Bristlenose Plec Died - anyone help me know why?

[Istanbul_Kop]

My Bristlenose Plec died yesterday. I've had him for just over 6 months. He was bought as a very small juvenile and grew rapidly.

There was no fungus or spots, or any other signs of infection or physical damage.

I first noticed something was wrong about 2 weeks ago when I put some courgette in the tank (which he usually pounces on straight away) and he didn't come over. I did the same the next week and he didn't come again. I then found him dead on the gravel, crammed in to a peice of wood.

Stats:

Ammonia Level? 0
Nitrite Level? 0
Nitrate level? 10
Ph Level, (If possible,KH and GH and chloramines)? PH 7.5 Don't know others.
Ph Level out of the Tap? 7.5
Tank size (How many Gals) and How long has it been running? 130L (29G) About a year.
What is the name and size of the filter/s? Aqua One trickle filter 750L/H and Fulval 3 Internal.
How often do you change the water and how much? 10-15% weekly.
How many fish in the tank and their size? 12 Very small fish like Danios, Corys and Platies. 2 Silver Dollars (still small). 1 Weather Loach.
kind of water additives or conditioners? No
Any medications added to the tank? No
Add any new fish to the tank? No
What do you feed your fish? Fresh Courgette or Cucumber once a week. Tetra Tabiman or Flake every other day.
Any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt", No
bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus? No
Any unusual behavior like staying
at the bottom, not eating, ect..? Plec wasn't eating, seemed a lot less active then usual.

Any help appreciated. Thanks

 

[Star_Rider]

wow.. most everything looks good.

the stocking is a bit on the heavy side.
water changes(10-15% Weekly) may be on the low side given the stock levels.
tho the readings look good. is the tank planted?
with low water changes you run the risk of increased TDS.
you r kh was probably good if the pH has remained stable but possibler the gh levels may increase.
but I would suspect dissolved organics may be the issue.

personally I do large water changes all my tanks get at least 40% change each week..usually more like 50% and I keep light stock levels.

I keep BN's in almost all my tanks.

 

[jpappy789]

How long had the plec been been in the tank?

If it wasn't eating/acting normal than something was wrong, but it's hard to pinpoint what as your params all look perfect...

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Did you notice if it had either a swollen or a sunken belly? I am wondering if it had either an internal blockage or else internal parasites.

 

[Istanbul_Kop]

wow.. most everything looks good.

the stocking is a bit on the heavy side.
water changes(10-15% Weekly) may be on the low side given the stock levels.

Yeah, I didn't know really. I've always been told that 'smaller' bit more frequent water changes are better than larger ones less frequently.

How long had the plec been been in the tank?

If it wasn't eating/acting normal than something was wrong, but it's hard to pinpoint what as your params all look perfect...

Plec had been in the tank just over 6 months. It had grown really well, only in the last 2 weeks did it start acting really quiet and not eating.

Did you notice if it had either a swollen or a sunken belly? I am wondering if it had either an internal blockage or else internal parasites.

Having read about this, I was always checking him when he was on the glass, especially when I first got him as I read many imports are like this. But no, he didn't have a sunken belly, nor swolen. I did notice a slight mark on his bellythough when I had to removed him...which could mean something? It was like a dark patch on his whiter belly.

 

[wataugachicken]

could have simply been something natural/hereditary. when everything looks good, and no other fish are sick, it doesn't always have to be something we did wrong, or anything we could prevent.

 

[Istanbul_Kop]

I had a Cory die about 1 month ago.

Again...apparently nothing wrong.

Apart from 1 Weather Loach which was bad from day 1 (It seemed to get damaged in the bag :-( ), It is the only other death I had since setup over 6 months ago. (not including Platy fry).

I put the Cory death down to what you said above...a 1 off...but now this has happened as well. Maybe I've got something 'at the bottom' of the tank. Parasites? Dirty gravel? (I do vac).