So I just went to put food in the fish tank. FishForums.net is one of the internet's oldest and premier Tropical Fish and Aquarium forums! ), -Research nutrition based on specific pleco species, fin edges turn black or brown and look frayed, have white dots (another possible symptom of ich). For a limited time, download my pleco catfish ebook below on how to care for these beautiful animals. Poor nutrition might cause loss of color as well. A swollen belly with pleco catfish is caused by constipation or even worse, dropsy. I wouldn't worry too much about yours! Having more females than males also helps. Just like any other fish, they need a certain environment to feel good. Another option is giving it an Epsom salt bath, which will help remove the fluid build-up in the fishs abdomen. Clean the gravel at the bottom of the tank with a gravel vacuum, and make sure any decorations are clean as well. He could still be in shock from the move. Stress will make fish stop moving and acting normally, too. It's scared and it's stressed and it's hiding, because it's in a strange place after being caught and boxed up and moved. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month and more! My leopard gecko is not moving and I am really worried Sometimes the fish might even be upside down. Recently, I watched. Experts Answer, How To Raise Pleco Babies (Full Guide With Pictures), Cory Catfish Tank Mate Guide (+ 11 Best Tank Mates For Cory Catfish), The Ideal & Healthiest Diet For Cory Catfish, Odd Corydoras Behavior & Stress Explained (Full Guide). If the fish is not moving, then there are no signs of life, such as breathing or eating, then it has likely died. Why is my Pleco Floating Upside Down? (4 Quick Solutions) Youll be able to fix things before they get bad so that your fish will stay alive. How big of a tank do they need? Problems such as fin rot and pop eye can be dealt with so that the fish can get better. His very favorite food though is fresh raw zucchini. Plecos are notoriously difficult to remove from a tank, its not uncommon for people to spend hours trying to find the perfect device or method to catch this fish. You can get something called Stress Coat at the pet store, it basically removes any chlorine that may be in your water, it has also been proven to reduce fish stress. It may not display this or other websites correctly. If you offer them a place where they can feel safe, such as a dark spot under an ornamental plant, they will often come out to visit with you. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. When plecos are just getting used to a new environment, theyre going to be rather skittish. If your plecos dont seem to be doing so well, then youre probably disheartened. Stress. To test if your pleco is dead or not, you can try to touch it and see whether it reacts. Hallo everyone, I have a question concerning my 4 year old 10.6 inch pleco. Like fin rot, Ich may appear due to poor tank conditions. There are various products that might treat it but as for your best option on products I don't know. I may not have had one of the happiest childhoods, but I am having one of the longest. Plecos thrive in a tank setup with a variety of different natural covers, like pleco caves, stones, and driftwood. Your fish may be suffering from ich if their skin appears to have white dots that look like salt or sugar flakes. If your pleco is breathing more rapidly, it can be because of various reasons: Make sure to test your water parameters for a nitrite/ammonia spike as this extracts oxygen. The average life expectancy of plecos is between 10 and 15 years. If they are desperate enough, they will turn upside down in their search for food at the surface. Clean the fish tank and regularly change the water to keep things clean. Just as important is what you put in the tank. Read on to learn about things to look out for that show that your plecos might be dying. Ich is something that can be cured if you catch it in time. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. My Pleco sits underneath the rock in my mini cave. Ich can be treated by using medication that will get rid of the infection. You transfer water from the aquarium to the bag while slowly removing water from the bag. There is a possibility that something happened in the tank, though. This will make you assume that its dead. For example, a temperature fluctuation could have killed the fish. Please help. Its a quite common sight: a pleco laying on its back. Contests including the Tank of the Month, I know Elbert, that handsome fellow over there in my avatar really loves shrimp pellets and occasionally freeze dried blood or tubifex worms. 