my gold nugget pleco died...

[BuckUSean]

I've had my gold nugget for a few months and he was about 3-4" (not sure of the sex, but I like to think of him as my little guy). I really don't know what happened, so I'm turnning to everyone for some help.

Last night I noticed that his sides were getting somewhat pale. There wasn't any kind of growth or fuzz that I could see, just faded areas. He was out of hiding a little more than normal but, other than that, seemed fine. This morning when I woke up he was really pale and within an hour he was dead.

I did water tests both last night and this morning and nothing seems out of the ordinary.
PH = 7.2
KH = 9 deg
Nitrates = 10ppm
ammonia and nitrites = 0

I took this picture as soon as I got up (No flash, so that's not what is washing out the coloring). Before, he was as dark as his tail, if not darker.

Does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on what might have caused this?

 

[TorturedSOUL]

I had two that just sort of died. I think most gold nuggets are wild caught and some don't adapt to living in a tank and end up starving to death..

 

[mduros]

Sometimes these things just happen. But it is quite possible that he wasn't getting enough to eat. His belly looks a little sunken from the picture. I had a pleco die on me awhile ago. He lost all of his color, too. And I think he may not have been getting enough food. So, I feed my plecos very generously now. If you have any more or get another one just be sure it has driftwood, they all need that wood in their diet - some more than others, get some spirulina wafers, and supplement their diet by throwing in a slice of blanched zucchini or lettuce core a couple of times a week. I just wrap it in a wet paper towel and microwave for about ten seconds and then weigh it down with a plant weight so it stays at the bottom for the plecos to eat. Mine also LOVE cucumber. Raw cucumber.
Good luck,
Mary.

 

[DeRo316]

Sorry about your loss. I lost a peppermint pleco a few months ago before I learned they all need lots of driftwood, he lasted about 3 weeks. I then purchased a gold nugget which has been in my new tank 2-3 months now. He seems to be doing well and is always on the glass or the driftwood. I drop shrimp pellets and cucumber in every now and then.

 

[clayt101]

Gold Nuggets are notoriously fragile.