A healthy probably pregnant bristlenose pleco female. Good luck. It very well might be dead if it doesnt appear to be moving at all. They clean algae, but they make a bigger mess in your tank. However, if your pleco is dying: They may exhibit unusual or distressed behavior, such as rapid breathing, lethargy, or loss of appetite. Also having a water test kit for ammonia and nitrite will help greatly in knowing when to do water changes. If it doesnt move if you try to touch it, then its truly dead. Can be seen here, incuding specific details and how-to's on some of my special features. He said that probably it was aged quite a lot. Molly lying on side on bottom of tank, moving very little. Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention. Does this mean that something happened during the night? Poor conditions in the tank can contribute to infections. In addition, there are specific treatments you can purchase to help your fish suffering from diseases like rotting fins and ich. If this is not taken care of, it will cause your fish to die. If the fish is still alive, it should move when you touch it. Some even buy them specifically to try to keep the fish tank clean. Check out the FishForums.net Monthly Aggression in fish leads to erratic swimming and crashing into the tank. When my pleco went nuts, the pH had dropped to 6.8 and the drop checker was very yellow. from the previous caretakers who did a pretty bad job in taking care of fish so I wouldn't be suprised if it is sick or something like that. They will eat some algae but they need more than that to stay healthy. Its a quite common sight: a pleco laying on its back. It creates an environment where the disease cannot grow or spread. They do things at night and youre not going to see them scurrying about much when the sun is out. I had this fish gang for 2 years together now, with only minor I had a pleco who lived out of water for 12 mins! When plecos are just getting used to a new environment, theyre going to be rather skittish. He might be guarding eggs or trying to entice a female to breed with him. Ich is something that can be cured if you catch it in time. My Pleco Is Laying On It's Side Still Breathing But Not Movi 1 - Loss of Color. In pursuit of becoming a professional, I also want to inspire as many people as I can to pick up this hobby and keep the public interest growing.Read more about Sean.Please join also my Facebook group. In addition, you will want to quarantine the sick fish, as it is contagious and will spread quickly. If you cant see your pleco at all, it may be hiding in the substrate or in the plants. Fish are fascinating creatures, and although some are easy to take care of, that doesnt eliminate the possibility of them developing a sickness. You might even be concerned that the plecos are dying if things are going particularly bad. Touch the fish and see if you can get it to spring up. When the fish tank stays dirty, its going to cause stress to the fish, and that will make them sick. You dont have to reach into the tank and touch it with your bare hand. Or can he be savedlaying on side at bottom of tank, Betta laying at bottom of tank, not eating, pale, barely breathing. If all he is getting is algae (either fresh from the tank or wafer form) he may not be feeling very good. Tank of the Month, If the fish is hiding among the plants or in a cave and not moving, thats perfectly normal. He also has a white spot on his eye. If your temperature and pH are out of this range, you need to take steps to remedy the situation. There are various products that might treat it but as for your best option on products I don't know. Of course, itll be prudent to try to touch the fish to see if it moves. An ammonia spike is one of the most likely causes of the sudden death of your pleco or other aquarium fish. Plecos can stay in the same place for long periods of time, or move and go back without you knowing it. To revive a dying pleco, perform a big water change and make sure the water parameters are optimal. Plecos that like to eat algae such as bristlenose plecos will need to be fed as well. They like to hide normally so he is quite happy. This behavior can also occur when fish are exposed to high temperatures. Just keep an eye on him. 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. Help!! If there are no good bacteria, harmful levels of ammonia can build up quickly as plecos produce a lot of waste. It was a bristlenose pleco. I dont know what to do, i know that he is still alive. Fish tank Pet fish Pet Animals and Pets. You might see a pleco fish laying at the bottom of the tank motionless. But the water parameters are checking out okay. Resting on the bottom of the tank or hiding in plants or other objects. Increasing the temperature in the sick fishs tank is another way to combat the disease and aid recovery. Try touching the fish and see if it reacts. Disease can make fish sluggish and it can also cause them to stop eating. Even the pleco was quite all right till yesterday. If you notice your pleco is breathing rapidly or gulping at the surface, its most likely because of an oxygen deficit. Nighttime is when these fish can take their time exploring their tank to find food, which they often do by keeping their skin touching the substrate (or other objects in the tank). Feed your pleco a varied diet, that meets the species needs. My pleco is laying on his back and just moving his gills - Reddit My pleco is laying on it's side still breathing but not moving. Plecos dying: its a sad sight and one of the questions I get asked most frequently. Put the torch on dim and slowly turn it up and the Plec is there. lol. Nitrite is the most dangerous, and should always be at 0 ppm. JavaScript is disabled. What kind of disease? Surprisingly, common plecos aren't meant for most home aquariums. I know Elbert, that handsome fellow over there in my avatar really loves shrimp pellets and occasionally freeze dried blood or tubifex worms. You want to do the best job that you can while caring for plecos. He (or she) is normally pretty active, being a good vacuum cleaner for the tank. When a pleco fish dies in the fish tank, itll stop moving and itll float. Im blogging mostly about freshwater and saltwater aquariums, fish, invertebrates, and plants. Turning white may be a sign your pleco is dying. As weve discussed briefly, starvation is a very common death cause of plecos. The main pressure on the regulator has been dropping so I raised the main pressure in the regulator and then increased the bubble flow. These are great fish and you want them to thrive under your care. Are you noticing that your fish doesnt have a lot of pep? Feed food before lights out and he is likely to come out when it is dark to feed. When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. It might need a bit more time to get used to its new environment. How long can a Pl*co survive out of water | AquariaCentral.com Here are some of my favorite foods for plecos (make a selection suited for the species youre keeping). We need the oxygen to flow and the current from a filter or movement of . It may not display this or other websites correctly. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH? This way, you can manage them and check for potential diseases. just keep an eye on him. This gave me false readings that my water had hardly any co2 in it. Hello guys, thx for your answer and sry for my late reply. You might need to address water quality issues. Pleco Not Moving but Breathing. Add an airstone if your filter doesnt create enough surface movement. However, like any fish, they can develop sickness too. This can be caused by not thoroughly cycling the tank before adding new fish. It is important to research food options for your pleco because some brands have more harmful ingredients than good. We might get a modest commission at no extra cost to you. 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. Water parameters good? Sadly, my pleco died that night. Hallo everyone, I have a question concerning my 4 year old 10.6 inch pleco. I'm not entirely sure the kind of pleco as I didn't buy him but I think he is a common pleco. Of course, its often human error that causes plecos to die in fish tanks. 5 Tips for moving into your new Home with pets, [] injured while moving. #3. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Turned out, that fish wasn't a female but the male had trapped the less dominant male and choked him (though there were plenty of caves). Just a thought Sayuz. You also have to keep in mind that theyre nocturnal. Come join the discussion about flora, fauna, health, housing, filters, care, classifieds, and more! Plecos are often wrongfully accused of eating and destroying plants. If you want fish that are livelier during the day, youd be better off looking for a different type of fish. Feb 14, 2004. If your pleco has seemingly rips/cuts in its fins, its most likely fin rot. Have you bought the pleco in question within the last week or so? However, many times, the death of a plecostomus is avoidable by some simple changes in their care. Some people may find their pleco to be more active if they feed it live worms or move it to a bigger tank. Change the Tank Water Frequently. There seems to be a lot of confusion about what, Most of the pleco species sold and kept in the. 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. Theres a good chance that youre not doing regular tank maintenance. Receive our FREE eBook by filling out the form below. The pleco has stayed motionless in the same spot and position for a few weeks and I started wondering if it was dead so this morning I took a net and stuck it near him and he freaked out, swam around and went back to the same spot. If the oxygen levels get really low, plecos might stop moving. A fish that doesnt react to being touched is probably dead. Often, its very hard to tell whether your pleco is sick or not. If an injury is to blame, then it might get better on its own if you keep feeding the fish and monitoring the tank conditions carefully. Make sure the tank has been cycled before introducing any fish to it so there are no dangerous spikes in the water. You are using an out of date browser. Perhaps it seems lethargic and it might even be laying on its side. I have another one and don't want to lose both. Stress. I found a great deal on a queen arabesque pleco this week, so it's at home now. I feed my Plec bloodworm, cichlid diet, sinking pellets, flakes and he eats algae. This process involves floating the bag on top of the tank. Youll want to fix issues with the oxygen levels being too low. Fin rot is a common infection among aquarium fish. They take a full breath, in and out, about 6 times a second. I have never seen any fish go through as much as this guy did for about 10 years and live. When capturing the fish, be sure not to grab the tail fin because this could damage it. Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. This is the main reason why we cycle aquarium tanks. HELP! My pleco is going crazy! I don't know what's wrong. To deal with any such situation, you should have the contact of a veterinarian in your new [], @Elise, yes I'm pretty sure that's normal I'm no professional and have not had one yet but I just have, My friend is considering adopting a unique pet he could showcase to his guests when they visit. Plecos turn white for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to: poor nutrition, disease, stress, or inadequate tank conditions. Make sure to ask your fish store whether they have quarantined the fish already. My Pleco did that for a while too. Home > Plecos > Care > 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It]. Continue reading to learn about reasons why plecos might stop moving. The signs above have a lot of things in common. pleco not moving but breathing When a pleco is stressed, it lowers its immunity and increases the risk of fast death. If the temperature of the water gets too low, then that could kill them. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. Pleco rotting fins. Does the fish appear to be gasping for air? Barely breathing! If your Pleco has been hiding from you for a long time, it may be because the water in the tank is too cold. Its normal for these fish to hide and be very wary of venturing out. Plecos do not have scales and they tend to rot really fast when they die, so as was mentioned above, you. JavaScript is disabled. If your plecos seem to be losing color rapidly, then its a sign that theyre dying or getting very sick. Even the tiny three-inch long zebra plecos are carnivores. 