We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. LL, yes I just moved, but the pleco has been in this water for almost a month. Tank mates: one guppy, one otocinclus.. in a 20 gallon tank. 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. I think that it is nothing to worry about. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving : r/Aquariums - Reddit Cloudy eyes in fish appear as a white cast or film over the eye. Youll also get a bit of information about why these signs are occurring. Definitely looks underweight. Cloudy eye is caused by bacteria and if your pleco is under stress, has had an injury, or lower immune system it can come up. It might be normal to see a pleco breathing but not moving. Loss of color, rotting fins, and white spots on its body are some of the common signs that a pleco might be dying. Touch the fish and see if you can get it to spring up. I had a big common pleco that lived for over 10 years in a 30 gallon tall along with. Plecos turn white for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to: poor nutrition, disease, stress, or inadequate tank conditions. Ich can be treated by using medication that will get rid of the infection. pleco not moving but breathing Make sure to test your water if there are any abnormalities. Is the fish dead or is it really sick? Learn more. Please help. It is the most common disease in tropical fish, like plecos, and is likely caused by poor water conditions. 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. This can happen to any fish if it does not have . An oxygen deficit is caused by one of the following reasons: A lack of oxygen should be reacted to immediately with a big water change and the addition of an airstone. The hardest test for a Pleco keeper is to get the Pleco addapted to his new home. Hello guys, thx for your answer and sry for my late reply. Turning white may be a sign your pleco is dying. Both eyes will appear to protrude if there is an infection present. Home > Plecos > Care > 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It]. 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. Quarantining fish is one of the most forgotten things in the hobby. Pleco floating upside down | MyFishTank.Net Forum Pleco males usually fight to assert dominance and defend their territory. If the fish is still alive, it should move when you touch it. Any animal needs some time to get used to a new home and small lizards are often prey for bigger things. This way, you can manage them and check for potential diseases. You dont have to reach into the tank and touch it with your bare hand. Leaving things alone could cause the fish to die. Both tanks are also a bit small for their inhabitants, so moving your Plec will overstock your Goldie tank. He is just sitting on the bottom of the tank not moving or trying to eat anything. The fish could be just fine since its resting during the day. Just laying on the bottom. As I said, the other fish are showing no signs of stress. Just keep an eye on him. Make sure to test your water if there are any abnormalities. Also having a water test kit for ammonia and nitrite will help greatly in knowing when to do water changes. He was just hanging there out of the water not moving. Typically, loss of color is associated with poor tank conditions. Does this mean that something happened during the night? For a limited time, download my pleco catfish ebook below on how to care for these beautiful animals. A male with eggs/ babies may stay in the cave for several weeks without eating. Ouwch. You should be testing the water parameters regularly to protect the fish. If possible it would be advisable to move the pleco to a nursing tank away from other fish. Adding an oxygen source also helps. It creates an environment where the disease cannot grow or spread. Feeding your fish de-shelled peas or other foods high in fiber can help decrease the swelling. If your fishs eyes appear to be bulging out of its head, it may be suffering from pop eye or exophthalmos. Many conditions that have the potential to kill plecos can be fixed with the right treatments. whats wrong? Increasing the temperature in the sick fishs tank is another way to combat the disease and aid recovery. Its also imperative to regularly clean the fish tank. Also having a water test kit for ammonia and nitrite will help greatly in knowing when to do water changes. However, like any fish, they can develop sickness too. Just a thought Sayuz. Mine in the day is under a log and will only come out if there is food. A forum community dedicated to Aquatic tank owners and enthusiasts. When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. You transfer water from the aquarium to the bag while slowly removing water from the bag. T. Swearingen, http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=126, S.Barbatus & Black C. Schultzei breeding tank. If you have plecos that just keep dying in your fish tank, then you probably arent caring for them properly. Unlike ich or fin rot, there are no medicinal treatments for cloudy eyes, as the problem will solve itself when the cause has been determined and fixed (water conditions, tank aggression, etc.). While there are a lot of similarities between plecos types, there are also a lot of differences in terms of care. If an injury is to blame, then it might get better on its own if you keep feeding the fish and monitoring the tank conditions carefully. If your plecos dont seem to be doing so well, then youre probably disheartened. You want to do the best job that you can while caring for plecos. Plecos can stay in the same place for long periods of time, or move and go back without you knowing it. Many people mistakenly think that plecos dont need to be fed. 