Discolored Pleco

nzmolina

AC Members
Nov 13, 2009
108
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North Las Vegas
Hi, I was wondering if someone could help me. I have a pleco in a 50 gallon tank he's about a 1' long he seems to have lost some color and I wasn't sure if he was sick. He seems fine he's very lively. I was wondering if maybe it has to do with other fish bitting on him.... if anyone can help I would gladly appreciate it. Thank you
 
His tank mates are 4 giant danios, 4 black skirt tetras, 2 frontosas, 2 blood parrots, 2 texas cichlids, 2 trinidad plecos whom are about 2".
 
Plecos show a mottling of colors when they are stressed. You'll see light patches showing all over their body. It could be from being startled, it happens when you chase them to net them, if you pull them out of the tank, and also shows up sometimes when you first turn the lights on in the tank. Did you recently put him in the tank because he may not be feeling quite comfortable just yet. I wouldn't worry about it.
 
No, it's not because the turn on automatically. He just goes into his mottled colors when it's dark. A lot of fish do, they pale out. Plecos just get this mottled coloration. When they adjust to the light again, he should be regular color again.
 
I have 50+ juvie BN growing out in a 38. At any given time at least a few of them usually look blotched, and it isn't from stress or lights being turned on/off. As long as the pleco is acting normal and eating you don't have to worry because it looks a bit different.
 
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