White spots bn pleco
- Thread starter Ferryarthur
- Start date
That's hole-in-the-head. Best treated with metronidazole (Metroplex). It's often caused by protozoan called hexamita, but often also due to poor water quality.
I'd do a good water change, clean your filter, and dose metronidazole to this tank.
Test your parameters as well
I'd do a good water change, clean your filter, and dose metronidazole to this tank.
Test your parameters as well
Ferryarthur
New Member
Thanks
Ill look into it.
Parameters seem to be fine. Did a change last week too. Ammonia etc are all fine too. Could be something not tested for.
Is that a med that is bad for shrimps by any chance?
It should be fine with shrimp, you'll need to half dose it for plecos anyways. Soaking an algae wafer in some plain unscented/undyed Epsom salt can also help with hexamita 
1 Tablespon of Epsom salt to 500mL of water to soak the tablet in
1 Tablespon of Epsom salt to 500mL of water to soak the tablet in
Ferryarthur
New Member
Thanks!It should be fine with shrimp, you'll need to half dose it for plecos anyways. Soaking an algae wafer in some plain unscented/undyed Epsom salt can also help with hexamita
1 Tablespon of Epsom salt to 500mL of water to soak the tablet in
Ill go to the store today. I haven seent others with it. But ill check that too.
Anything other that ammonia and friends, ph, gh etc i should check for water quality?
Its a pretty large tank with a lot of plants, a cannister filter, a bonus cartridge filter for flow and a skimmer.
The spots seem different
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Ferryarthur
New Member
Ferryarthur
New Member
"Ammonia and friends" 
I like that. Only need to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, GH, and KH usually for health issues.
If your water quality checks out, then it's more likely the protozoan infection of hexamita, notice that a lot of the holes on the nose are where the sensory pits are, that's a red flag of hexamita/hole in the head. It can start as a red bump (looks like the "wart" on your plecos head there), then open into white holes and eventually look like craters.
I've dealt with it in my elderly Bolivian ram cichlid and it progressed a lot like your pleco.
(He did recover! He took a couple rounds of meds)
I am limited on medications here in Canada, but managed to get my hands on some Fritz Paracleanse which is Metronidazole and Praziquantel. Metroplex is the more common brand of metronidazole fish meds, but API General Cure is also Metro/Prazi. Metro specifically is what cures hexamita. It's a type of parasitic infection, so entire tank needs the treatment.
Metro is snail and shrimp safe as far as I am aware, I've not lost either from treating with it in the past. If it has praziquantel mixed in, you may have some issues with some more sensitive species of snails, but most should still be okay with it. My old nerites took it in the tank just fine as did my old ghost shrimp.
I like that. Only need to test for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, GH, and KH usually for health issues.If your water quality checks out, then it's more likely the protozoan infection of hexamita, notice that a lot of the holes on the nose are where the sensory pits are, that's a red flag of hexamita/hole in the head. It can start as a red bump (looks like the "wart" on your plecos head there), then open into white holes and eventually look like craters.
I've dealt with it in my elderly Bolivian ram cichlid and it progressed a lot like your pleco.
(He did recover! He took a couple rounds of meds)
I am limited on medications here in Canada, but managed to get my hands on some Fritz Paracleanse which is Metronidazole and Praziquantel. Metroplex is the more common brand of metronidazole fish meds, but API General Cure is also Metro/Prazi. Metro specifically is what cures hexamita. It's a type of parasitic infection, so entire tank needs the treatment.
Metro is snail and shrimp safe as far as I am aware, I've not lost either from treating with it in the past. If it has praziquantel mixed in, you may have some issues with some more sensitive species of snails, but most should still be okay with it. My old nerites took it in the tank just fine as did my old ghost shrimp.
Ferryarthur
New Member
I checked and a lot of those arent reasily available.. most require a prescription in my country."Ammonia and friends"
If your water quality checks out, then it's more likely the protozoan infection of hexamita, notice that a lot of the holes on the nose are where the sensory pits are, that's a red flag of hexamita/hole in the head. It can start as a red bump (looks like the "wart" on your plecos head there), then open into white holes and eventually look like craters.
I've dealt with it in my elderly Bolivian ram cichlid and it progressed a lot like your pleco.
View attachment 355409
View attachment 355410
View attachment 355413
View attachment 355411
View attachment 355412
(He did recover! He took a couple rounds of meds)
I am limited on medications here in Canada, but managed to get my hands on some Fritz Paracleanse which is Metronidazole and Praziquantel. Metroplex is the more common brand of metronidazole fish meds, but API General Cure is also Metro/Prazi. Metro specifically is what cures hexamita. It's a type of parasitic infection, so entire tank needs the treatment.
Metro is snail and shrimp safe as far as I am aware, I've not lost either from treating with it in the past. If it has praziquantel mixed in, you may have some issues with some more sensitive species of snails, but most should still be okay with it. My old nerites took it in the tank just fine as did my old ghost shrimp.
And thanks!
Ferryarthur
New Member
"Ammonia and friends"
If your water quality checks out, then it's more likely the protozoan infection of hexamita, notice that a lot of the holes on the nose are where the sensory pits are, that's a red flag of hexamita/hole in the head. It can start as a red bump (looks like the "wart" on your plecos head there), then open into white holes and eventually look like craters.
I've dealt with it in my elderly Bolivian ram cichlid and it progressed a lot like your pleco.
View attachment 355409
View attachment 355410
View attachment 355413
View attachment 355411
View attachment 355412
(He did recover! He took a couple rounds of meds)
I am limited on medications here in Canada, but managed to get my hands on some Fritz Paracleanse which is Metronidazole and Praziquantel. Metroplex is the more common brand of metronidazole fish meds, but API General Cure is also Metro/Prazi. Metro specifically is what cures hexamita. It's a type of parasitic infection, so entire tank needs the treatment.
Metro is snail and shrimp safe as far as I am aware, I've not lost either from treating with it in the past. If it has praziquantel mixed in, you may have some issues with some more sensitive species of snails, but most should still be okay with it. My old nerites took it in the tank just fine as did my old ghost shrimp.
These are the names i get
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DONT use the esha meds here, it's a copper based one which will kill your shrimp and snails.
The Colombo brand one is invert safe, so of those options that's your best bet
The Colombo brand one is invert safe, so of those options that's your best bet
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