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. Especially if they are in the breeding season. Recently, I watched. If you want to know everything about setting up a pleco tank, you can read our full guide on it. Plecostomus is a type of suckermouth catfish that excretes massive amounts of waste. Yes this normally happens with Plecos. Theres nothing wrong with a pleco than has a rounded belly (its in fact healthy) but if it looks bloated, this is bad. You should be changing 15% of the water on a weekly basis. It's just another misleading thing that pet stores advertise. It is important to research food options for your pleco because some brands have more harmful ingredients than good. To have a healthy Pleco fish, owners should keep assessing all these factors and keep maintaining a quality life for the Pleco for it to survive. Plecos that like to eat algae such as bristlenose plecos will need to be fed as well. When my pleco went nuts, the pH had dropped to 6.8 and the drop checker was very yellow. Are there females in the tank with him? Pleco fish are amazing animals and very interesting for aquarists. The white spot on it's eye sounds like some type of fungus. Abdominal swelling can be caused by many things including the following: stress, tank conditions, and constipation. Ive put this first on the list because its probably the most frequently made a mistake. My fish isnt moving. Is there a way to tell if a pleco fish is about to die? If youre not taking good care of the tank, then the fish might die. If there are no good bacteria, harmful levels of ammonia can build up quickly as plecos produce a lot of waste. 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention, The average life expectancy of plecos is between 10 and 15 years. Both stress and poor water quality can make it more likely that the fish will get infected. Paralyzed pleco - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community Plecos are strong swimmers, so it may be necessary to have two people present in order to remove them quickly. You should be able to keep plecos alive for many years with proper care. The symptoms you describe are exactly what I saw happening to mine. Sick goldfish not moving but breathing/alive. He could still be in shock from the move. Adding fish without acclimating them causes shock. I have seen this behavior once before and today, its happening again. (his color blends in real well with the wall - and where he wedged himself in is hard to see unless you are looking for it. Vampire plecos need to be fed meaty foods such as shrimp and snails. If you have an aquarium with plecos and/or snails at, Many aquarists doubt they can keep plecos and shrimp together. Many enthusiasts say that plecos will play dead sometimes. If this is not taken care of, it will cause your fish to die. What are you feeding this little guy? If your plecos seem to be losing color rapidly, then its a sign that theyre dying or getting very sick. This guy lasted about 10 years. All you need to do is solve the issues that are making the fish sick. Monitor your fishs feeding to ensure he is eating. When plecos are just getting used to a new environment, theyre going to be rather skittish. You might notice the pleco fish swimming erratically. My betta is laying at the bottom of the tank and breathing heavily. You might even be making the mistake of thinking that plecos can subsist entirely on algae in the tank. Poor pleco got nudged accidentally with the hose, though, and he's having a -really- hard time swimming. However, many times, the death of a plecostomus is avoidable by some simple changes in their care. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Many different types of illnesses will make fish feel lethargic. !My betta fish isnt moving but he is alive. Are its gills moving or does it appear to be motionless? Issues with water quality can stress the fish and make them sick. Water parameters are good. Moving forward, it should be easier to look out for problems with the fish. Your pleco may be dying if it appears to have a bloated stomach. An air pump is optional, but recommended to prevent your pleco from swimming up to the surface to gulp air. Threw him in the tank anyway and it survived. The most common cause of this is poor water conditions. Make sure to ask your fish store whether they have quarantined the fish already. Weve touched a little on improving the tank setup for your pleco catfish. My parents