Sick Ropefishes

[jrd77]

We brought a new ropefish home last Thursday and put him in the qurantine tank with the female. Saturday we noticed a couple of sploches on his body where his scales looks very strange, almost white. Then, I got home from work LATE last night (Tuesday) and both the male and the female have these sploches all over their bodies. It looks crazy! Does anyone know what this is? I am so worried about them! What should I do?

Bits of info to know:

There is a small pleco in the tank with them that has been seen sucking on the ropefishes bodies. I took it out last night.

I tested the pH, Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates day before yesterday. The pH was 5 (yikes), Ammonia 1.0 (due to adding a new fish I think), Nitrites at 0, and Nitrates at 12.5 (like always due to my tap water). I did a water change that day and also added some buffer to get that pH back up to about a 6.8. I'll test this moring to see if that all worked.

 

[CFC]

Im afraid you have just learned the hard way that plecos and fish with ganoid scales (bichirs, ropefish and garfish) dont mix. Plecos find the slime coatingings of these fish irresistable and will chase their victims around the tank to get their fix. Unfortunately the usual outcome is the death of the victim shortly after as they take a long time to replace their slime and fall to infections from bacteria which get under their unusual scales.

 

[jrd77]

Doesn't leave much hope does it?

Also, my female ropefish was with a pleco for a year and this did not occur until the introduction of the male ropefish. Weird huh?

Either way, the pleco is gone and I'm trying to help my ropefishes rebuild their slime coat with the addition of stresscoat. I'm also treating them with Melafix as a preventative of infection.

They are my favorite fish (other thanm my danio and loaches) and I will do what I can to save them.

 

[beblondie]

Yup the evil slimecoat sucking pleco routine.Hopefully they will be fine My bichirs slimecoat seem to return on thier own in 24 -36 hours. If you notice any reddish on the fins or body / between where the scales join immediately get some kanacyn enough for two complete courses of treatment -Anne

 

[samsung-401]

Sorry about your problem. Hope it works out. Does this mean I should relocate my clown pleco, so it doesn't hurt my ropefish?