URGENT!! Pleco turned white, dying...

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Holly9937

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Jan 20, 2005
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I have had this guy for quite a while, the main part of his body has turned white, and his top fin is almost gone, except for the bones (not sure of the proper terminology...), his tail is the same, but not quite as deteriorated. I will post the water parameters soon, but I am sure they are fine. He was in an established 180g tank, all the other fish look fine. This has happened with in the last 3-4 days. I know he looked fine on Friday or Saturday.

I have him in QT right now, what happened? And what treatment can I try? I'm afraid it might be too late.
 

patoloco

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Oct 20, 2005
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I've seen plecos turn white when exposed to low temps. Whan I was servicing my big tank, I kept one in an (accidentally) unheated tank for 4 days, and he was totally pale. However, after raising the temp he became brown again.

I've never seen how fin rot affects placos, but it could be that. Keep the placo in QT, and make sure you provide him with a cave to hide during the day. Remeber filtration is quite necesary for placos are messy fish.

For treatment, I'd go with some king of antibiotics, such as furan2. It has worked fine in cases of fin rot. But I'd need to see some pics.

good luck.
 

kyle3

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Mar 17, 2005
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check out bacterial and fungal fin rot comare to pics to figure out which one

i've heard malfix is great suff although i've never medicated a tank before

salt and a raised temp are usually good both help stimulate fish imune systems i'd put the temp at 80 (i believe for a pleco you don't want to get too hot) but you might do up to 82. don't do it fast

and start addiong the salt really gradually too since it's not ich i wouldn't put in a lot

i got a little fungus on a new fish a while back and had about a tablespoon for every 2 gallons set the temp to 82 and forced myself to be patient for almost 2 weeks and full recovery- it was a cory and they're fairly sensitive-

so i hope that helps good luck and i hope he pulls through!
 

TetraFreak

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Dec 14, 2005
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I had a Plex do the same thing and never figured out what caused it. Sorry to say, the critter died, so it looks like yours may be terminal.

Good Luck!
 

Holly9937

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Not sure what would have caused this though... No temperature changes, alot of the stuff on the web says that fin rot is caused by stress, poor water conditions, bullying, poor nutrition, none of which is the case

The nitrate is pretty high, about 80 or so, but I think that is b/c I have not done a water change in a few weeks. I know, I know, but I have an 8 week old, and school just started back up a few weeks ago. I will do one tomorrow. It is usually around 20-40 (hard to tell on the chart, probably about 30), and it was at that number a few weeks ago. I don't think that a few weeks of high nitrates would cause such an extreme situation. Heres the other #'s.
ph 7.4
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
temp. about 76
 

budrecki

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Dec 17, 2005
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Water change 50% today, 50% tomorrow, then test again. Get those nitrates below 10!

Increase temp to 80 over several hours.

Salt 1 tbsp/gallon.

Melafix 1 tsp/10 gallons.

Remove carbon.


My pleco Rufus had a stasis ulcer/ bed sore/ secondary infection. He healed up fine.



Good luck!

rufusbelly.JPG
 
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kyle3

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that most definately would do it! that's a long time even a few days like that could do serious damage

i understand being busy but you can't put it off anylonger i'd do a little more gradual- 20% now couple hours later 20% again and a couple hours later one more time 20% then tomarrow i'd do a 50%

you don't want to shock him further but you do want to get those nitrates down asap

cheers
 

Holly9937

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High nitrates are definately not ideal, but a few weeks of them being around 80 will not damage the fish, at least not like this...Maybe you are thinking of nitrItes?
 

kyle3

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that's not just a few nitrates i know the differnce between the 2.

it's not so much that the nirates hurt the fish directly but rather that having to deal with the nitrates over a prolonged period of time weakened the fish's defences and the fin rot is a secondary infection.

unless there is a variable i don't know about i'd say it has to be the nitrates.

sorry to disagree.
 

TKOS

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Feb 6, 2003
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I also doubt that nitrates of 80 for a few weeks would have attacked a healthy pleco. But definately getting the water changed is a must. It could be another factor in the old tank water that is leading to his ill health. But definately fresh water never hurts.
 
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