Plecos living in an environment with other fish could also be stressed. Is Your Pleco Swimming Upside Down? (7 Causes of Swim Bladder Issues) This situation can be turned around if you act fast. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month. Plecos are strong swimmers, so it may be necessary to have two people present in order to remove them quickly. I have seen bottom dwelling loaches just get very pale and colorless when there is too much CO2 in the water. The Complete Answer, Can Plecos And Shrimp Live Together? Htels & Rsidences de tourisme; tablissements recevant du public; Habitats individuels & collectifs; Amnagements extrieurs; Design, Mobilier & Tapisseries The cause of most of these symptoms stems from the water conditions. The Pleco is Bloated. If your pleco has seemingly rips/cuts in its fins, its most likely fin rot. Turn lights off and put in some bloodworm or something and then come back in five minutes with a torch. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. I think it is just tired or not used to your tank try turning the lights off. Diseases and Treatment. Fish could die due to being bullied by other fish as well. I have had him in this tank and the fish with him for over a year. Pleco rotting fins. If it doesnt move if you try to touch it, then its truly dead. If you arent regularly testing the water using a pH balance testing kit, then youre going to have a harder time keeping the fish alive. Supply food for the other fish during the day. There is a man that works at Petco who actually knows what he is doing, and when my friend asked about getting a common pleco for her 75g, he said he only recommends them in a 150 gallon tank or more to fully thrive. 3. Fish laying on the bottom of the tank and breathing deeply require action as soon as possible. Checking temperature and pH levels is also essential because the water needs to be at a pH of 7.0 to 8.0. Malnutrition can make plecos get sick, and they will certainly die if you dont feed them enough. Quarantining fish is putting them in a closed-off environment for a couple of weeks, before putting them in your main tank. Good luck. Both stress and poor water quality can make it more likely that the fish will get infected. You might even be making the mistake of thinking that plecos can subsist entirely on algae in the tank. However, if you tap the fish tank, itll likely spring up and start swimming. As you can tell, its important to treat things as soon as you can. Do you see the gills moving at all or are they truly motionless? Why Does My Pleco Always Hide and Never Come Out? - The Aquarium Adviser My drop checker had pretty much all of the air OUT of the "exchainge" area, in it's place was water. 0. A lot of pleco types also benefit from driftwood in their tank. Juts curious - as I was doing a water change today and about 10 minutes into it I noted my true Albino Bristlenose Ancistrus wedged in between my rock wall - and my overflow box at the top of the tank. Help!! He does not even move if I touch him with a net, he just moves his tail a little. You might see a pleco fish laying at the bottom of the tank motionless. You really dont want to end up with a whole tank of death fish because you put in one sick fish. 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It] | Keeping Catfish Feeding your fish de-shelled peas or other foods high in fiber can help decrease the swelling. My pleco is laying on his back and just moving his gills - Reddit The symptoms you describe are exactly what I saw happening to mine. You must log in or register to reply here. Theres nothing wrong with a pleco than has a rounded belly (its in fact healthy) but if it looks bloated, this is bad. An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. Just laying on the bottom. Poor water conditions usually cause bacterial infections. Nitrate is considerably less dangerous, but should be lower than 30 ppm, and above 50 is the danger zone. Is the fish dead or is it really sick? Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! I just found my pleco upside down on the gravel. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are three crucial parts of the nitrogen cycle of aquariums. You may also notice your pleco laying at the bottom of the tank or chasing the other fish around. These fish enjoy hiding and they often stay in the same place at the bottom of the aquarium. Monitor your fishs feeding to ensure he is eating. Most of these signs of death are preventable by monitoring the water conditions and performing weekly water changes. Do you notice your pleco has no clear eyes, but a white milk-like color? Checking and monitoring the levels, temperature and pH will ensure the tank has the proper conditions for your pleco. What are some signs that your pleco is dying? Most likely, the fish have fin rot due to poor water conditions in the tank. If you discover one of your fish has popeye, check the water levels to determine if that is the cause. It still might take plecos a bit to feel bold enough to swim around. Alright, Ill try zucchinI and see if he likes it. Ich can be treated by using medication that will get rid of the infection. I know Elbert, that handsome fellow over there in my avatar really loves shrimp pellets and occasionally freeze dried blood or tubifex worms. While there are a lot of similarities between plecos types, there are also a lot of differences in terms of care. