Ill plec?

[rorrism]

I am having strange things going on in my tank.

the tank is 100L and the stock is:

1 plec - sold as clown, looks like a common or sailfin ~3.5" nose to tail
5x platties (1 male, 4 female) from 1" to 2"
3x clown loach 2@ 3", 1 @ 2-2.5"
2x albino cory 1.5"
2x dwarf gourami 1@ 2", 1@ 1-1.5"

One of my platties is looking very ill, but I'll post that issue in the livebearers forum. Basically she has lost A LOT of weight and is struggling to swim. She was expecting before this.

My plec always had a pale patch on his/her right hand side but these appear to be spreading rapidly over the last couple of days. He/she has been in the tank for approx. 3 months and has grown from about 1" so he is doing okay.

The fish get fed once a day on Hikari floating pellets and are given an algae wafer every other day. The clown loaches eat from the top and the albinos eat the pellets as they sink to the bottom of the tank.

Are these white patches anything to worry about? am I over feeding or under feeding.

I have tested the water for nitrites and all is clear?....

 

[Fawke]

Not really sure about the white patches on the plec.... a picture would really assist, either that or a more detailed explanation.....
Is it mucusy or is it more of a "dusty" look?

Food.... Plecs require a good diet. I feed mine algae wafers, fresh fruit/veg (cucumber is his fav.) and he does nibble at bloodworm sometimes too!
Some plecs also require wood to rasp on, this aids their digestive process and with some plecs this is essential...

Personally I would vary the diet he is on and look into whether he needs some bogwood

More details about these white patches would also help

 

[breezer40]

Plecs very often go a faded patchy gray if they feel vulnerable. Has he got places to hide away?

What does concern me is that you seen to be having other problems with the platty so it would be very useful if you could post your water readings for Ammonia, Nitrate and nitrite.

Good foods for plecs include algea wafers, cucumber, honey mellon, zuccini, shelled peas, bloodworm although other members might have even more foods. Variety is the key.

 

[rorrism]

He has lots of hiding places, mainly inside the big piece of bog wood I have or underneath another bog wood arch structure...

I occasionally put some cucmber in there (about once a month)but I have never seen him go for it.

The white patches are quite large, about the size of a 5p piece for those in the UK and look as if the skin has been bleached. I was unsure whether or not they looked raised as well.

I'll try putting some veg in there tonight and hope he has a chance before the clown loaches get to it.

 

[Paul_MTS]

a tip with the cucumber.....put it in some water in the micro wave for few minutes make sure it's cool then stick it in the tank.

all i found next day was the skin and when i got back from work that had been sucked to death has it was a fine white film!!

if it is a clown plec it DOES need wood, although from that growth rate i would agreee with you on being a common or sailfin.

Clown plecs have a very rough body and are black and yellow stripes.

 

[rorrism]

well it doesn't have stripes, although the shop I got it from are still adamant that it is a clown, even when I took him in. They have others in a tank labelled up clown as well. If it grows >6" he'll have to go back! I know that will not be a popular decision with the Mrs. though as she loves Plecky

 

[Paul_MTS]

get a nice L number instead from another shop instead.

ryan has a profile on clown plecs in the Fish Index, not the greatest of pictures but you can get the idea from it.

Although there are good ones on www.planetcatfish.com