Gibbiceps Pleco Died

[Maxta]

Just went downstairs and realised my Plec hadnt moved from a few hours ago, usually it doesnt stay in the same position for too long, even though it didnt move much. He was swimming around the side of the glass and back of the tank fine yesterday and no signs of anything at all. Last thing i expected

I found him laying on one of my artificial plants, and looked like he had some kinda slime stuff on the top of him on either side (see picture of someones plec), and possibly on its underside. Could he have got stuck? Has he been attacked? Did he die through illness?

Took it out the tank but cant see it anymore.

Iv never seen any signs of distress or anything, had him about 2 weeks.

Any idea why he died

Is there any danger to the rest of my fish? They look relatively active as usual.

So depressed, i picked him and he was my fave

 

[zoekin8yg]

how old is the tank? What are the water stats?

 

[Maxta]

Tank is 4/5 weeks.

Last water check done at P@H was fine according to them (took water sample in). None of my other fish have died since a few weeks ago.

Dont have home tester kit.

 

[zoekin8yg]

Well I doubt that the readings are good, P@H aren't usually a good place fish wise. You need to cycle your tank really before adding fish (although some people use fish to do this). You probably have high ammonia/nitrites, this could be what killed this fish. You need a home testing kit.

 

[WILDER]

Near his eye I can see a red mark with what looks like a circling of white around it.
Is it the pic or me.

 

[rob newland]

Hmm weird. Plecs seem to be one of those fish that you can either keep or not (they always die for me, and I know others who have the same problem). Again with me I find them after a couple of weeks just lying on the bottom.
Hard luck with that though .
Rob

 

[Maxta]

THAT ISNT MY PICTURE.

I just got that picture off the internet of someones plec, and drew a line on as an indication as to where the slimey stuff was.

Yes i know about fishless cycling now, unfortunately signed upto this forum AFTER the fish tank and fish were bought, we just went on the advice of Dobbies and P@H.

Poor Pleco

PS. Pets at Home really myth me, doubt il ever buy fish from there...always dead ones or unhealthy ones whenever i go. Also the staff contradict each other. One week we went in and we were enquiring about some fish and the person said we could get them but wait a week since we already just bought some, next week we went in and a different person said we couldnt get those fish.

I also enquired about the Pleco myself as i now love them, one week i asked about them and the woman said not to get one yet, wait at least another 6 weeks before getting one (i asked this when our tank was 2 weeks old) - so the tank and its contents become a bit dirty etc. The next week i went back when we were buying a few more fish, and there was a different person in at the fish department, she said we could get one...i mentioned what someone told me the week before and she said nah its okay you can get one.

P@H suck.

 

[WILDER]

Slimey stuff is it a greyish white colour looking at bacterial to parasite.
Is the fish flicking and rubbing or laboured breathing.
Has the fish darkened in colour or gone pale.

 

[Maxta]

Slimey stuff is kinda like how you described, looked see through, there was also a bit hanging on one of the branchs of the plastic plant near where the Pleco was lying dead. Never seen any of this stuff before in our tank leading upto this.

It wasnt flicking or rubbing, didnt seem anything wrong with it, always acted the same from the day we bought him.

Hadnt darkened or gone pale.

 

[WILDER]

Ok, hard to say, if no other fish have signs of the slime and not flicking and rubbiing on things I would leave it for now.
Just a few dialy water changes.
Bleached out patches can be columnaris.
R.I.P.

 

[fishnterrapins]

How many fish did you put in at the same time as him?

 

[Maxta]

4 small mollies, one of which died a few weeks ago. The woman from the shop didnt advise against doing that.

 

[Tessla]

Sorry about your loss, but it is likely caused by the stress of a new cycling tank. Plecos really need a mature tank to do well, I'd get a good liquid test kit (API freshwater master is good) and get the water parameters straightened out before you go looking to get any more fish.

 

[weston adam]

THAT ISNT MY PICTURE.

I just got that picture off the internet of someones plec, and drew a line on as an indication as to where the slimey stuff was.

Yes i know about fishless cycling now, unfortunately signed upto this forum AFTER the fish tank and fish were bought, we just went on the advice of Dobbies and P@H.

Poor Pleco

PS. Pets at Home really myth me, doubt il ever buy fish from there...always dead ones or unhealthy ones whenever i go. Also the staff contradict each other. One week we went in and we were enquiring about some fish and the person said we could get them but wait a week since we already just bought some, next week we went in and a different person said we couldnt get those fish.

I also enquired about the Pleco myself as i now love them, one week i asked about them and the woman said not to get one yet, wait at least another 6 weeks before getting one (i asked this when our tank was 2 weeks old) - so the tank and its contents become a bit dirty etc. The next week i went back when we were buying a few more fish, and there was a different person in at the fish department, she said we could get one...i mentioned what someone told me the week before and she said nah its okay you can get one.

P@H suck.

So sorry you lost your plec, but I totally agree with your comments about pets at Home, fine for bit's for your tank Etc not for fish and certainly NOT for advise I have been in my local store for some frozen foods (good deals on them by the way) and heard staff telling people some horror stories about what you can and can't do with new tank,s they will sell massive numbers of fish to people who have only just bought a tank ask around and find a small local outlet where the staff know there stuff, I have four plecos including a 15in Gibby and due to the large amount of waste they produce you have to have a well established tank with good filtration, don't give up though be paitient and you will have your pleco in time, do remember a Gibby will grow big and fast so make sure you have the room but in the meantime there are some good people on this site who really know there stuff so ask them even outside of shop hours there is always somone who will answer your questions, I have learnt loads from this site and will continue to do so good luck for your future fish.

 

[Maxta]

We lost a molly this morning now.

Heres the water stats:

ammonia level 0

pH level 7.2

nitrate level 10