have a cockatiel who is 36 years old this year. (+ 11 Ways To Stop Your Pleco From Eating Plants), Breeding Bristlenose Plecos (With Pictures), Pleco Size: How Big Do Plecos get? Common pleco not moving after tank flush! Check the water quality and try to fix anything that is wrong. Therefore, it is important to notice your fishs behaviors when they become sick. How to Know when Your Goldfish Is Dying: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow Do you notice your pleco has no clear eyes, but a white milk-like color? Generally he is pretty active but sometime he just stay on one stop and don't move at all, even for like 1-2 days. I tried to prod him gently, but he still hasn't moved. If the plecos are in a community fish tank, then itll be important to ensure that they are kept only with compatible tank mates. You might need to address water quality issues. You always want to do the best job that you can when taking care of fish. If all he is getting is algae (either fresh from the tank or wafer form) he may not be feeling very good. 1 - Loss of Color. Fish could die due to being bullied by other fish as well. Check to see if anything is causing the fish stress. If the pleco is not moving but breathing, then there are several things that could be happening. Just as "Avaselene" has mentioned, Cories do it all the time. Fish tank Pet fish Pet Animals and Pets. 5 Tips for moving into your new Home with pets, [] injured while moving. ), -Research nutrition based on specific pleco species, fin edges turn black or brown and look frayed, have white dots (another possible symptom of ich). Try touching the fish and see if it reacts. It's scared and it's stressed and it's hiding, because it's in a strange place after being caught and boxed up and moved. 7 Signs Your Pleco is Dying and How to Treat - Pet Owners If the oxygen levels get really low, plecos might stop moving. These fish simply arent active during the day. If your pleco fish doesnt appear to be moving, youre likely going to be incredibly concerned. Its a quite common sight: a pleco laying on its back. 3. The main pressure on the regulator has been dropping so I raised the main pressure in the regulator and then increased the bubble flow. As per him, he had that pleco for like 3-4 years. Loss of color is a common sign that something is wrong with your plecos. 2 comments. Since plecos dont have scales, it can be hard to know whether its dropsy or not. Problems such as fin rot and pop eye can be dealt with so that the fish can get better. You see, plecos are nocturnal fish that like to hide and rest during the day. It can hard to know whether your pleco is stressed, as theyre quite withdrawn fish. I think you can see him in my signature pic. He could still be in shock from the move. When the water quality is poor, it'll weaken the immune system of the plecos. I had this fish gang for 2 years together now, with only minor So I just went to put food in the fish tank. They do generaly but if it is stunted then I would say I lived to its maximum potential given the circumstances. Regular water changes are an important part of fish tank maintenance. You shouldnt count the fish out completely just yet, though. Take action by doing water changes and adding an air pump. If your pleco has a sunken belly, its starving due to malnutrition. Plecs are tropical fish, and goldfish are coldwater, so they're not compatible unfortunately. They are seriously chill dudes lol. Since plecos are a type of catfish, they feed off of algae. Some even buy them specifically to try to keep the fish tank clean. Make sure to add plenty of caves and natural hiding spaces if you keep multiple males in the same tank. It might help you to figure out how to help the fish by doing some troubleshooting. Contests including the Tank of the Month, Water parameters good? Can I Keep A Pleco With A Goldfish? | My Aquarium Club The hardest test for a Pleco keeper is to get the Pleco addapted to his new home. You can feed the fish foods that are high in fiber to clear it up. How to Keep Baby Plecos Alive? 11 Facts You Should Know - WhyPetFish.com The cause of most of these symptoms stems from the water conditions. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Depending on the species, feed a varied diet of both vegetables and protein-rich foods that sink to the bottom. When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. But what they carry and what will work I couldn't say. Do you see the gills moving at all or are they truly motionless? Most of these signs of death are preventable by monitoring the water conditions and performing weekly water changes. If he's alive and swims away why are you worried? This can be a sign of an internal infection due to injury or the food its been eating. Rapid temperature changes, irregular feeding schedules, and poor water conditions also contribute to stress in fish. My pleco has started acting as if he's on fire! My husband's pleco often does this. We have a separate article all about Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich), so be sure to check it out. My drop checker had pretty much all of the air OUT of the "exchainge" area, in it's place was water. You may see this in plecos that don't get enough to eat. WHats wrong? An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. Its very plausible that plecos can die due to not being fed properly. Always supply food in the presence of light to the baby fish. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. I had similar problems when I had a faulty regulator. In order to keep your Pleco happy, you will need to ensure that the tank is heated and supplied with a filter. My pleco did the same thing, he still hides in his cave for long periods of time but if I sneak up on the tank he is usually swimming around. lol. Keep reading to know more. There has to be something wrong. Usually, rapid breathing is caused by some pollutant or toxic in the water. Youll want to fix issues with the oxygen levels being too low. Poor water conditions, bacterial infections, and even injuries have been known to make this happen. Mine is also out at night. What kind of pleco is he? 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. The pleco has stayed motionless in the same spot and position for a few weeks and I started wondering if it was dead so this morning I took a net and stuck it near him and he freaked out, swam around and went back to the same spot. Cloudy eyes will be a sign that the fish is being kept in bad water. This could happen to any fish owner, so it is essential to understand the causes of these symptoms and how to treat them. Why Do My Plecos Always Die And How To Keep Plecos From Dying? - AG They will hide, or just freeze like a rock if they think they are in danger or are freaking out. I think it may be that the paleness is a better indicator of excessive CO2 than the gasping at the top is. If your pleco has a cloudy eye but acts normal, it will probably go away by itself. Or can he be savedlaying on side at bottom of tank, Betta laying at bottom of tank, not eating, pale, barely breathing. If your pleco has seemingly rips/cuts in its fins, its most likely fin rot. When the fish tank stays dirty, its going to cause stress to the fish, and that will make them sick. In some circumstances, plecos can get really aggressive towards each other. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention. Plecos are a type of tropical fish that need a heated tank with a filter. They will float uncontrollably to the top of the aquarium, turned upside down, while still being alive. Lastly, before or during spawning, plecos can breathe more rapidly since this is energy-consuming. An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. To revive a dying pleco, perform a big water change and make sure the water parameters are optimal. If your fish is stressed, you may notice the loss of color in addition to the loss of appetite and abnormal swimming behaviors. Tank of the Month, 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. Stress. Physical damage. Many different types of illnesses will make fish feel lethargic. Do your best to determine what is wrong with the fish. HELP! My pleco is going crazy! I don't know what's wrong. This is perfectly normal behavior for plecos. Fish are fascinating creatures, and although some are easy to take care of, that doesnt eliminate the possibility of them developing a sickness. When you try to touch the fish, its going to react and swim away. I've haven't tried touching him by hand but when I touched him with a net it seemed like he tried to run away but couldn't. If your temperature and pH are out of this range, you need to take steps to remedy the situation. Why is my fish laying on its side at the bottom? I know one of my tetras had mouth fungus and I used aquari-sol and it took care of the problem. I quickly put in an airstone and within 5 minutes they were back to normal. I have another one and don't want to lose both. Put him in the 10g quarantine tank, along with the current population (3 lemon tetras, 2 bronze cories, one oto). Quarantining fish is putting them in a closed-off environment for a couple of weeks, before putting them in your main tank. Plecos are often misunderstood because they dont like to be shown off, which makes sense given their wild origins. I thought the pH controller was set okay so I wasn't too worried. Rotting fins is a sign that your fish have some type of bacterial infection. 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. Then it has cloudy eyes. If your pleco is stressed, it may exhibit some of the following behaviors: Hiding is a natural defensive response for many fish. It could be that the fish is sick and has some type of problem with its gills. Did you add any new fish recently, particularly any wild caught or F1s? When a pleco is not moving it can be a sign that the water has gotten too polluted or it is lacking food. 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. if he is acting strange i would try to get him in a small treatment tank with lots of oxygen, dose a general med and salt would be a good start till you can figure out what is wrong with the little fella. Why Did My Pleco Die and How to Prevent the Fish from Dying? 