common plec

[superjalami30]

I have a small common plec, approx 4 inches that I had in a 40 g for awhile now.
I know I know, plecs get huge (seen one in winnipeg two feet long).

My lfs lets me trade fish for smaller ones when they get too big.

Anyways, I put it in a 10 gallon tank last sunday just to help clean it up a bitand cause is was gonna bring it back to the lfs to x-change it for some harlaquin rasboras.

Today I noticed my plec swimming oddly and now he seems to only be able to swin upside down.
Could this be a swim bladder problem?
A couple of his fins look a little red. Not sure if this is normal or not.

I hope someone can gimma a heads up about what it may be.

 

[mells]

I would treat him for finrot, pref methane blue, as this stuff works wonders.

It sounds like he isnt well at all, it does sound simular to swimbladder him swimming up side down, what are you feeding him?

Are you using salt in your tank?

Mells

 

[superjalami30]

Nope, no salt in the tank.
He's in with a goldie, so just in case I checked the water params and there fine.
I feed him and all my algae eaters Omega One veggie rounds.
I treated the tank with pimafix and melafix earlier today and will continue doing so until he's better or......worse
Meth blue...hmmmmm...will take a run to lfs tommorow and grab some, been meaning to for awhile now.
thanks!

 

[superjalami30]

It is finrot mells.
I took a closer look at him and I can see the fleah on his fins is kinda gone, exposing his exoskel.
I treated with mela/pimafix and used "fungus cure"
I hope all goes well!

 

[mells]

Sorry mate for the delay in my reply, sounds like a tank parasite, have you looked closley at it, there is some good sites around that can help you to indentify what it is and how to treat it.

Meth Blue acts as all sorts of things, firstly it would kill any parasites that may be present in the tank then it would help the plec recover.

I think you will be fine with Fin rot treatment for now though.

Hope he/she gets better.

Mells

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Do his fins look red at the edges or all over? How long did you acclimatise him to the tank and what exactly are your recent ammonia, nitrate and nitrite stats?

 

[superjalami30]

Yes, I acclimatized him in his new tank, his fins "were" red, looked like the flesh was gone exposing bone.
But....it's too late, he passed on sunday morning.
I treated him with melafix and pimafix, and a fungus cure.
I have never had any luck with common pleco's.
I've had 4 total over the last 2 years.
the first one died within a few days, my fault, I had no idea back then of what to do.
The second only lasted a few months and it succumb to something. Dont know what, just died one day.
The third being this one, and now knowing what to do he still perished.
I have one left now, Had him and the previous the longest outta the four.
I will be returning him to the LFS to exchange for some harliquin rasbora's soon.

As for other plecs I've had success.
I've owned three clowns one of which Ive had for over a year and the other two approx 6 months.
My tank stats are fine.
It was a goldie tank, so I did check them before I put my plec in there.
temp was within 2 degrees difference and I add no salt to the tank or any other meds that would hurt a plec.

I dont think it was a parasite of any kind, as my goldies and clawed frog were completely fine, add to the fact I treat it regularily with pimafix and melafix as a precautionary measure.



No more commons for me.

What are some other plecs that stay small btw?
3-4 inches?