Help!!! Pleco died

andyM

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Arggghh, looked at my tank last night and noticed my common pleco had died
So far cannot figure out why and was after some suggestions.

I moved the tank to my new house about 4 weeks ago but took great care in keeping filter/substrate wet and have since been checking water params and everything has been looking fine (no spikes at all).

Checked water again last night and again all fine. I had noticed over the last week he hasn't been eating the cucumber like he normally does but didn't think much of it at the time. I tested the tap water when i moved in and all was the same as my previous house apart from the PH. At the old place it was about 8.4 and at the new about 7.4. But i have only been doing 25% changes a week so it should be bringing it down slowly.

All the other fish are fine. The tank has been up and running for a total of about a year and a half now with no major problems. It is a 25g (UK) tank with the following fish:

5 x cardinal tetra (1")
1 x gold gourami (3")
2 x rainbow fish (2")
3 x pearl danio (2")
1 x zebra danio (1.5")
2 x platys (1.5")

and was 1 x common pleco (RIP) (3.5")

Water is 0 ammiona, 0 nitrIte, and 50 nitrate. (nitrate a little high but tap water is about 20 and has always been this way).

I have done the rough 1" of fish per gallon and i think i'm just about ok. I have a fluval 404 external canister filter which is way over powered for the tank so the filtration should be fine.
 
Sorry about your Plec
As the tank appears healthy and all other fish are fine i would suggest that the pleco was either stressed by the move or got hurt during the move.
 
Sorry about what happened. :/

Sadly, things like this happen. However, you would have had to give it away because of the common plec's max size anyways if that's any consolation at all. :dunno:
 
This is true, he was getting a bit big for the tank. Any suggestions on other algae eaters that do a good job but don't get so big?
 
3-4 ottos. They are fabulous algae eaters. A little on the fragile side for the shipping but if you take your time picking them out in the store and acclimating them to your tank they should be fine. Look for ones that are actively feeding and that do not have any swelling in the tummy area. The ottos i have lost that appeared healthy at first glance all seemed to be a bit bloated( not dropsy, more likely constipation). HTH :)
 

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