Pl*co Plague - Help!!

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spartyblaze

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Dec 10, 2002
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Michigan
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Hello, I have a quite puzzling problem, and wanted to run it by you guys to see if you had any ideas/suggestions what may be the deal.

About 10-15 days ago, I purchased a pair of royal plecos to put into my 35g hex. brichardi species tank. All seemed fine, the two fish adapted well. This weekend (friday), I found the smaller of the two dead on the bottom of the tank, with no physical evidence of any attack or damage to him.

Suspecting disease, I promplty removed the other royal from the tank, placing it in a 50g that I have in my bedroom, with juvenile compressiceps. At this point, he showed no sign of illness.

Saturday, I did complete water changes on all 3 of my tanks, the 180g, the 35g and the 50g. (All tanks are establised with steady water conditions of about 7.0+ ph, and 0ppm nitrate). I use SeaChem Prime as my water conditioner.

This morning, I awoke to find the other roal pleco in the 50g deceased and another regular pleco from my 180g is skimming the top, looking very rough. All of my tanks are taken care of properly and I'm a fairly experienced aquarist. Does anybody have any idea what could have caused this and/or what I should do to prevent further problems with the fish I have left.

My LFS has a solid reputation, and I have no reason to believe that they are selling bad fish. Could this be the case?

Thanks for your help!!

Blaze
 

OrionGirl

No freelancing!
Aug 14, 2001
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Royals are sometimes quite sensitive, and can be territorial. Not sure if anything would show externally, but the smaller fish could have been injured.

The only health issue I am aware of the plecos frequently bring with them would be internal parasites. Were the fish feeding normally, with healthy looking tummies? Or did the look a like shrunken OR bloated?

Sorry--can't help very much. I know how frustrating royals can be!
 

clayt101

Registered Abuser
I would definately recomend against keeping more than one Royal in an aquarium. They are very territoral and will fight each other. On that note...try adding some melafix or other type of antibiotic. Do note give a full dose, only about half. Make sure there is also wood in the aquarium. Hope all goes well.
 
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