water less than 1\4" deep! Most plecostomus species are nocturnal, meaning that they are more active at night than during the day. Since plecos dont have scales, it can be hard to know whether its dropsy or not. Baby plecos have been known to die when the water temperature fluctuates too much. I went and asked to the shop from where I got that pleco. This can be caused by many things, such as poor water conditions, stress, or poor nutrition. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. Often, people use aquarium salt to treat this issue, but you can always consult an exotic veterinarian if you have questions. Provide adequate space and decor (ornaments and positioning of objects) so there is no danger for your pleco. Because of excitement, plecos can also breathe more rapidly after a water change. Water parameters good? JavaScript is disabled. Both tanks are also a bit small for their inhabitants, so moving your Plec will overstock your Goldie tank. Youll be able to fix things before they get bad so that your fish will stay alive. Sometimes I will catch him moving about. I still don't know for sure what happened, but I'm going to blame the CO2. Sometimes plecos that can't breathe well will float near the surface of the water. Try touching the fish and see if it reacts. Poor water conditions, bacterial infections, and even injuries have been known to make this happen. I think that it is nothing to worry about. Loss of color is a common sign that something is wrong with your plecos. I would be more concerned if I touched him and he didn't swim away. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Another result of starvation might be aggression, or your pleco sucking on the slime coat of fish like we sometimes see with goldfish. Quite often bottom dwellers do just sit and not move. The assumption is that plecos will simply eat the algae in the tank. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Just as important is what you put in the tank. Check to see if anything is causing the fish stress. Weve touched on the diet already, but heres some more in-depth information. Unfortunately, this is not true. Use an algae pad to clean the sides of tank, and siphon out the water left inside. Fish are fascinating creatures, and although some are easy to take care of, that doesnt eliminate the possibility of them developing a sickness. How is your pleco doing Vicki? Jun 21, 2005 #1 I have about a 3" pleco in a 10 gallon tank. i have heard reports of them lasting quite a while out of water. This post may contain affiliate links. No matter what we did, he would'nt come out. Why Did My Pleco Die and How to Prevent the Fish from Dying? Plecostomus fish, commonly called plecos, are relatively easy to take care of. The tank is now highly planted, and he's very fast. It might help you to figure out how to help the fish by doing some troubleshooting. Does the fish appear to be gasping for air? Today he is floating upside down in the top corner of the tank. I feed my Plec bloodworm, cichlid diet, sinking pellets, flakes and he eats algae. "We are living on this planet as if we have another one to go to". I have never seen any fish go through as much as this guy did for about 10 years and live. (By Species), Breeding Pleco Catfish Guide With Pictures, Cory Catfish And Plecos Tank Mate guide, Do plecos bury themselves? My Pleco Catfish doesn't MOVE or eat and I'm worried. It may not display this or other websites correctly. When plecos are just getting used to a new environment, theyre going to be rather skittish. The eyes may appear cloudy or bloody if an injury is the cause. While in fact, there are hundreds. I'm not entirely sure the kind of pleco as I didn't buy him but I think he is a common pleco. You are using an out of date browser. Vote. Always supply food in the presence of light to the baby fish. It's just another misleading thing that pet stores advertise. I did my weekly 50% water change with my regular EI dosing which didn't bother him at all. When you dont treat this disease, it can cause the fish to lose vision or even lose the eye. Fast forward to the next day. Make sure the tank has been cycled before introducing any fish to it so there are no dangerous spikes in the water. If your temperature and pH are out of this range, you need to take steps to remedy the situation. Check the tanks temperature to ensure it is between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Lastly, before or during spawning, plecos can breathe more rapidly since this is energy-consuming. If none of the above are the problem then diseases come into play. You also have to keep in mind that theyre nocturnal. Recently, I watched. One or both eyes might wind up being covered by a white or gray slime. However, many times, the death of a plecostomus is avoidable by some simple changes in their care. Checking the tank conditions and monitoring the fishs behavior are things you can do to determine the cause of the swelling. Although some plecos do like to eat algae, not all of them do. I just found my pleco upside down on the gravel. If your pleco is gulping at the surface or swimming up and down the tank to reach for oxygen, this is a severe problem. Do you see the gills moving at all or are they truly motionless? Are you noticing that your fish doesnt have a lot of pep? How can I make my plecostomus more active? If you dont already have some in your tank, consider putting in some real. There is a possibility that something happened in the tank, though. lol. The hardest test for a Pleco keeper is to get the Pleco addapted to his new home. It creates an environment where the disease cannot grow or spread. If your pleco is stressed, it may exhibit some of the following behaviors: Hiding is a natural defensive response for many fish. