Pleco Not Eating after Head Injury

[Deleted member 149562]

This not the first time that your Pleco's have suffered, is it?

Plecos keep dying

I put this thread here as Wikipedia says that bristlenose catfish and bristlenose plecos are the same things but I'm used to calling them by the first. I used to have three bristlenose catfish in a 10-gallon tank (yes it's kinda tight but they're fine for around 1 1/2 months). I travelled...

www.fishforums.net

 

[Deleted member 149562]

If you are still using the 10 gallon aquarium and its registering bad water chemistry (which the "almost zero nitrite and ammonia suggests) then absolutely not suited to one BN let alone two - or any other fish tbh

What other fish have you got in that aquarium?

Can you post a full photo of the entire aquarium so we can see what is in there in relation to fish, decor etc please

@Essjay gave you loads of excellent advice, along with other members, in your older thread and things do not appear to have improved at all

 

[Essjay]

I agree with the previous posters, that fish has been starving a long time.

Could you please give us some information to work with.
Tank size
Other fish in the tank
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH levels in the water
How often and how much water changes

And a photo of the whole tank, as asked for by wasmewasntit.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I really truly hope that this poor girl will be euthanised....its obviously a "she" by the lack of whiskers (unless its not a Bristlenose and is an Albino Common which would be even worse if there are two of them in a 10 gallon)

I have seen emaciated fish before but never one this bad....if you are willing to learn how to keep fish properly then we are happy to teach you @crimsonpython24 but in this poor fish's case, you need to do the kindest thing and put her to sleep.

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I really truly hope that this poor girl will be euthanised....its obviously a "she" by the lack of whiskers (unless its not a Bristlenose and is an Albino Common which would be even worse if there are two of them in a 10 gallon)

I have seen emaciated fish before but never one this bad....if you are willing to learn how to keep fish properly then we are happy to teach you @crimsonpython24 but in this poor fish's case, you need to do the kindest thing and put her to sleep.

It's definitely a common, the shape is very different to a bristlenose and BNPs generally have a more "box" shaped suckermouth whereas commons have a more rounded mouth.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

It's definitely a common, the shape is very different to a bristlenose and BNPs generally have a more "box" shaped suckermouth whereas commons have a more rounded mouth.

I wasn't sure whether Common or BN due to the emaciation having an effect on the facial features and head shape, every single part of the fish is sunken which makes an accurate identification that bit harder to do

If they are both Common, then having them in a 10 gallon is the worst possible scenario for both the territorial side and the water chemistry

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

I wasn't sure whether Common or BN due to the emaciation having an effect on the facial features and head shape, every single part of the fish is sunken which makes an accurate identification that bit harder to do

If they are both Common, then having them in a 10 gallon is the worst possible scenario for both the territorial side and the water chemistry

Yeah, pretty sure it's a common, especially since it seems quite large compared to the fish behind it. The spines and faint markings also indicate it's a common plec. Either way, two in a 10 gallon really is unfortunate, especially with one that big.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

It is just so sad to see a fish look like that, makes me angry tbh cos its totally preventable with the proper husbandry and living conditions, even moreso since there seems to be a case of history repeating itself with the previous Hillstream Loaches. Even if it was caused by an internal parasite, there would be warnings weeks before the fish reached that state.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

It is just so sad to see a fish look like that, makes me angry tbh cos its totally preventable with the proper husbandry and living conditions, even moreso since there seems to be a case of history repeating itself with the previous Hillstream Loaches. Even if it was caused by an internal parasite, there would be warnings weeks before the fish reached that state.

Exactly, this was my point. Either OP doesn't ever sit and observe their fish or they just didn't care enough to do something sooner, because there's no way you wouldn't notice it losing weight. This is awful, just pure neglect

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Exactly, this was my point. Either OP doesn't ever sit and observe their fish or they just didn't care enough to do something sooner, because there's no way you wouldn't notice it losing weight. This is awful, just pure neglect

Even if you don't sit and watch your fish every day, it should have been noticed that this Pleco was in distress long before now. I'm sorry but there is absolutely no way on earth that the fish was perfectly fine two or three days ago and the bruising around the head could actually be part of the animal's organs and structures breaking down as a result of the emaciation....there is no excuse for a fish to look this bad

Last time in the other thread it was due to a long absence and a friend/neighbour supposedly looking after the fish

Lightning rarely strikes twice and we have similar water chemistry issues, similar feeding issues and dead/dying fish in a completely inappropriate aquarium despite alot of advice and help given last time.

 

[Colin_T]

enough ear bashing guys. The OP's fish has issues, information has been provided, now move along

For the OP, just try to feed the fish up with live plants, algae and driftwood.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

enough ear bashing guys. The OP's fish has issues, information has been provided, now move along

For the OP, just try to feed the fish up with live plants, algae and driftwood.

Sorry Colin! it's just a bit distressing to see an animal like that....even if they do give be the heeby-jeebies

 

[PlasticGalaxy]

even if they do give be the heeby-jeebies

Ain't nothin' wrong with a good ol' plecostomus

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

View attachment 148176 Ain't nothin' wrong with a good ol' plecostomus

We've had this argument PG ...nothin' wrong but there ain't nothin' right neither!

 

[crimsonpython24]

Just to clarify -- the problems happened in a 55-gallon school tank. I use the 10-gal for myself.

And no, my name is not listed in the photo. Those people designed the ceramic decor. This is an old photo from two months ago, but there still aren't many decorations now because school budgets are hard to request and I'm (always) short on money as I have the 10-gal to raise.

If there are any ways that I could know that a pleco is starving besides flipping its stomach up and observing it that way, please let me know -- I hope people can realize that I don't want this to happen either.

I can swear that the bruising didn't happen until this week. As I attend school five days out of seven, I see the fish basically every day, and I couldn't notice anything wrong with them until I can see their stomach when they stuck onto the glass -- which brings me back to the question: how can I notice them attacking each other and that they're starving without manually checking their bellies?

P.S. my apologies that I forget to update the tank specs, I didn't realize that people here have this long memory
But please don't take it that I'm not guilty. My pardons if I offended anyone in my message -- though I'd still very much like to know the answer of how to take care of plecos.