Sick Pleco

[GJN]

My 9" Pleco just started showing the following symptoms in a 50 gallon tank a few days ago: Lying in a corner of the tank in a limp position and sometimes turns upside down. I have used a net to turn him right side up - - but after awhile he exhibits a limp body (almost like a dead fish) and does not move from his position. He has been in the same tank with African Cichlids since early March and no problems were evident until now. The African Cichlids look fine. Just the Pleco has started to show the symptoms described. Has anyone run into the same situation or problem? If so - your advice & help will be appreciated!

GJN

P.S. I just took the Pleco out of the 50 gallon tank and placed him in a small tub with an aerator. He appears to look better in the tub (i.e. not looking limp) - - so I'm wondering if the water in the 50 gallon tank has had some dramatic change although the African Cichlids don't appear to be sick at all.
Although I do regular water changes - - I will do another one to see if this will help.

Your comments & suggestions are welcome.

[dethmunkee]

hmm thats wierd. maybe the high PH is getting to it?

[GJN]

No - - I don't think it's the PH. He has been in the tank with the Cichlids for quite some time without any major problems. The problem just started recently.

[GJN]

I should also mention that I recently changed the Salt that I use with water changes from regular aquarium salt to crystal solar salt, which is 99.5% pure salt. I don't know if this has anything to do with it? But even now in a tub with an aerator and no salt, the Pleco continues to show the same symptoms of going limp and turning on his side. When I touch him he seems to perk up a bit and tries to sit in the water in an upright position - - but turns to his side again. Isn't anyone out there who has had such an experience with a Pleco or is knowledgeable about these things?

[GJN]

Just posting an update here that the Pleco has died.

Unfortunately, there is almost no information available on the Web that pertains to Pleco illness symptoms and the correct procedures for treating a sick Pleco. I did call the local PetSmart yesterday and spoke with someone who told me that if there are no visible exterior signs of injury, etc. then it is most likely an interior infection or something on the inside (nothing obvious exterior then must be interior makes sense). The person recommended Maracyn, which is an antibiotic for treating a variety of illnessess, including secondary and internal infectons. Unfortunately, that recommendation came too late for the Pleco. He was a beautiful 9" Snow-King Pleco. What surprises and disappoints me is that of all the web sites that I visited and posted help inquiries, no one on the Web gave any recommendations for treating the Pleco. The only person that gave a recommendation was someone from PetSmart - - but it was too late - - since I assumed (wrongly) that I would get some solid help from aquarium/fish sources on the web.
Losing a 9" Snow-king Pleco because of lack of info is not the greatest feeling. Especially since I have not seen a Snow-King Pleco for sale in any of the Pet Stores that I have visited. I have purchased some smaller replacement common Pleco's, but they are not as beautiful as the Snow-King. I will have to continue to look for another one and hopefully will find one sometime. I also plan on purchasing the Maracyn
antibiotic - - since I now feel it is a good idea to have such basic medication on hand just in case it is needed in the future. [img]http://www.cichlidfish.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img]

[Six]

I had that prob before. Its Stress. I had a 5" pleco in an African cichlid tank that was 30gal and every night when i would turn off the light the africans would beat the crap out of the pleco cuz thats when they move around. I found this out cuz one night I came back in about 2 hours later and turned the light on and found them doin this. The pleco was stressing out big time so I removed him from the tank and he started gettin better.

[GJN]

I must disagree with you. The Pleco in my tank did not die from stress. He lived in a 50 gallon tank with African Cichlids for quite some time without any major problems.
He was 9" long and I also removed the meanest African Cichlids from his tank and placed them in a separate 55 gallon tank some time ago. So I really don't believe mine died from stress. The cause of death was something else. Other sources have told me Pleco's can die like this from some neurological problem or from other factors.
I also recently changed the salt that I use with water changes - - so I'm also wondering if perhaps the change of salt had anything to do with it (perhaps the new brand was too strong for him???), although it didn't hurt my African Cichlids .

[junior]

It could have been the saly because salt is not good for pleco but they can tolerate it. If you increased the amount of salt to, to high of a level it might have killed it. I heard of it making plecos sick but I've never heard of it killing them.

[DonB]

First off,,sorry to hear about your loss [img]http://www.cichlidfish.com/ubb/frown.gif[/img]! I had the same type of pleco, but not near as big as yours. He was in a 55gal. tank with 1 Oscar being the only other fish for about 8 months. Everything was fine, eating spirulina and zuchinni regularly,...and then I added salt to the tank. I used 1 tbls/10 gals, and 2 days later he was dead! I also figured there was some type of internal problem, eventhough neither fish showed any signs of disease. I was lucky enough to find another, and kept him in a tank (free of salt) for 3 weeks to make sure he was disease and parasite free. AGAIN, 2 days after adding him to my O tank, he also died! I have since quit adding salt to my tank, and have had this pleco (not a snow king, just a common) for 6 months and he seems fine. I know alot of people believe in salt, but I think it is very stressful on pleco's.

[DrOctagon]

Yep, salt killed your pleco. They can't tolerate it that well.

[Buddie]

No this is a late reply but I would suggest a book by Edward j noga fish decease and treatment it a bit expensive around $114.00 on amazon this book is a remarkable it has everything you need to know