Checking the tank conditions and monitoring the fishs behavior are things you can do to determine the cause of the swelling. I hope he recovered. Vote. Always supply food in the presence of light to the baby fish. A pleco cant survive off of algae and needs its own diet, apart from what you feed its tank mates. Make sure to find the cause so that you can add antibiotics if needed. Feed your pleco a varied diet, that meets the species needs. Make sure to ask your fish store whether they have quarantined the fish already. It is usually an injury if it only occurs in one eye. Continue reading to learn about reasons why plecos might stop moving. Are you watching him 24/7? My Pleco Catfish doesn't MOVE or EAT? - YouTube 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). Pleco Not Moving but Breathing. Can Betta Fish Live With Guppies And Tetras? They arent necessarily fish that will swim around and show off for you during the day under normal circumstances. All you need to do is solve the issues that are making the fish sick. 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. Youll want to try to touch the fish to see if it reacts at all. Plecs are tropical fish, and goldfish are coldwater, so they're not compatible unfortunately. Breeding bristlenose plecos is certainly an exciting thing to do. Water parameters good? Very bad water conditions might even directly kill the fish. Plecos are supposed to be fairly hardy fish, other reasons why a pleco might start floating. If it doesnt move if you try to touch it, then its truly dead. It can get habitual to the routine, and they follow the owner's hand movements. This can be caused by not thoroughly cycling the tank before adding new fish. Also, you should make sure that he has a heater, filter, oxygen and all the basics. If you have a nitrite spike in your aquarium, it will make the fishes red blood cells unable to carry oxygen, leading to it suffocating. Fixing constipation issues will be easy. How to Tell the Age of a Cockatiel (Age Chart Included! he sound fine, try touching himand he will probably swim away. Many different types of illnesses will make fish feel lethargic. You might even be concerned that the plecos are dying if things are going particularly bad. Plecos living in an environment with other fish could also be stressed. You called it a he is it actually male? If you discover one of your fish has popeye, check the water levels to determine if that is the cause. Plecos need to be kept in fish tanks with high oxygen levels. I had a pleco who lived out of water for 12 mins! I think you can see him in my signature pic. Come join the discussion about flora, fauna, health, housing, filters, care, classifieds, and more! Have you bought the pleco in question within the last week or so? What are some signs that your pleco is dying? As you can tell, its important to treat things as soon as you can. Vampire plecos need to be fed meaty foods such as shrimp and snails. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Taking care of baby plecos can be challenging in some ways. The eyes may appear cloudy or bloody if an injury is the cause. I quickly put in an airstone and within 5 minutes they were back to normal. One of our goldfish is sitting at the bottom of the tank and not moving. Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. Pleco turning white is one of the signs your pleco is dying Temperature, stress, food, environment, water or bullying all can lead to discoloration of plecos and eventually death. 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. Is it dying? The assumption is that plecos will simply eat the algae in the tank. Nutrition might be playing a role in the fish dying as well. Checking the water levels to ensure there are no harmful ammonia levels and correcting the problem with water changes will help your fish gain its movement back. he has been banging in to the top of the tank really hard. Definitely looks underweight. You can feed the fish foods that are high in fiber to clear it up. I would be more concerned if I touched him and he didn't swim away. Many things can cause stress such as poor water conditions, overcrowded fish tanks, and incompatible tank mates. Sometimes Plecos can be a little shy and may hide from people, especially if they have been harassed by humans in the past. Regular water changes are an important part of fish tank maintenance. If you get no response, the fish is surely dead. Put him in the 10g quarantine tank, along with the current population (3 lemon tetras, 2 bronze cories, one oto). this post deserved to be sharedlots of gems! My Pleco did that for a while too. Although a cloudy eye most likely isnt deadly, it is an indicator that something is wrong and should at least be examined. Alright, Ill try zucchinI and see if he likes it. I think it is just tired or not used to your tank try turning the lights off. A filter is a must. WHats wrong? If your pleco is gulping at the surface, it doesnt have enough oxygen and is suffocating. The water might be dirty or the parameters could be way off of what they should be. Or can he be savedlaying on side at bottom of tank, Betta laying at bottom of tank, not eating, pale, barely breathing. My husband's pleco often does this. This is of course innocent. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. If the fish is not moving, then there are no signs of life, such as breathing or eating, then it has likely died. Many plecos are omnivorous, meaning they need both plant-based foods and protein to thrive. 0. If your pleco is sleeping: They will typically be in a motionless or relaxed position, with their fins and gills not moving as much as usual. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. I did my weekly 50% water change with my regular EI dosing which didn't bother him at all. 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. This is the main reason why we cycle aquarium tanks. