Help! My Pleco Is Sick... :(

[Elle3]

Hi Wild, PLEASE Don't apologize, you have and are continuing to help him and me tremendously--WE soo..appreciate ALL you are doing for us

I'll do the water change early tomorrow morning, remove the filter, as well and add the medicine. He is doing good and was really enjoying his carrot this morning when I peeked in on him

Also, he is going potty, much better-- I NEVER thought I'd be soo..happy to see "poop"

I'll post to you tomorrow morning, with all his levels, once again and give you his update.

Thank you, soo...much, once again for all your help

Ohh..do you mean that IF I need to do another treatment, which would be the third one--I'll be able to do it...??? I'm praying by then he is 100% back to himself.

Also, tomorrow...I'm going to pick up peas and see if he'll eat them, as well.

Thank you, once again

 

[WILDER]

I'm glad to hear he's been to the toilet as well. Started eating. It's looking good.
It's up to you if you retreat. I just think he could do with a third packet of 500 mg tetracycline.
You have already done 2 packets haven't you. 
 
Frozen peas are the best to buy for fish.
Just remove the shell as they can't digest it.
 
Good Luck.

 

[star4]

Good news he is eating . It is always difficult to judge when to stop medication, to soon and the problem could re-occur. One more treatment wouldnt harm then see if he is back to 100% normal, particularly going to the toilet, as this is where the most bacterial problems begin.
 
It sounds good though
 
Any chance of a piccy of the man in question?

 

[WILDER]

I agree with star4. He a lot better at explaining things than me.
 
I would love to see a pic of him also. But don't feel pressured into it.

 

[Elle3]

Evening Wild and Star

Okay...so far he's had 4 treatments of the med. 2 packets (500 mgs each packet), each day for 4 days. He had those treatments (last week) on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then Thursday I did a 25% water change (as per the directions). Friday and Saturday were his last treatments. Sunday nothing and today...a 25% tank change and new carbon filter. Tomorrow I'll remove the filter and do another water change and add the med. Then the med. will be added on Wednesday, once again. A water change Thursday...then the med. on Friday and Saturday. That/This will then be his second full treatment.

I'll try my best to get a picture, so you can see him... I would love for you both to see him...

Thank you both, for all your help and knowledge...

 

[WILDER]

OK. Glad you are fine about doing another round of Tetracycline.
 
Good Luck.

 

[Elle3]

Hi...Update on my Pleco.  Last night he was sucking on the driftwood, I did another carrot, but I couldn't tell if he ate any of it... I'm going to blanch the zucchini for this evening and see if he will like that....
 
I did the water change early this morning and started his second round of the med.  I just tested the levels for the second time and it's the same as this mornings readings--nothing has changed.
 
PH 7.2
 
Ammo.  0 ppm
 
NItrite  0 ppm
 
Nitrate  5.0 ppm
 
He is doing good, no changes...on and off the sides of the tank.  I haven't seen any feces, but they might be hidden.  I'll keep an eye out for them...
 
Thank you all, once again, for your continued help and support...

 

[WILDER]

Glad you doing another round of Tetracycline I do thinks he needs it.
 
Good Luck. Thanks for the update.

 

[Elle3]

Hi Friends, Soo..sorry, I haven't been on--I had computer issues and couldn't get online.  Okay, his update...today is his last dose of his second round of med. then tomorrow I'll do a 25% water change and put the filter back in.  I've been consistent in checking his levels, they are as follows: 
 
PH  7.4
 
Ammo.  0 ppm
 
Nitrite    0 ppm
 
Nitrate   0 - 5.0 ppm  (I would say on the lower side of 5.0-it's hard to judge, but it's definitely not 5.0, it's lower)
 
He is doing GREAT!!!  Sucking on the side of the tank, and he LOVES the zucchini!!!  His appetite is back, but he WON'T touch the Algae or Shrimp wafers.  He's poop is looking good, larger pieces and much more, there are a few smaller pieces here and there with that separation between, but not much.
 
He was VERY active today, swimming around all day.  I was soo..happy to see him, he even has his personality back and kisses me back  
 
I was going to ask, I think I'm making the carrot to hard for him...how long am I to blanch it for...I've been doing it 5 minutes. He goes to it, but when I remove it in the morning, there doesn't seem to be any pieces missing.  Is it suppose to be a bit mushy for him, to get some pieces off of it...  I'm soo..afraid of him choking and I'm really unsure as to how long to blanch it and what texture it should have...can you help me with this???  Also, with the cucumber and zuchhini (sp?)  am I to remove all the seeds, I've been doing that (once again afraid of him choking)???  One more question, with the peas...do I cook them--if so for how long, until they are mushy???  I'm sorry for all the questions, I'm just afraid of him choking, as all this is new to me and I want to make sure I'm doing everything perfectly so he enjoys it and continues eating. 
 
Thank you all, soo..much for your continued support and help--it's soo...appreaciated. 

 

[WILDER]

Great to hear he's back to his normal self. You put a lot of time in with him and it's been worth it.
 
Cook the carrot till it feels soft and not hard. Maybe try a thinner slice..
Just cook the peas for a few minutes. Pop out of shell and cut into small pieces and add to his tank.
 
Thank You for the update.

 

[KieranBoyne]

yup. pleco's love their zucchini, if you want a virtually guaranteed way of him eating, here is what i would do, get a weight or something heavy enough to make sure the zucchini stays on the bottom, put it in a cave or something if he has one, put it in just before the lights go off, check back on it the same time the next day, and see if it has shrunk... if so, hes been munching. I recommend a screwcumber. Clever little thing

 

[Elle3]

Thank you Wilder, I've been struggling with the carrot, as I don't quite understand "blanching" and it seems like he wants it, but isn't getting anything from it...  Also, I'll do the peas this evening.  Can I ask...What about the seeds in the cucumber and zucchini, should they be removed??? 
 
Thank you for answering me soo..quickly and for being here, for me, once again...  He and I soo...appreciate all your help

Hi  Kieran, Thank you for your help.  What is a screwcumber and where can I get one--at my fish store???

 

[WILDER]

.What about the seeds in the cucumber and zucchini, should they be removed??? 
Sorry I forgot to answer that question. Yes remove the seeds.

 

[KieranBoyne]

Nah, or at least i don't think that they have to be removed anyway. I feed my bn pleco cucumber with all the seeds and he doesn't seem to mind... And my pleco wouldn't touch carrot, i recommend boiling it in saucepan to soften it up a bit cutting it to double the size you want it, boiling it again, and repeating this process until it is at the desired size....
 
Hope this helped

How comes they need to be removed wilder?? I don't and he seems to be fine with it lol

 

[WILDER]

How comes they need to be removed wilder?? I don't and he seems to be fine with it lol
 
I was just told to remove the seeds. Haven;t a clue why unless is something to do with digestion.
 
My fish were not to keen on carrot either. LOL.