A pleco dying is often the result of bad information and lack of knowhow about the species. It was in a tank with Piranha and had scars on it, but after a while they left it alone. When a pleco fish dies in the fish tank, itll stop moving and itll float. Plecos are freshwater fish that need to live in water that is between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius (72-82F). The hardest test for a Pleco keeper is to get the Pleco addapted to his new home. Barely breathing! The problem may have been caused by the fish swallowing air, so pre-soak the fish food in the future to avoid this problem. Rotting fins is a sign that your fish have some type of bacterial infection. I doubt this is the issue, but my pleco was acting odd, curving and swimming like he was intoxicated flying from one side to the other, no CO2, regular parameters, but I checked the temperature, like yours mine was breathing up a storm, but I raised the temp 4 degrees up and he was fine my temp dropped to 72, and he was going bananas, but after about 20 minutes I guess he caught a warm front and hugged the heater damn near. Breeding pleco catfish isnt as hard as you might think. It might need a bit more time to get used to its new environment. Injury and stress can also cause cloudy eye issues. (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. 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. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Small anekdote: I have a tank of zebra plecos (L46) (the fish that costs $200+ a piece). He's doing good now. Plecostomus is a type of suckermouth catfish that excretes massive amounts of waste. My drop checker had pretty much all of the air OUT of the "exchainge" area, in it's place was water. The symptoms you describe are exactly what I saw happening to mine. At the petstore, which of course is just a pet store. Quite often bottom dwellers do just sit and not move. You might not be feeding them enough either. Theres a good chance that youre not doing regular tank maintenance. The best way to prevent your Pleco from dying is to feed them a variety of food and provide at least 10 gallons of water for them every day. In some cases, it might even be as extreme as males killing each other. Pleco males usually fight to assert dominance and defend their territory. Loss of color is a common sign that something is wrong with your plecos. You might notice the pleco fish swimming erratically. Change the Tank Water Frequently. I wouldn't worry too much about yours! Try to fix this issue by isolating the fish and fixing issues with the water quality. Paleness is certainly a distress symptom. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Some plecos will swim upside down because they want to eat the food on the surface of the water. When done cleaning he put them back in, minus the pleco that had jumped out of the bucket. Common pleco not moving after tank flush! ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH? Most likely, the fish have fin rot due to poor water conditions in the tank. Hello, and thanks for visiting Avid Aquarist! In order to keep your Pleco happy, you will need to ensure that the tank is heated and supplied with a filter. I went and asked to the shop from where I got that pleco. Plecs are tropical fish, and goldfish are coldwater, so they're not compatible unfortunately. If the chain is broken, this creates dangerous circumstances. If your pleco is gulping at the surface, it doesnt have enough oxygen and is suffocating. When one of us would pack it in for a while we would pass this one pleco to another person. Youll also get a bit of information about why these signs are occurring. A pleco might choose to remain very still and stay in the same spot all day. But getting a hold of aquari-sol quickly may be an issue. Touch the fish and see if you can get it to spring up. Im blogging mostly about freshwater and saltwater aquariums, fish, invertebrates, and plants. If there are elevated levels of chemicals, perform small water changes for a couple of days to lower the concentration. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. If the pleco is not moving but breathing, then there are several things that could be happening. Clean your fish tank. Once mouth and gills are open, you'll need to resuscitate the fish by flushing water over the gills and there are a few ways of doing this. Vicki, I think it was the CO2 as well. A fish that doesnt react to being touched is probably dead. Keeping pleco catfish in an aquarium can be a good. Pleco catfish don't move a lot he started they're nocturnal. 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. Definitely looks underweight. Another reason for a pleco not moving is that it is dead. Its also imperative to regularly clean the fish tank. Depending on the species, feed a varied diet of both vegetables and protein-rich foods that sink to the bottom. i have heard reports of them lasting quite a while out of water. He also has a white spot on his eye. What are you feeding this little guy? Breeding bristlenose plecos is certainly an exciting thing to do. Why Do My Plecos Always Die And How To Keep Plecos From Dying? - AG Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. Please help. Pleco rotting fins. High ammonia and nitrates will cause your fish to lay on its side or lack normal movement around the tank. Provide adequate space and decor (ornaments and positioning of objects) so there is no danger for your pleco. Htels & Rsidences de tourisme; tablissements recevant du public; Habitats individuels & collectifs; Amnagements extrieurs; Design, Mobilier & Tapisseries My pleco is laying on it's side still breathing but not movi By entering this site you declare Poor water conditions usually cause bacterial infections. 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. Does he look as tough he's thin or sick? If you want your plecostomus to be more active, one suggestion is to provide it with live plants and driftwood to use as hiding spots, feed it live insects and invertebrates, and offer it a variety of tank mates. Stress will make fish stop moving and acting normally, too. 