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Then the water got cloudy and that is when they started breathing heavy. My pleco is laying on it's side still breathing but not movi By entering this site you declare Knowing what signs to look out for might allow you to turn things around before its too late. What kind of disease? Pleco floating upside down | MyFishTank.Net Forum I doubt this is the issue, but my pleco was acting odd, curving and swimming like he was intoxicated flying from one side to the other, no CO2, regular parameters, but I checked the temperature, like yours mine was breathing up a storm, but I raised the temp 4 degrees up and he was fine my temp dropped to 72, and he was going bananas, but after about 20 minutes I guess he caught a warm front and hugged the heater damn near. Most of them can be caused by poor water conditions in the tank. All Rights Reserved. Im not sure if somethings wrong or not. If you give them a variety of hiding spots, a variety of plants, and a variety of tank mates, your pleco will most likely be happier and more active. JavaScript is disabled. Bristlenose plecos are unique fish with unique needs and preferences. He could still be in shock from the move. How to Keep Baby Plecos Alive? 11 Facts You Should Know - WhyPetFish.com FishForums.net is one of the internet's oldest and premier Tropical Fish and Aquarium forums! How to solve a problem like resuscitating an escaped fish Bloating isn't that difficult to identify. 5 Clear Signs Your Pleco Is Dying - Fur, Wings, & Scaly Things A fish dying during the night doesnt necessarily indicate that something happened the very night that it died. In some circumstances, plecos can get really aggressive towards each other. You should be testing the water parameters regularly to protect the fish. Even the pleco was quite all right till yesterday. HELP! My pleco is going crazy! I don't know what's wrong. It might help you to figure out how to help the fish by doing some troubleshooting. When a pleco is stressed, it lowers its immunity and increases the risk of fast death. I have heard of RTC living out of water for 45 mins!!! just keep an eye on him. I came over to his house about 4 hours later and noticed the plec was missing. Recently, I watched. If the chain is broken, this creates dangerous circumstances. I found a great deal on a queen arabesque pleco this week, so it's at home now. He said that probably it was aged quite a lot. Ensure you follow the package instructions to ensure proper dosing for your fish. Htels & Rsidences de tourisme; tablissements recevant du public; Habitats individuels & collectifs; Amnagements extrieurs; Design, Mobilier & Tapisseries Why would a pleco fish stop moving entirely? Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Perhaps the heater stopped working and the water temperature dipped far too low. My Pleco Catfish doesn't MOVE or eat and I'm worried. Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! in 60 degree water less than 1\4" deep! If youre not taking good care of the tank, then the fish might die. Most likely, the fish have fin rot due to poor water conditions in the tank. I thought the pH controller was set okay so I wasn't too worried. Adding an oxygen source also helps. He's doing good now. In most cases, it is poisoning by ammonia, nitrite, or other nitrogen. How long have you had the tank? I tried to prod him gently, but he still hasn't moved. 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It], Do Plecos Eat Snails? 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.). Generally he is pretty active but sometime he just stay on one stop and don't move at all, even for like 1-2 days. Of course, some of the fish might simply have genetic issues. Isolate the fish and then treat it to try to get the swelling to go down. Another result of starvation might be aggression, or your pleco sucking on the slime coat of fish like we sometimes see with goldfish. If you cant see the gills moving, this suggests that the fish is truly dead. Plecos that like to eat algae such as bristlenose plecos will need to be fed as well. If your pleco is gulping at the surface or swimming up and down the tank to reach for oxygen, this is a severe problem. Rotting fins is a sign that your fish have some type of bacterial infection. Fish can recover from this but most will die. Its wise to isolate the fish during the treatment process by setting up a quarantine tank. If the fish is breathing, its likely that its simply resting. Fish tank Pet fish Pet Animals and Pets. Any recent additions to the tank, or changes made in decor or anything? API Liquid Super Ich Cure is another product you can purchase to treat ich. Most of these signs of death are preventable by monitoring the water conditions and performing weekly water changes. Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. You might need to address water quality issues. For plecos, most types need a tank thats 30 gallons in size, but there are smaller species (like bristlenose & clown plecos) that can live in a 20-gallon tank. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Sadly, my pleco died that night. You really dont want to end up with a whole tank of death fish because you put in one sick fish. Provide adequate space and decor (ornaments and positioning of objects) so there is no danger for your pleco. Theyre shy and somewhat reclusive and are usually content to hide in the corners of a tank. Keep the filter, heater, and lights on for long enough periods of time to ensure their comfort. Diseases and Treatment. Can I Keep A Pleco With A Goldfish? | My Aquarium Club They will float uncontrollably to the top of the aquarium, turned upside down, while still being alive. I know Elbert, that handsome fellow over there in my avatar really loves shrimp pellets and occasionally freeze dried blood or tubifex worms. Why Did My Pleco Die and How to Prevent the Fish from Dying? It can hard to know whether your pleco is stressed, as theyre quite withdrawn fish. We are a family friendly community with an incredible resource of information for fish owners and enthusiast alike. Your fish may be suffering from ich if their skin appears to have white dots that look like salt or sugar flakes. 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. When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. While in fact, there are hundreds. My Pleco Isnt Moving | My Aquarium Club How is your pleco doing Vicki? 7 - Dropsy I have seen this behavior once before and today, its happening again. A swollen belly isnt a good sign. It could be that the fish is sick and has some type of problem with its gills. If your fishs eyes appear to be bulging out of its head, it may be suffering from pop eye or exophthalmos. This behavior can also occur when fish are exposed to high temperatures. Its also possible that nothing is wrong at all. An air pump is optional, but recommended to prevent your pleco from swimming up to the surface to gulp air. Hopefully, that wont be the case for your fish. Isolating the fish and fixing the problems source is imperative to save your pleco. 