What To Do? Pleco Has Discoloured!

[Eloise]

I've got a 35 gallons tank, with a common plecostomus gibbiceps (6'' long), two severums (4.5'' and 6.5''), a blood parrot (6'') a small Loch clown (1'') and a couple of very small algua eaters (1'' each). I know, that's a lot. That's why I recently bought a new 130 gallons aquarium (yay!)

I've set it up this very morning. The water is still a bit cloudy because of the gravel (I washed it, but there was some dust remaining, it seems), but the temperature is stable and I treated the water to dechlorinate it. It's been filled with tap water. So far, there's some rocks at the bottom, but no plants. No fish has been transfered.

My problem is, in my 35 gallons, I've noticed a couple of hours ago that my gibbiceps is weird-looking. It's naturally dark, lighter on the belly, with darker spots all over. However, it's become whitish at several spots on it's body. Those lighter spots aren't elevated, so I don't think it's fungus. The other fish look normal. The gibbiceps seems to behave normally. Is it stress?

The tank water has no ammonia nor nitrites (I've just checked it). I did a 25% water change and bottom-cleaning about 5-6 days ago, as usual. What should I do about my gibbiceps? I've got some medication (Maracyn-two). Should I put it in the water? Is it possibly just stress? I've noticed lately that my gibbiceps tends to get in a lot of fights with my biggest severum. That's why I've decided to purchase a new aquarium ASAP.

Should I just transfer the smaller fish out of my 35 gallons tank immediately, or should I wait? Maybe transfering some fish would help reduce the stress level, but I don't want them to die if my new tank isn't ready yet!

Cheers,

Éloïse

 

[Tolak]

Plecs, like many fish, will change color somewhat when stressed, or near different colored areas. Posting a picture would help determine if it is that or something more serious. It could be a bit of battle scarring from sparring with the sev.

 

[Eloise]

Plecs, like many fish, will change color somewhat when stressed, or near different colored areas. Posting a picture would help determine if it is that or something more serious. It could be a bit of battle scarring from sparring with the sev.

I don't have a camera, so I can't post any picture. I'll try to describe what's going on in details. A few hours ago, I got back from school and I noticed some whitish areas on my pleco. Darker spots and scales are still visible, and the white areas aren't elevated from the fish body. It's just a discolouration. The discoloration isn't located in a specific spot. It has affected rather large areas in a symetric pattern over my pleco's head and body, in curved bands. Some parts are still normally coloured. The discolouration is only visible from certain angles, oddly enough. Otherwise, the fish seems to behave normally.

As my fish have been cramped in a very small aquarium, there has been some aggressivity issues between the different fish, especially with my pleco, as he loves to float upside-down close to the surface to eat the flakes with which I feed my fish. At these times, he often gets attacked. Furthermore, the largest severum sometimes attacks him and the other smaller severum for no apparent reasons. My smallest severum did become clearer all over for a little while until I created him some hiding places. However, as the discolouration on my pleco is following a very weird pattern, I'm a bit scared.

That's why I'm wondering whether I should hurry to transfer my fish from my 35 gallons tank to the larger 130 gallons tank. I just started it this morning (may the 23rd). If I were to hurry, what would be best? To transfer the smaller fish first (the small alga eaters and the smallest severum?), to transfer the discoloured pleco (he's rather large?), or to transfer the biggest severum? I want to minimise further aggressivity problems. I was thinking about transfering the smallest fish first, to allow them to settle their own territories, but then, my pleco would have to wait before being transfered, and he'd have to endure the bullying of the larger fish... Also, I don't want to contaminate my new tank, if he's suffering from something more serious than stress...

So what should I do?

 

[Tolak]

Buy or build a divider, split up the combatants. That way you aren't rushed setting up the new tank, and have time to observe the plec a little without it being harassed. You can then make a decision as to if it's just aggression issues, or something more serious.

 

[pinkprincess]

Without pictures it's hard to say.

My plec changes colour when he is resting he has paler areas on him which disappear when he is out and about. It is as if he camoflauges himself!

 

[chishnfips]

yip mine used to do the same thing when he sat on the sand.

 

[Eloise]

Yeah... maybe I have overreacted. The lighter spots cannot be seen anymore. Maybe it was normal? Pfew... at least I won't rush setting up my new tank.