Pleco Has Blotchy Skin?

[jenny6165]

my bristlenose pleco appears to have kinda blotchy skin. hes got a couple of patches where its kinda patchy. same kinda colour as his markings, but blotchy. its only really appeared this week. what could it be?

 

[pahansen]

Do the blotches look paler than the surrounding color? If so, you might want to consider whether the problem is ich. My pleco died from ich about two months ago, but I didn't realize the problem because he didn't look have the trypical "grains of salt stuck on your fish" look. He was the first in the tank to succomb, so I didn't know what the problem was until the day he died, when several other fish started to look, well, like they had grains of salt stuck on them. The pleco, which was black with gold spots, just started to look more washed out and grayer in areas. I have my theories on why he looked different from the other fish, but regardless, if you've added someone or something to the tank lately, you might want to consider ich.

 

[KathyM]

It's more likely to be normal stress colouration than ich. Bristlenoses are well known for being able to adjust their colouring to their surroundings too. If he just has blotchy paler patches but with the same markings, it's this or stress colouration.

 

[smithrc]

My money's with Kathy

this might help...

 

[jenny6165]

thanks everyone.

now that ive been able to get a good look at him, it does seem to be his 'colouring'. its actually darkened a bit since i posted... so perhaps a colouration thing or stress?
hes temperarily in my bettas 5 gal tank, hes tiny in there. could this be causing him stress? he seems quite happy in there, but i will at some point move him back to my 30 gal community tank.


i'll keep a close eye, but thanks everyone for your help

 

[pahansen]

I hope it's just stress too. I didn't mean to be dramatic, I just wish someone had been able to tell me what ich looked like in my pleco so that I could have treated the tank earlier and maybe saved him.

Good luck,
Pamela

 

[Glod]

My money's with Kathy

this might help...

Wow, nice pic ! I have a BN with those exact same markings. His/Her bristles are only just starting to show tho, not as impressive as that guy

I was worried about the "patches" on my BN too until the kind folks on this forum reassured me.