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. My name is Jeff, and my goal with this site is to share everything I've learned over the years about caring for aquatic life. Some will also cause fish to have a hard time breathing. If your pleco is losing its color and slowly turning white, this might be an indication that it's either sick or dying. Also having a water test kit for ammonia and nitrite will help greatly in knowing when to do water changes. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. What should I do?! However, they still require feeding two times a week to have a balanced diet. A pleco might choose to remain very still and stay in the same spot all day. There is a possibility that something happened in the tank, though. In general these catfish aren't very demanding when it comes to space requirements since they share bottom levels of tanks or just rest on large plants and, as mentioned above, adult specimens grow to 13 cm in length (approximately 5 inches), moreover females grow smaller than males. Ich is very contagious and can be fatal, so removing the sick fish from the tank is important if other fish inhabit the same environment. Most of the day, he is there. What does it mean when a pleco fish dies overnight? Plecos thrive in a tank setup with a variety of different natural covers, like pleco caves, stones, and driftwood. My pleco is laying on it's side still breathing but not movi By entering this site you declare Can I do something to help? As per him, he had that pleco for like 3-4 years. pleco During a water change, I also removed a decoration containing a 2" common pleco and placed all the decorations in an igloo cooler overnight[was installing an ugj system] to my amazement the next day while I was replacing the decor, low and behold there was my pleco in the bottom of the cooler, he had been in there for over 20 hrs. Is there a way to tell if a pleco fish is about to die? It isnt uncommon for some baby plecos to die even if youre doing your best to care for them. Plecos turn white for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to: poor nutrition, disease, stress, or inadequate tank conditions. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Check to see if anything is causing the fish stress. JavaScript is disabled. Bristlenose plecos are unique fish with unique needs and preferences. Especially because plecos love oxygen-rich water (they often live in fast-flowing streams and rivers) adding an airstone or pointing your filter outlet in a way that it creates bubbles is useful. Just when we think we've lost him, he wriggles away to explore something new. Fast forward to the next day. If it truly isnt moving at all, then there is a good chance that the fish is dead. High ammonia and nitrates will cause your fish to lay on its side or lack normal movement around the tank. My fish is alive and moving, but isnt breathing? Nighttime is when these fish can take their time exploring their tank to find food, which they often do by keeping their skin touching the substrate (or other objects in the tank). Theyre caused by one of the following things: If your pleco has a cloudy eye but acts normal, it will probably go away by itself. For plecos, most types need a tank thats 30 gallons in size, but there are smaller species (like bristlenose & clown plecos) that can live in a 20-gallon tank. Noticing whether your pleco has a sunken in belly can be hard, especially if you dont see it very often. It can take a few days for him to convinced one to lay eggs for him then he sits in the cave and fans them. For example, a temperature fluctuation could have killed the fish. If this is not taken care of, it will cause your fish to die. Youll also get a bit of information about why these signs are occurring. Touch the fish and see if you can get it to spring up. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Make sure the tank has been cycled before introducing any fish to it so there are no dangerous spikes in the water. Often, its very hard to tell whether your pleco is sick or not. Breeding bristlenose plecos is certainly an exciting thing to do. Resting on the bottom of the tank or hiding in plants or other objects. I have one Bristlenose Pleco in a 55 gallon aquarium along with some other fish. HELP! My pleco is going crazy! I don't know what's wrong. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Check your water parameters as this is the most likely cause. Checking your tanks levels and temperatures will help you determine if the tanks conditions are unsafe for your pleco. How is your pleco doing Vicki? You can make acclimating to the tank easier for the fish by taking the time to float the bag before putting it in the tank. Increasing the temperature in the sick fishs tank is another way to combat the disease and aid recovery. Make sure to add plenty of caves and natural hiding spaces if you keep multiple males in the same tank. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. The hardest test for a Pleco keeper is to get the Pleco addapted to his new home. It's good to get confirmation as to what happened. One day, I was excited to see the male had trapped the female in a cave, so I was expecting some babies.However, the next morning I waked up noticing the fish death in the cave. If this isnt the case, check your water parameters for a nitrite spike. The fish could be just fine since its resting during the day. Are you noticing that your fish doesnt have a lot of pep? Physical damage. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving. White spots on the body can be seen as signs of ich. Baby plecos have been known to die when the water temperature fluctuates too much. Of course, some of the fish might simply have genetic issues. Make sure to test your water if there are any abnormalities. They clean algae, but they make a bigger mess in your tank. It can hard to know whether your pleco is stressed, as theyre quite withdrawn fish. It can be caused by elevated ammonia levels in the tank or an injury that resulted in a bacterial infection. I tried to prod him gently, but he still hasn't moved. It might help you to figure out how to help the fish by doing some troubleshooting. That caused me to look at all of the fish, and I saw that many were very pale. Sometimes plecos that can't breathe well will float near the surface of the water. I quickly put in an airstone and within 5 minutes they were back to normal. Some people may find their pleco to be more active if they feed it live worms or move it to a bigger tank. Ensure you follow the package instructions to ensure proper dosing for your fish. Adding fish without acclimating them causes shock. Hopefully, this will never happen in your fish tank. You must log in or register to reply here. How to solve a problem like resuscitating an escaped fish Molly lying on side on bottom of tank, moving very little. In most cases, it is poisoning by ammonia, nitrite, or other nitrogen. Perhaps it seems lethargic and it might even be laying on its side. Plecos live in environments with temperatures between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. It's just another misleading thing that pet stores advertise. My Angel fish keeps laying on her side at the bottom of the My betta fish is laying on his side and breathing heavily, Is our Goldfish dying? We finished breaking down our multiple tanks, loaded the moving truck, drove it for three hours, spent two more hours waiting for the moving helpers, got the truck unloaded, started setting up the tanks, put the decor back in, added the fish. and the bristle nose swam out of the wood when we put in algae wafers. A long, long, long time ago when I was young my friends and I always had tanks. Hes in a seperate bowl. Feed food before lights out and he is likely to come out when it is dark to feed. Is it dying? Most of the time, a pleco laying on its back or side is normal as they sometimes rest in this position. "We are living on this planet as if we have another one to go to". Plecos are notoriously difficult to remove from a tank, its not uncommon for people to spend hours trying to find the perfect device or method to catch this fish. If the water condition and bacterial infections caused the situation, then youll need to fix those problems. Just as "Avaselene" has mentioned, Cories do it all the time. When I first set up my pressurized co2 system I was gassing my fish out. Now that weve gone over signs your pleco is dying, the most likely causes and solutions, its time to prevent it from happening in the future. Ouwch. How long have you had the tank? Youll also learn about why plecos might die so that you might be able to turn things around moving forward. Today, I found him lying on his back on the floor of the tank but he is still alive. this post deserved to be sharedlots of gems! You can get something called Stress Coat at the pet store, it basically removes any chlorine that may be in your water, it has also been proven to reduce fish stress. One or both eyes might wind up being covered by a white or gray slime. Learn more. 3. Some will also cause fish to have a hard time breathing. You should be able to keep plecos alive for many years with proper care. lol. Its wise to isolate the fish during the treatment process by setting up a quarantine tank. API Liquid Super Ich Cure is another product you can purchase to treat ich. certain species have apparently demonstarted the ability to absorb oxygen into their blood through their stomac by swallowing it. Scraping off small pieces and the biofilm growing on them is beneficial for their digestive system. Later in this guide, well go over the exact symptoms of dropsy. Youll be able to fix things before they get bad so that your fish will stay alive. He may also fall sick due to anxiousness. Its very uncomfortable for the plecos, and they might rub against objects in the tank in an attempt to find relief. This can happen to one eye or both. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. There are other reasons why a pleco might start floating, but its possible that the fish could be dead. Its normal for these fish to hide and be very wary of venturing out. You can feed the fish foods that are high in fiber to clear it up. If there are elevated levels of chemicals, perform small water changes for a couple of days to lower the concentration. My Pleco sits underneath the rock in my mini cave. Since plecos dont have scales, it can be hard to know whether its dropsy or not. Not real sure though since don't feel like doing an experiment. A filter is a must. Turned out, that fish wasn't a female but the male had trapped the less dominant male and choked him (though there were plenty of caves). It is important to research food options for your pleco because some brands have more harmful ingredients than good. As long as they are damp or wet they can live for probably 20-30 minutes. Theres a good chance that youre not doing regular tank maintenance. If your pleco is gulping at the surface, it doesnt have enough oxygen and is suffocating. Do not . Poor water conditions usually cause bacterial infections. The best way is to use a net or other implement to scoop them out of the water. Monitoring your water levels and performing weekly water changes will prevent this from happening to your fish. This behavior can also occur when fish are exposed to high temperatures. My Albino catfish does this all the time. Today he is floating upside down in the top corner of the tank. All Rights Reserved. Without the tank cycled, there are no good bacteria to convert the ammonia into nitrates for live plants to consume. One time a buddy was cleaning his tank and took all the fish out and put them in a bucket. Sorry your pleco is ill. every day I feed the fish in my school aquarium and I've notice the pleco doesn't ever move. They should be living for a very long time under your care. This disease is called ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis) and can be fatal if not treated. It's a common pleco and it' Why is my betta sitting by the heater not moving. You should be changing 15% of the water on a weekly basis. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month and more! All my knowledge comes from experience and reading forums and a lot of informative sites. . They will float uncontrollably to the top of the aquarium, turned upside down, while still being alive. If the fish is not moving, then there are no signs of life, such as breathing or eating, then it has likely died. The water might be dirty or the parameters could be way off of what they should be. Does the fish appear to be gasping for air? Look at the fish closely and try to see if its gills are moving. I would watch him closely, make sure he eats. The signs above have a lot of things in common. Plecos are supposed to be fairly hardy fish, other reasons why a pleco might start floating. He was just hanging there out of the water not moving. Plecos arent known death, although they sometimes sleep on their backs which gives this impression. Your fish may be suffering from ich if their skin appears to have white dots that look like salt or sugar flakes. Plecos dying: its a sad sight and one of the questions I get asked most frequently. They take a full breath, in and out, about 6 times a second. You always want to do the best job that you can when taking care of fish. Problems such as fin rot and pop eye can be dealt with so that the fish can get better. A male with eggs/ babies may stay in the cave for several weeks without eating. He is still alive. Mine is also out at night. My pleco just pretty much hangs out in the same spot almost all day, as Gee mentioned they're nocturnal. Does he look as tough he's thin or sick? In addition, you will want to quarantine the sick fish, as it is contagious and will spread quickly. Also, you should make sure that he has a heater, filter, oxygen and all the basics. Plecos are a type of tropical fish that need a heated tank with a filter. I had a big common pleco that lived for over 10 years in a 30 gallon tall along with. We have this ugly plastic reef wall thing that I want to take out that he used to hide in and we checked if he was alive and he moved to his current spot. Of course, itll be prudent to try to touch the fish to see if it moves. The impaired buoyancy in fish is caused by a malfunction of their swim bladder. An oxygen deficit can be caused by a nitrite/ammonia spike, high temperatures, or a broken filter. Please help! Remember to do regular tank maintenance. Fish can only tolerate 5% water changes every couple of hours, so make sure that you leave enough time between water changes so that your fish does not go into shock. Most likely, the fish have fin rot due to poor water conditions in the tank. Usually, rapid breathing is caused by some pollutant or toxic in the water. They love to eat, and you should try to feed them as much as you can. I love my animals. He could still be in shock from the move. If your temperature and pH are out of this range, you need to take steps to remedy the situation. If your pleco is sleeping: They will typically be in a motionless or relaxed position, with their fins and gills not moving as much as usual. Continue reading to learn about reasons why plecos might stop moving. You might even be concerned that the plecos are dying if things are going particularly bad.
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