Pleco Shredded Fins?

[lrhodes]

Just noticed my common plecos (what I would consider pectoral fins) are like shredded. Not terribly but enough for me to be very concerned. Fin rot?

 

[CSnyder00]

I get this from time to time on my Bristlenose Plecos. Sometimes it's from other fish. Sometimes it's from them rubbing/hitting the decor/rocks in the tank. It generally doesn't hurt them. Could be fin rot, but that tends to start at the ends and will discolor.

 

[lrhodes]

He's in a tank with guppies...... and he is about an 8 inch plec... so I doubt they hurt him. Lol. Maybe its this ugly stump thing I have in the tank? I only kept it in there because he loves it. But he is starting to get to big for the holes.

 

[CSnyder00]

That's probably what did it. Keep in mind two things. Common Plecos get HUGE. I've SEEN them as large a 24 inches with a head as large as my fist! Second is that plecos have a need/want for natural driftwood. Don't remove it unless absolutely necessary.

 

[lrhodes]

I have natural/real drift one in there. (Even tho one of the pieces still hasn't sank!) If he is not in the ugly fake stump he's hanging upside down on the wood. Lol.
Im about to do a search for a nice bogwood stump. Preferably hollow if I can find one. Fingers crossed!
And my sister has a 150 gallon that he can be relocated to if necessary... though she is a terrible fish keeper... so.... that's a last resort.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Perhaps start looking for a new piece of wood? May help your plec & be somewhat refreshing for you to have something new to look at

I hope his fins heal quickly.
 
*Edit* Please do tell if you find what you're looking for! I want the same thing, but it's hard to find ones that are large.

 

[CSnyder00]

I agree. Hard to find ones that are large, but narrow to fit a tank. Also hard to find them clean enough to be put in a tank. My LFS sells them, but they want a fortune for them.

 

[lrhodes]

The real wood I have is from the river. (Cleaned VERY well). And there was an awesome whole tree that I wish I could have loaded up in my car! Highly considered going back with a chain saw.. because I only wanted the roots and stump. Lol.
But I'm trying to find some online.... that's a hard task.

 

[Fluval-1200]

May be a water quality issue, they can get holes in there fins from ammonia.

 

[lrhodes]

Are there any other signs of illness from ammonia. He seems fine. No other fish is having a problem.

 

[Ninjouzata]

Have you tested the water?

 

[Tongue_Flicker]

The only time i experienced shredded fins with my plecos was when they are fighting with each other or there is a an aggressive fish harassing the pleco. Other than that the only thing i could think of is during a bad capture with a net

 

[lrhodes]

A disaster happened to my testing kit....... but I've did normal water changes and vacuums. Probably more than usual since I've had extra time over the holidays...
There are not aggressive fish in the tank. Guppies, BN, and my common.
And I haven't been scooping him up with a net any time lately..