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. At the petstore, which of course is just a pet store. That caused me to look at all of the fish, and I saw that many were very pale. Its also imperative to regularly clean the fish tank. They do things at night and youre not going to see them scurrying about much when the sun is out. Ouwch. You are using an out of date browser. Most Plecos are nocturnal and we don't get to see them eat. To test if your pleco is dead or not, you can try to touch it and see whether it reacts. How Often Should You Take Your Bearded Dragon Out Of Its Cage? Hi, my name is Sean, and Im the primary writer on the site. Some even buy them specifically to try to keep the fish tank clean. Malnutrition can also lead to constipation, especially when too much protein is fed. He is breathing, but he isn't moving. Hello guys, thx for your answer and sry for my late reply. Another reason for a pleco not moving is that it is dead. He just started acting crazy the last couple of days. Why Do My Plecos Always Die And How To Keep Plecos From Dying? - AG You can tell if a pleco is dead by looking to see if its breathing. Your pet store may have products that may do the job. If possible it would be advisable to move the pleco to a nursing tank away from other fish. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. You should be changing 15% of the water on a weekly basis. Also, algae is starting to grow on the glass so I dont think that hes roaming around much at night either. If your pleco has a cloudy eye but acts normal, it will probably go away by itself. What should I do?! Fish that are acclimated in this fashion become comfortable in new tanks faster. When my pleco sleeps on his back, it is usually under a wood or in a dark spot, where he wont be bothered. Quite often bottom dwellers do just sit and not move. We found him on the carpet under his bed and it looked pretty dead. T. Swearingen, http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=126, S.Barbatus & Black C. Schultzei breeding tank. Even the tiny three-inch long zebra plecos are carnivores. My betta is laying at the bottom of the tank and breathing heavily. Injury and stress can also cause cloudy eye issues. Fish Lore is an amazon affiliate and some pages may contain links to aquarium related products on amazon: Affiliate Disclosure. Turning white may be a sign your pleco is dying. Full Tank Mate Guide, Bristlenose Pleco Tank Size 101: Everything You Need To Know, Pleco Price: How Much Do Pleco Cost? On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. Hallo everyone, I have a question concerning my 4 year old 10.6 inch pleco. Contests including the Tank of the Month, Its very plausible that plecos can die due to not being fed properly. What's wrong with him? My pleco is laying on his back and just moving his gills - Reddit When my pleco went nuts, the pH had dropped to 6.8 and the drop checker was very yellow. If it was dead youd know it, lol. Wouldn't the fish survive for at least a few days even if it was suffering from a disease? Also, you should make sure that he has a heater, filter, oxygen and all the basics. Infections can be treated by isolating the sick fish and consulting your vet to determine the proper treatment. Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention. My parents have a cockatiel who is 36 years old this year. Plecos can stay in the same place for long periods of time, or move and go back without you knowing it. If there are elevated levels of chemicals, perform small water changes for a couple of days to lower the concentration. Noticing whether your pleco has a sunken in belly can be hard, especially if you dont see it very often. Do Plecostomus Need A Filter / Air Pump? {Why Is My Pleco - HelpUsFish Of course, its often human error that causes plecos to die in fish tanks. This can happen to one eye or both. If your plecos fins start to rot or decay, it is important to act quickly as this can spread to the fishs body. Tap water contains chlorine and chlorimine that are toxic to fish. Many enthusiasts say that plecos will play dead sometimes. The Pleco is Bloated. I don't want to lose him but I don't want him to suffer. This parasitic infection causes white spots to appear all over the fish. As I said, the other fish are showing no signs of stress. There is a possibility that something happened in the tank, though. LL, yes I just moved, but the pleco has been in this water for almost a month. Quarantining and giving medicine is the most effective way to cure this disease. Water quality problems will sometimes cause plecos to develop a condition known as cloudy eye. Try to fix this issue by isolating the fish and fixing issues with the water quality. The average life expectancy of plecos is between 10 and 15 years. Does this mean that something happened during the night? Do your best to give your plecos the right food based on what is recommended for their species. New pleco -- not moving. Problem? | Tropical Fish Forums Fin rot is a common infection among aquarium fish. If the fish is hiding among the plants or in a cave and not moving, thats perfectly normal. My Albino catfish does this all the time. This post may contain affiliate links. He might be guarding eggs or trying to entice a female to breed with him. Fish laying on its side in the bottom of the tank. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Its possible that your pleco is feeling threatened by the filter, so its hiding behind it to feel safer. If you have an aquarium with plecos and/or snails at, Many aquarists doubt they can keep plecos and shrimp together. Problems such as fin rot and pop eye can be dealt with so that the fish can get better. My pleco is not sucking anything please help!!! For example, a temperature fluctuation could have killed the fish. There is a man that works at Petco who actually knows what he is doing, and when my friend asked about getting a common pleco for her 75g, he said he only recommends them in a 150 gallon tank or more to fully thrive.
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