5 Clear Signs Your Pleco Is Dying - Fur, Wings, & Scaly Things As long as they are damp or wet they can live for probably 20-30 minutes. All you need to do is solve the issues that are making the fish sick. This disease is called ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis) and can be fatal if not treated. New pleco -- not moving. Problem? | Tropical Fish Forums A fish dying during the night doesnt necessarily indicate that something happened the very night that it died. Unfortunately, this is not true. I've haven't tried touching him by hand but when I touched him with a net it seemed like he tried to run away but couldn't. Now that weve gone over the symptoms, its time to find the cause of these problems. He could still be in shock from the move. 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. Sometimes plecos will just float near the top of the tank when the oxygen levels arent sufficient. Some plecos will swim upside down because they want to eat the food on the surface of the water. You should be changing 15% of the water on a weekly basis. There are actually many signs that show you that plecos are in rough shape. A filter is a must. When the water quality is poor, itll weaken the immune system of the plecos. It is the most common disease in tropical fish, like plecos, and is likely caused by poor water conditions. Is Your Pleco Swimming Upside Down? (7 Causes of Swim Bladder Issues) 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention - Avid Aquarist We found him on the carpet under his bed and it looked pretty dead. Injury and stress can also cause cloudy eye issues. Huge plecos like this need A LOT of broccoli to survive ;). Hopefully, this will never happen in your fish tank. One or both eyes might wind up being covered by a white or gray slime. Quite often bottom dwellers do just sit and not move. You should be testing the water parameters regularly to protect the fish. Fast forward to the next day. Keep the filter, heater, and lights on for long enough periods of time to ensure their comfort. Make sure to find the cause so that you can add antibiotics if needed. Poor water conditions usually cause bacterial infections. Your pleco may be dying if it appears to have a bloated stomach. Juts curious - as I was doing a water change today and about 10 minutes into it I noted my true Albino Bristlenose Ancistrus wedged in between my rock wall - and my overflow box at the top of the tank. It can also be due to stress, so separating the bloated fish from its tank mates will ensure a stress-free environment for your pleco to recover. 3. It could simply be that the pleco fish succumbed to an illness during the night. Floating the fish for an hour or so will help it to get used to the water temperature of its new home. A pleco might choose to remain very still and stay in the same spot all day. 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. Plecos are strong swimmers, so it may be necessary to have two people present in order to remove them quickly. When I first set up my pressurized co2 system I was gassing my fish out. No matter what we did, he would'nt come out. You need to monitor the water parameters to keep things in check. An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. An oxygen deficit can be caused by a nitrite/ammonia spike, high temperatures, or a broken filter. However, if you tap the fish tank, itll likely spring up and start swimming. Take action by doing water changes and adding an air pump. If your plecos fins start to rot or decay, it is important to act quickly as this can spread to the fishs body. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. Also, algae is starting to grow on the glass so I dont think that hes roaming around much at night either. If the pleco is not moving but breathing, then there are several things that could be happening. If your fish is stressed, you may notice the loss of color in addition to the loss of appetite and abnormal swimming behaviors. Abdominal swelling can be caused by many things including the following: stress, tank conditions, and constipation. Nitrate is considerably less dangerous, but should be lower than 30 ppm, and above 50 is the danger zone. How can I make my plecostomus more active? When my pleco sleeps on his back, it is usually under a wood or in a dark spot, where he wont be bothered. API Liquid Super Ich Cure is another product you can purchase to treat ich. I came over to his house about 4 hours later and noticed the plec was missing. Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions Why is My Pleco Not Moving? Recently, I watched. Why Does My Pleco Always Hide and Never Come Out? - The Aquarium Adviser Vicki, I think it was the CO2 as well. My name is Jeff, and my goal with this site is to share everything I've learned over the years about caring for aquatic life. Fish Lore is an amazon affiliate and some pages may contain links to aquarium related products on amazon: Affiliate Disclosure. Ill go over how to tell if your pleco is dying, the underlying causes of those symptoms, and how to prevent them from dying in the future. 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. Full Pleco Breeding Guide (Everything You Need to Know). He is starting to show his age but. Ich is very contagious and can be fatal, so removing the sick fish from the tank is important if other fish inhabit the same environment. Any animal needs some time to get used to a new home and small lizards are often prey for bigger things. It might be normal to see a pleco breathing but not moving. Try to fix this issue by isolating the fish and fixing issues with the water quality. Young animals are sensitive to too much protein. Vampire plecos need to be fed meaty foods such as shrimp and snails. he sound fine, try touching himand he will probably swim away. I still don't know for sure what happened, but I'm going to blame the CO2. Keeping an eye on the water parameters and cleaning the tank regularly will help to prevent things like this from happening. What's wrong with him? Typically, loss of color is associated with poor tank conditions. Threw him in the tank anyway and it survived. If you are worried, you can try to move the pleco with your hands and see if it swims away.
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