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). He flaps his fins about once e Help, my guppy is lying on its back and isnt moving but is still alive. Disease can make fish sluggish and it can also cause them to stop eating. Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. Youll want to scoop the fish out of the tank and dispose of it. A fish that doesnt react to being touched is probably dead. This can happen to any fish if it does not have enough oxygen in its environment, if it is too cold or hot, or if the water quality has deteriorated. Any recent additions to the tank, or changes made in decor or anything? Low immune system. However, if you tap the fish tank, itll likely spring up and start swimming. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving. Researching before owning your pleco will give you the necessary information and guidance on preventing and treating these issues when they happen because not every fish owner is perfect. If you are worried, you can try to move the pleco with your hands and see if it swims away. Check out the FishForums.net Monthly Just like any other fish, a pleco needs its own specified diet. Hes in a seperate bowl. Ill go over how to tell if your pleco is dying, the underlying causes of those symptoms, and how to prevent them from dying in the future. We are a family friendly community with an incredible resource of information for fish owners and enthusiast alike. Today, I found him lying on his back on the floor of the tank but he is still alive. Check your water parameters as this is the most likely cause. You need to feed the fish the right type of food to keep them alive and healthy. If it truly isnt moving at all, then there is a good chance that the fish is dead. He might be guarding eggs or trying to entice a female to breed with him. Infections are usually caused by the various bacteria and parasites that may be present in the tank. What can I do? Clean the fish tank and regularly change the water to keep things clean. Filtration is crucial to keep your water parameters optimal, as pleco catfish are big polluters. One of our goldfish is sitting at the bottom of the tank and not moving. Are you noticing that your fish doesnt have a lot of pep? Its a sign that something is wrong, and you might need to make some changes. Hello, I have this pleco for like 6 months. If not he likely is moving when you are not around, most pleco are very shy (without a ton of hiding places and a shyer personality can make the pleco even more reclusive), some species are worse for being out and about than others. Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. You really dont want to end up with a whole tank of death fish because you put in one sick fish. we should definitely get more hiding spots. Youll be able to fix things before they get bad so that your fish will stay alive. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH? you read and agreed to the. How Often Should You Take Your Bearded Dragon Out Of Its Cage? He just started acting crazy the last couple of days. Pleco catfish are often kept in the aquarium hobby because, Plecos and cory catfish are two extremely popular catfish species, Pleco catfish are one of the most popular fish in, Pleco spawning Plecos are cave-breeders, and they spawn exclusively in, For a limited time, you can download our FREE pleco catfish ebook, 2022 KeepingCatfish.com - Privacy policy Webdesign by Websmart Websites. If you cant see the gills moving, this suggests that the fish is truly dead. However, a stressed pleco catfish can be recognized by a few things: A stressed pleco is most likely the result of an insufficient tank setup, bad water quality and or conflicts with other fish or plecos. ive heard a story of one spending a few hours on the carpet under a tank (jumper).. when he was found his skin was all dry and his owner thought he was dead but when he went to pick him up he moved.. so after a few weeks in a recovery tank he was back to normal During our latest move, Wataugachicken and I could'nt dislodge one of the bristle nose plecs from our largest chunk of driftwood. Its normal for these fish to hide and be very wary of venturing out. Its also important to clean the fish tank and do regular water changes to avoid throwing the water parameters off. Often, people use aquarium salt to treat this issue, but you can always consult an exotic veterinarian if you have questions. JavaScript is disabled. They will eat some algae but they need more than that to stay healthy. Your pleco may also be stressed due to their tank mates. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. If you get no response, the fish is surely dead. Nutrition might be playing a role in the fish dying as well. Plecos are supposed to be fairly hardy fish, and this likely made you confident enough to purchase some even as a beginner. Ammonia and nitrites build up then bacteria build up to convert them into something less harmful to fish.

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