Plec Not Eating

[TammyLiz]

I have recently taken over the care of a 125 gallon tank at my church and it had 2 plecos in it. Everything was a mess at first partially because someone had dumped dozens of feeder fish into the tank and let them die and rot. Ammonia was high, pH was low, and nitrate was through the roof. Over the course of two weeks I did many many water changes until the ammonia reached 0. Then I got sick and stopped doing water changes. Around that time one of the plecos died. Now the other one is not doing well. He has been in his cave pretty much all the time since I started caring for him, and yesterday he was out in the open. He moved around a couple of times but he had those light colored lines on his back which I would call "stress lines" (I don't know what most people call them), and when I dropped algae wafers into the tank one landed on his head but he ignored it. He looks very thin. So I'm not sure what to do. I thought possibly the feeder fish (the survivors have been removed all except three which I couldn't catch) had parasites and gave them to the plecos, or that the stress from the poor water quality gave them a bacterial infection.

As far as what to do I suppose I could set up a hospital tank for him at home but I'm not sure that the stress of the car ride and an unfamiliar tank filled with new conditioned tap water would be the best thing for him considering I have no way of transporting enough of that tank water to fill a tank large enough to fit him (about 7 inches). PH of the tank he is in is below 6.0 (the bottom of the chart), ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate more than 80 (off the chart as far as I'm concerned all the colors look the same after that point). Another option would be to get a tank setup inside the stand as a hospital tank there but I would not be able to monitor him very well.

Any suggestions on what it may be and what I should do about it are welcome. Thanks.

 

[indigoj]

Lots of water changes get the nitrates down and try to raise the PH a little (a spoonfull of bicarbonate of soda will help - it raises the water hardness which stabilises ph, but just a little at a time with water changes) generally just get the water right and hope the fish improve.

Feed the plec algae wafers, and try him with some courgette (zucchini)or other veg rubbed with garlic.

If there are signs of infection in the other fish then treat with anti bacterial meds but only if you are fairly sure that is what it is. I'd think the water quality is to blame really.

 

[TammyLiz]

I was thinking along those lines just because I can't think of anything else to do for it that would do more good than harm. However, the outlook doesn't look good for him considering the other one died after showing the same vague signs.

About raising the pH I had been trying to keep it down while there was ammonia to reduce the toxicity of it but yes, I think you're right about needing to raise it a little now. A hesitate a little to use the baking soda because I have had that make the pH "bounce" up and then back down. I might use a little crushed coral in the filter instead to try to keep it steadier for a little while until it is more stable.

Thanks for the input.