Need Pleco Help! Please

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TankedInTN

Registered Member
Aug 30, 2012
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Okay, so I recently inherited a twenty five year old pleco (Big Kasey) and he's been a great foster fish, until the past couple of weeks I've noticed an ick outbreak. I've been treating for ick for three days( raising water temp and using a chemical treatment). While my other fish are now almost well, he seems to be in more distress. His eyes are cloudy and along with some of the signature cysts, he has linear white patches along his dorsal fin and along the occasional scale. I just don't want him to die! I know he's old, but he's my ward! If you have any suggestions, please let me know. I'll gladly post pictures if I can figure out how. Thank you!
Samantha
 

excuzzzeme

Stroke Survivor '05
You can't use normal fish medicines on a pleco. Most time it will kill them, your's being in distress comes at no surprise since you are using a typical fish treatment. They don't have scales so whatever you are calling a scale is either a completely different fish or not scales.

Please post your water parameters along with a picture of the fish. We need to make sure it is a pleco and what kind. Also need to know the tank size (yes, it matters).


Need to know the chemical you aare using.
 
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TankedInTN

Registered Member
Aug 30, 2012
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I put three pictures of him in an album on my profile, granted, they were taken a few days ago and he looks a little better today,but I had to get some pictures while he was out and about. Its a 55 gallon. Which is not any different from what he is accustomed to, that is the same size his previous owner had him in for 25 years. He may not have scales, but he does have plate-like sections on his body. But anywho, any advice you can give is very much appreciated. :)
 

TankedInTN

Registered Member
Aug 30, 2012
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Oh, also tested the water this morning and everything was normal except there were some trace amounts of nitrites.
 

GEV83

Top Dog!!!
Jun 19, 2002
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Nice pleco minus the ich of course. I have had success with meds before just using half the dose as recommend on the box for scaless fish but I also have had some upsets with meds as well. Most people here prefer the salt method all though pleco's are not fond of salt either. Oh by the way your fish is Pterygoplichthys pardalis or disjunctivus depending on the belly pattern.
 

Fractalis

Heavy Weapons Guy
Mar 3, 2011
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have you tried a quick warm salt bath?


Ich dies quickly in saltwater while plecos and fish take longer
 

jpappy789

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Feb 18, 2007
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Oh, also tested the water this morning and everything was normal except there were some trace amounts of nitrites.
Registering any nitrite is never good. Definitely make sure you keep that under control with water changes.

Please make sure to let us know which medication you've been using. IIRC some can also mess with your bacteria colony.
 
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