2 comments. Why Did My Pleco Die and How to Prevent the Fish from Dying? If this is not taken care of, it will cause your fish to die. Diseases and Treatment. We have a separate article all about Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich), so be sure to check it out. If you catch some of the signs early enough, then itll be possible to turn everything around. Why is my pleco hiding behind the filter? Perhaps it seems lethargic and it might even be laying on its side. Use a fish net or scoop to touch the fish gently to test whether its alive or not. I hope he recovered. The cause of most of these symptoms stems from the water conditions. Rotting fins is a sign that your fish have some type of bacterial infection. The assumption is that plecos will simply eat the algae in the tank. Popeye can be caused by a few things. If you have an aquarium with plecos and/or snails at, Many aquarists doubt they can keep plecos and shrimp together. I just found my pleco upside down on the gravel. If you want your plecostomus to be more active, one suggestion is to provide it with live plants and driftwood to use as hiding spots, feed it live insects and invertebrates, and offer it a variety of tank mates. Fish laying on the bottom of the tank and breathing deeply require action as soon as possible. Also, algae is starting to grow on the glass so I dont think that hes roaming around much at night either. This can happen to any fish if it does not have . Make sure to add plenty of caves and natural hiding spaces if you keep multiple males in the same tank. Just keep an eye on him. Why is My Fish Laying On the Side? - Aquarium Hunter Unlike ich or fin rot, there are no medicinal treatments for cloudy eyes, as the problem will solve itself when the cause has been determined and fixed (water conditions, tank aggression, etc.). 3. Change the Tank Water Frequently. Ammonia and nitrites build up then bacteria build up to convert them into something less harmful to fish. How long can a Pl*co survive out of water | AquariaCentral.com How Often Should You Take Your Bearded Dragon Out Of Its Cage? Usually, rapid breathing is caused by some pollutant or toxic in the water. My Pleco Catfish doesn't MOVE or EAT? - YouTube You should be able to keep plecos alive for many years with proper care. You always want to do the best job that you can when taking care of fish. pleco During a water change, I also removed a decoration containing a 2" common pleco and placed all the decorations in an igloo cooler overnight[was installing an ugj system] to my amazement the next day while I was replacing the decor, low and behold there was my pleco in the bottom of the cooler, he had been in there for over 20 hrs. Cause (+ Cures) for a Fish That's Floating Upside-Down But is Still Most Plecos are nocturnal and we don't get to see them eat. Many different types of illnesses will make fish feel lethargic. Regular water changes and cleaning the tank will also help your Pleco stay healthy. In most cases, it is poisoning by ammonia, nitrite, or other nitrogen. This can be caused by not thoroughly cycling the tank before adding new fish. Plecos live in environments with temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. When my pleco went nuts, the pH had dropped to 6.8 and the drop checker was very yellow. Perhaps the heater stopped working and the water temperature dipped far too low. Cloudy eye is caused by bacteria and if your pleco is under stress, has had an injury, or lower immune system it can come up. There are some cases where the pleco might have been injured by another pet in the tank, but most of the time they will recover on their own. just keep an eye on him. An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. When you try to touch the fish, its going to react and swim away. Fixing the water conditions will usually be enough to get the fish to become more active again. Huge plecos like this need A LOT of broccoli to survive ;). Plecostomus is a type of suckermouth catfish that excretes massive amounts of waste. Fish could die due to being bullied by other fish as well. Plecos are supposed to be fairly hardy fish, other reasons why a pleco might start floating. Problems can occur when caring for plecos. When a pleco is stressed, it lowers its immunity and increases the risk of fast death. Infections are usually caused by the various bacteria and parasites that may be present in the tank. When one of us would pack it in for a while we would pass this one pleco to another person. Although water conditions are the primary cause of these symptoms, low water temperature can also be a cause. Is there a way to tell if a pleco fish is about to die? One of the biggest myths is also that plecos clean your tank. If you cant see your pleco at all, it may be hiding in the substrate or in the plants. Youll want to scoop the fish out of the tank and dispose of it. A pleco might choose to remain very still and stay in the same spot all day. Are its gills moving or does it appear to be motionless? . Its wise to isolate the fish during the treatment process by setting up a quarantine tank. I went and asked to the shop from where I got that pleco. Why is my fish laying on its side at the bottom? Most likely, the fish have fin rot due to poor water conditions in the tank. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH? Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. Malnutrition can also lead to constipation, especially when too much protein is fed. Do your best to determine what is wrong with the fish. Plecos are a type of tropical fish that need a heated tank with a filter. Come join the discussion about flora, fauna, health, housing, filters, care, classifieds, and more! As long as nothing appears to be wrong with the fish, its not necessary to worry. You want to do the best job that you can while caring for plecos. You called it a he is it actually male? How to Tell the Age of a Cockatiel (Age Chart Included! Feed food before lights out and he is likely to come out when it is dark to feed. Plecos are often misunderstood because they dont like to be shown off, which makes sense given their wild origins. Plecos that like to eat algae such as bristlenose plecos will need to be fed as well. (+ 11 Ways To Stop Your Pleco From Eating Plants), Breeding Bristlenose Plecos (With Pictures), Pleco Size: How Big Do Plecos get? I would be more concerned if I touched him and he didn't swim away. "We are living on this planet as if we have another one to go to". A pleco cant survive off of algae and needs its own diet, apart from what you feed its tank mates. Physical damage. If your pleco is gulping at the surface, it doesnt have enough oxygen and is suffocating. Full Tank Mate Guide, Bristlenose Pleco Tank Size 101: Everything You Need To Know, Pleco Price: How Much Do Pleco Cost? If the fish is hiding among the plants or in a cave and not moving, thats perfectly normal. One time a buddy was cleaning his tank and took all the fish out and put them in a bucket. The Plecos never attack the food of other fish during such sessions. Test to see if your ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels are too high. T. Swearingen, http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=126, S.Barbatus & Black C. Schultzei breeding tank. Rapid temperature changes, irregular feeding schedules, and poor water conditions also contribute to stress in fish. Unfortunately, this is not true. I had similar problems when I had a faulty regulator. you read and agreed to the. This disease is not contagious but should be treated or death will follow. At the petstore, which of course is just a pet store. It is usually an injury if it only occurs in one eye. If the fish is still alive, it should move when you touch it. Monitoring your water levels and performing weekly water changes will prevent this from happening to your fish. certain species have apparently demonstarted the ability to absorb oxygen into their blood through their stomac by swallowing it. How to Keep Baby Plecos Alive? 11 Facts You Should Know - WhyPetFish.com Threw him in the tank anyway and it survived. Take action by doing water changes and adding an air pump. Most of the time, a pleco laying on its back or side is normal as they sometimes rest in this position. Cloudy eyes in fish appear as a white cast or film over the eye. My fish is breathing slowly and is laying at the bottom of his tank on his side. Youll want to try to touch the fish to see if it reacts at all. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Ive put this first on the list because its probably the most frequently made a mistake. My drop checker had pretty much all of the air OUT of the "exchainge" area, in it's place was water. Most plecostomus species are nocturnal, meaning that they are more active at night than during the day. My Angel fish keeps laying on her side at the bottom of the My betta fish is laying on his side and breathing heavily, Is our Goldfish dying? Some will also cause fish to have a hard time breathing. Unlike cory catfish, which breathe air and for whom its normal to gulp air, plecos dont normally do this. However, if your pleco is dying: They may exhibit unusual or distressed behavior, such as rapid breathing, lethargy, or loss of appetite. You might need to address water quality issues. I did my weekly 50% water change with my regular EI dosing which didn't bother him at all. Since plecos dont have scales, it can be hard to know whether its dropsy or not. Now the tank is in pretty bad shape (were working on it!) Pleco not moving | Pleco - Plecostomus Forum - FishLore Aquarium Fish Forum A male with eggs/ babies may stay in the cave for several weeks without eating. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. It is important to research food options for your pleco because some brands have more harmful ingredients than good. He could still be in shock from the move. Read on to learn about the signs and symptoms, the causes, and treatment options for your pleco. He is breathing, but he isn't moving. They clean algae, but they make a bigger mess in your tank. Touch the fish and see if you can get it to spring up. Fish tank Pet fish Pet Animals and Pets. If the oxygen levels get really low, plecos might stop moving. Feed food before lights out and he is likely to come out when it is dark to feed. My fish is alive and moving, but isnt breathing? I drop an algae wafer in every other day and he usually jumps right on it but since he stays in his little all the time now Im not sure if he eats it. If possible it would be advisable to move the pleco to a nursing tank away from other fish. We finished breaking down our multiple tanks, loaded the moving truck, drove it for three hours, spent two more hours waiting for the moving helpers, got the truck unloaded, started setting up the tanks, put the decor back in, added the fish. and the bristle nose swam out of the wood when we put in algae wafers. A long, long, long time ago when I was young my friends and I always had tanks.
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