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. Does this mean that something happened during the night? It could simply be that the pleco fish succumbed to an illness during the night. Just laying on the bottom. If you catch some of the signs early enough, then itll be possible to turn everything around. This disease is not contagious but should be treated or death will follow. 1 - Loss of Color. just keep an eye on him. Today he seems very docile. He is still alive. This can be a sign of an internal infection due to injury or the food its been eating. Nutrition might be playing a role in the fish dying as well. Your pleco may be dying if it appears to have a bloated stomach. Try touching the fish and see if it reacts. He is breathing, but he isn't moving. LL, yes I just moved, but the pleco has been in this water for almost a month. 5 Clear Signs Your Pleco Is Dying - Fur, Wings, & Scaly Things White spots may appear on your fish if it is sick. 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. Swim Bladder Disorder: How to Tell if Your Floating Pet Fish Is Dead My Pleco sits underneath the rock in my mini cave. Sometimes fish will get like this when theyre sick. In some circumstances, plecos can get really aggressive towards each other. Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions Why is My Pleco Not Moving? Aggression in fish leads to erratic swimming and crashing into the tank. Unfortunately, this is not true. They will hide, or just freeze like a rock if they think they are in danger or are freaking out. One of the most common questions I hear is why do my pleco likes to hide and not come out. If your fishs eyes appear to be bulging out of its head, it may be suffering from pop eye or exophthalmos. Moving forward, it should be easier to look out for problems with the fish. You need to monitor the water parameters to keep things in check. If your plecos fins start to rot or decay, it is important to act quickly as this can spread to the fishs body. 0. Fish are fascinating creatures, and although some are easy to take care of, that doesnt eliminate the possibility of them developing a sickness. I don't know what ever happened to him, but he was ONE TOUGH FISH. Tank mates: one guppy, one otocinclus.. in a 20 gallon tank. Pleco catfish don't move . If you notice your pleco is breathing rapidly or gulping at the surface, its most likely because of an oxygen deficit. Also, does he have any places to hide? Plecos thrive in a tank setup with a variety of different natural covers, like pleco caves, stones, and driftwood. Can be seen here, incuding specific details and how-to's on some of my special features. Most of the time, a pleco laying on its back or side is normal as they sometimes rest in this position. Check the water quality and try to fix anything that is wrong. The white spot on it's eye sounds like some type of fungus. Your pet store may have products that may do the job. Test to see if your ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels are too high. Posted on Last updated: February 14, 2023. Are its gills moving or does it appear to be motionless? My fish is alive and moving, but isnt breathing? Do your best to determine what is wrong with the fish. If this is the case do a 25% water change as soon as possible. They will eat some algae but they need more than that to stay healthy. Its normal for these fish to hide and be very wary of venturing out. To revive a dying pleco, perform a big water change and make sure the water parameters are optimal. Acclimation is floating the bag and slowly adding tank water to the bag to adjust the fish to your tank water. Recently, I watched. If your fish is showing a loss of color or turning white, this may be a sign your pleco is dying. When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. Ouwch. 3. The way your one is laying is a bit worrisome. Please help! Are there females in the tank with him? When a pleco is stressed, it lowers its immunity and increases the risk of fast death. They like to hide normally so he is quite happy. 3. JavaScript is disabled. I had this fish gang for 2 years together now, with only minor If you have an aquarium with plecos and/or snails at, Many aquarists doubt they can keep plecos and shrimp together. 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). Silly fish. Ammonia and nitrites build up then bacteria build up to convert them into something less harmful to fish. Mine doesn't get active til well after 10pm at night. One time a buddy was cleaning his tank and took all the fish out and put them in a bucket. Problems such as fin rot and pop eye can be dealt with so that the fish can get better. Pleco Not Moving but Breathing. This will make you assume that its dead. 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. He just started acting crazy the last couple of days. It still might take plecos a bit to feel bold enough to swim around. What kind of pleco is he? Baby plecos have been known to die when the water temperature fluctuates too much. 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. Any recent additions to the tank, or changes made in decor or anything? Hopefully, this will never happen in your fish tank. Sometimes the fish might even be upside down. My pleco is laying on his back and just moving his gills - Reddit Why is my pleco hiding behind the filter? Paralyzed pleco - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community 7 Signs Your Pleco is Dying and How to Treat - Pet Owners How is your pleco doing Vicki? Therefore, it is important to notice your fishs behaviors when they become sick. certain species have apparently demonstarted the ability to absorb oxygen into their blood through their stomac by swallowing it. Full Tank Mate Guide, Bristlenose Pleco Tank Size 101: Everything You Need To Know, Pleco Price: How Much Do Pleco Cost? But the water parameters are checking out okay. However, they still require feeding two times a week to have a balanced diet. 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. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I'm not entirely sure the kind of pleco as I didn't buy him but I think he is a common pleco. Its also possible that nothing is wrong at all. Scraping off small pieces and the biofilm growing on them is beneficial for their digestive system. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving. The main pressure on the regulator has been dropping so I raised the main pressure in the regulator and then increased the bubble flow. JavaScript is disabled. My Albino catfish does this all the time. Add an airstone if your filter doesnt create enough surface movement. we should definitely get more hiding spots. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Why is My Fish Laying On the Side? - Aquarium Hunter Without the tank cycled, there are no good bacteria to convert the ammonia into nitrates for live plants to consume. If you cant see your pleco at all, it may be hiding in the substrate or in the plants. Your pleco may also be stressed due to their tank mates. The fish might be very sick and it feels unable to move. Surprisingly, common plecos aren't meant for most home aquariums. If youre not taking good care of the tank, then the fish might die. You called it a he is it actually male? 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? Fish laying on its side, mouth open. We have a separate article all about Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich), so be sure to check it out. Bloodworms, brine shrimp, and even small amounts of vegetables can help your fish be more healthy. (By Species), Breeding Pleco Catfish Guide With Pictures, Cory Catfish And Plecos Tank Mate guide, Do plecos bury themselves? Abdominal swelling can be caused by many things including the following: stress, tank conditions, and constipation. This can be caused by many things, such as poor water conditions, stress, or poor nutrition. Many people mistakenly think that plecos dont need to be fed. This is constant. If it was dead youd know it, lol. (Possible Causes). I had a pleco who lived out of water for 12 mins! Fish can recover from this but most will die. That caused me to look at all of the fish, and I saw that many were very pale. How can I make my plecostomus more active? Youll also need to fix issues with water quality in the tank while solving stress problems. Just keep an eye on him. If your pleco is stressed, it may exhibit some of the following behaviors: Hiding is a natural defensive response for many fish. As you can tell, its important to treat things as soon as you can. Checking your tanks levels and temperatures will help you determine if the tanks conditions are unsafe for your pleco. I found a great deal on a queen arabesque pleco this week, so it's at home now. Ive put this first on the list because its probably the most frequently made a mistake. What kind of disease? Malnutrition can also lead to constipation, especially when too much protein is fed. Maracyn Two is a product that you can purchase to treat fin rot. I think it may be that the paleness is a better indicator of excessive CO2 than the gasping at the top is. You might see a pleco fish laying at the bottom of the tank motionless. Is the fish dead or is it really sick? Learn more. I don't want to lose him but I don't want him to suffer. A fish dying during the night doesnt necessarily indicate that something happened the very night that it died. Why is my Pleco Floating Upside Down? (4 Quick Solutions) It could be related to water quality, malnutrition, or even other things in the tank that are causing the fish stress. Continue reading to learn about reasons why plecos might stop moving. Fish tank Pet fish Pet Animals and Pets. Make sure to add plenty of caves and natural hiding spaces if you keep multiple males in the same tank. Youll want to try to touch the fish to see if it reacts at all. Contests including the Tank of the Month, Its also important to clean the fish tank and do regular water changes to avoid throwing the water parameters off. There are common signs and symptoms among fish diseases that show your fish is battling more than just a common sickness. you read and agreed to the. from the previous caretakers who did a pretty bad job in taking care of fish so I wouldn't be suprised if it is sick or something like that. FishForums.net is one of the internet's oldest and premier Tropical Fish and Aquarium forums! When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. Another result of starvation might be aggression, or your pleco sucking on the slime coat of fish like we sometimes see with goldfish. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. Do your best to give your plecos the right food based on what is recommended for their species. The best way is to use a net or other implement to scoop them out of the water. The cause of most of these symptoms stems from the water conditions. 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. I tried to prod him gently, but he still hasn't moved. You really dont want to end up with a whole tank of death fish because you put in one sick fish. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It frustrates me that when you look up information about plecos, people speak about plecos as one species. You must log in or register to reply here. Keep reading to know more. It is a disease that causes fluid build-up in the eye socket, resulting in the eyes protruding out of the socket. Did you add any new fish recently, particularly any wild caught or F1s? Temperature levels, chemical levels, and pH could be contributing factors to poor water conditions. Did you just get him? It looks like he is taking his last breaths in only a day and that too without showing any symptoms of any disease. If this is the case do a 25% water change as soon as possible. Stress. 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. Sometimes plecos will just float near the top of the tank when the oxygen levels arent sufficient. If he's alive and swims away why are you worried? Also, algae is starting to grow on the glass so I dont think that hes roaming around much at night either. Fish of the Month, Pet of the Month and more! Fish that are acclimated in this fashion become comfortable in new tanks faster. They take a full breath, in and out, about 6 times a second. Fixing the water conditions will usually be enough to get the fish to become more active again. Im experienced in the fishkeeping hobby for many years. If you give them a variety of hiding spots, a variety of plants, and a variety of tank mates, your pleco will most likely be happier and more active.
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