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month and more! The first thing you should consider is whether the pleco has died or not. Its also imperative to regularly clean the fish tank. The signs above have a lot of things in common. Unfortunately, catching him would be all but impossible. Turn lights off and put in some bloodworm or something and then come back in five minutes with a torch. There has to be something wrong. It looks like he is taking his last breaths in only a day and that too without showing any symptoms of any disease. Bristlenose plecos are unique fish with unique needs and preferences. Low immune system. Another option is giving it an Epsom salt bath, which will help remove the fluid build-up in the fishs abdomen. Sadly, my pleco died that night. It can get habitual to the routine, and they follow the owner's hand movements. This behavior can also occur when fish are exposed to high temperatures. I thought the pH controller was set okay so I wasn't too worried. Good Luck. My pleco just pretty much hangs out in the same spot almost all day, as Gee mentioned they're nocturnal. Its very plausible that plecos can die due to not being fed properly. Plecos dying: its a sad sight and one of the questions I get asked most frequently. We finished breaking down our multiple tanks, loaded the moving truck, drove it for three hours, spent two more hours waiting for the moving helpers, got the truck unloaded, started setting up the tanks, put the decor back in, added the fish. and the bristle nose swam out of the wood when we put in algae wafers. A long, long, long time ago when I was young my friends and I always had tanks. Weve touched a little on improving the tank setup for your pleco catfish. Even the pleco was quite all right till yesterday. Loss of color, rotting fins, and white spots on its body are some of the common signs that a pleco might be dying. Make sure to take notice of this behavior, and to check your water parameters to know whether there might be a cause for this. I have seen this behavior once before and today, its happening again. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving. If your fish is showing a loss of color or turning white, this may be a sign your pleco is dying. Sometimes fish will get like this when theyre sick. They take a full breath, in and out, about 6 times a second. Why Does My Pleco Always Hide and Never Come Out? - The Aquarium Adviser He also has a white spot on his eye. Clean your fish tank. This typically isnt the case, and some plecos dont even eat algae. Highly recommend algae wafers. It could be that the pleco is just old. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Vicki, I think it was the CO2 as well. Stress. Any animal needs some time to get used to a new home and small lizards are often prey for bigger things. Ich is very contagious and can be fatal, so removing the sick fish from the tank is important if other fish inhabit the same environment. Theres nothing wrong with a pleco than has a rounded belly (its in fact healthy) but if it looks bloated, this is bad. Plecos live in environments with temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Plecos thrive in a tank setup with a variety of different natural covers, like pleco caves, stones, and driftwood. I would watch him closely, make sure he eats. This is of course innocent. You may see this in plecos that don't get enough to eat. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. whats wrong? Isolating the fish and fixing the problems source is imperative to save your pleco. Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. He is starting to show his age but. How to Know when Your Goldfish Is Dying: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow Plecos do not have scales and they tend to rot really fast when they die, so as was mentioned above, you. 7 - Dropsy If your pleco is losing its color and slowly turning white, this might be an indication that it's either sick or dying. Just as "Avaselene" has mentioned, Cories do it all the time. If your plecos seem to be losing color rapidly, then its a sign that theyre dying or getting very sick. If your fish is stressed, you may notice the loss of color in addition to the loss of appetite and abnormal swimming behaviors. Since yesterday, he's just been laying on the floor of the tank, so I don't think he's eaten anything. The average life expectancy of plecos is between 10 and 15 years. Fish laying on its side, mouth open. Why is My Fish Laying On the Side? - Aquarium Hunter Checking your tanks levels and temperatures will help you determine if the tanks conditions are unsafe for your pleco. Cloudy eye is caused by bacteria and if your pleco is under stress, has had an injury, or lower immune system it can come up. Just like any other fish, a pleco needs its own specified diet. A healthy probably pregnant bristlenose pleco female. An oxygen deficit can be caused by a nitrite/ammonia spike, high temperatures, or a broken filter. They love to eat, and you should try to feed them as much as you can. Fish can only tolerate 5% water changes every couple of hours, so make sure that you leave enough time between water changes so that your fish does not go into shock. Often, its very hard to tell whether your pleco is sick or not. In most cases, it is poisoning by ammonia, nitrite, or other nitrogen. Swim Bladder Disorder: How to Tell if Your Floating Pet Fish Is Dead Many things can cause stress such as poor water conditions, overcrowded fish tanks, and incompatible tank mates. Ensure you follow the package instructions to ensure proper dosing for your fish. Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. It was not just one of my plecos but several. You always want to do the best job that you can when taking care of fish. Please help. Thanks, Tex Gal. He flaps his fins about once e Help, my guppy is lying on its back and isnt moving but is still alive. Also having a water test kit for ammonia and nitrite will help greatly in knowing when to do water changes. If the water condition and bacterial infections caused the situation, then youll need to fix those problems. It is usually an injury if it only occurs in one eye. Youll also need to fix issues with water quality in the tank while solving stress problems. Htels & Rsidences de tourisme; tablissements recevant du public; Habitats individuels & collectifs; Amnagements extrieurs; Design, Mobilier & Tapisseries Common pleco not moving after tank flush! Ouwch. Does this mean that something happened during the night? Hello, I have this pleco for like 6 months. Turning white may be a sign your pleco is dying. Its a sign that something is wrong, and you might need to make some changes. A forum community dedicated to Aquatic tank owners and enthusiasts. Do Plecos Sleep? Do They Play Dead? [Explained] - eFishkeeping Since plecos are a type of catfish, they feed off of algae. For example, a temperature fluctuation could have killed the fish. I hope he recovered. Why is My Pleco Not Eating? You may also notice your pleco laying at the bottom of the tank or chasing the other fish around. If the fish is not moving, then there are no signs of life, such as breathing or eating, then it has likely died. Checking and monitoring the levels, temperature and pH will ensure the tank has the proper conditions for your pleco. Fish tank Pet fish Pet Animals and Pets. You need to feed the fish the right type of food to keep them alive and healthy. Pleco catfish don't move a lot he started they're nocturnal. Feed food before lights out and he is likely to come out when it is dark to feed. There are some cases where the pleco might have been injured by another pet in the tank, but most of the time they will recover on their own. Breeding pleco catfish isnt as hard as you might think. Infections can be treated by isolating the sick fish and consulting your vet to determine the proper treatment. Im blogging mostly about freshwater and saltwater aquariums, fish, invertebrates, and plants. They are seriously chill dudes lol. Sorry your pleco is ill. every day I feed the fish in my school aquarium and I've notice the pleco doesn't ever move. One of the biggest myths is also that plecos clean your tank. you read and agreed to the. You must log in or register to reply here. If the fish is breathing, its likely that its simply resting. Especially if they are in the breeding season. Poor water conditions usually cause bacterial infections. In addition, you will want to quarantine the sick fish, as it is contagious and will spread quickly. Or can he be savedlaying on side at bottom of tank, Betta laying at bottom of tank, not eating, pale, barely breathing. When done cleaning he put them back in, minus the pleco that had jumped out of the bucket. If the plecos are in a community fish tank, then itll be important to ensure that they are kept only with compatible tank mates. I love my animals. Can Betta Fish Live With Guppies And Tetras? They do things at night and youre not going to see them scurrying about much when the sun is out. Ich can be treated by using medication that will get rid of the infection. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypostomus_plecostomus, https://www.petco.com/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/plecostomus.html, Why Is My Goldfish Turning Black? When you try to touch the fish, its going to react and swim away. Continue reading to learn about reasons why plecos might stop moving. WHats wrong? ), -Research nutrition based on specific pleco species, fin edges turn black or brown and look frayed, have white dots (another possible symptom of ich). They clean algae, but they make a bigger mess in your tank. Some will also cause fish to have a hard time breathing. You might even be making the mistake of thinking that plecos can subsist entirely on algae in the tank. What's wrong with him? Resting on the bottom of the tank or hiding in plants or other objects. My male sits in his cave or in front of it to attract the ladies. This can make it very tough for the fish to swim around normally. Plecos living in an environment with other fish could also be stressed. This guy lasted about 10 years. If not he likely is moving when you are not around, most pleco are very shy (without a ton of hiding places and a shyer personality can make the pleco even more reclusive), some species are worse for being out and about than others. An ammonia spike is one of the most likely causes of the sudden death of your pleco or other aquarium fish. My fish is breathing slowly and is laying at the bottom of his tank on his side. Its normal for these fish to hide and be very wary of venturing out. Many enthusiasts say that plecos will play dead sometimes. Problems such as fin rot and pop eye can be dealt with so that the fish can get better. It is important to research food options for your pleco because some brands have more harmful ingredients than good. Here are some of my favorite foods for plecos (make a selection suited for the species youre keeping). Both stress and poor water quality can make it more likely that the fish will get infected. The problem may have been caused by the fish swallowing air, so pre-soak the fish food in the future to avoid this problem. They like to eat shrimp and bloodworms. This is the main reason why we cycle aquarium tanks. Noticing whether your pleco has a sunken in belly can be hard, especially if you dont see it very often. I had a big common pleco that lived for over 10 years in a 30 gallon tall along with. You can make acclimating to the tank easier for the fish by taking the time to float the bag before putting it in the tank. I don't have a picture but he looks kind of like this: Since he is a common pleco he is going to grow too big even for a 90 gallon (plus the waste he produces), if you would like we can help you pick out a medium sized pleco that will fit in with your other fish if you are willing to rehome your current pleco. Keeping an eye on the water parameters and cleaning the tank regularly will help to prevent things like this from happening. I know Elbert, that handsome fellow over there in my avatar really loves shrimp pellets and occasionally freeze dried blood or tubifex worms. It is the most common disease in tropical fish, like plecos, and is likely caused by poor water conditions. Many people mistakenly think that plecos dont need to be fed. Very bad water conditions might even directly kill the fish. Breeding bristlenose plecos is certainly an exciting thing to do.
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