Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions Why is My Pleco Not Moving? Most likely, the fish have fin rot due to poor water conditions in the tank. They do generaly but if it is stunted then I would say I lived to its maximum potential given the circumstances. Hopefully, this will never happen in your fish tank. (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. Does he look as tough he's thin or sick? A fish dying during the night doesnt necessarily indicate that something happened the very night that it died. If the fish isnt moving or breathing, its possible that its dead. Vote. Hello guys, thx for your answer and sry for my late reply. Especially if they are in the breeding season. 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. Fish laying on its side, mouth open. It was a bristlenose pleco. Hello, I have this pleco for like 6 months. 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. He is starting to show his age but. When the water quality is poor, itll weaken the immune system of the plecos. Fish can recover from this but most will die. If your temperature and pH are out of this range, you need to take steps to remedy the situation. However, many times, the death of a plecostomus is avoidable by some simple changes in their care. JavaScript is disabled. When a pleco lays motionless at the bottom of the tank it also means they might be getting beat up by other fish inside. 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. Youll also need to fix issues with water quality in the tank while solving stress problems. Although a cloudy eye most likely isnt deadly, it is an indicator that something is wrong and should at least be examined. Baby plecos have been known to die when the water temperature fluctuates too much. Are you noticing that your fish doesnt have a lot of pep? If he's alive and swims away why are you worried? Plecos need to be kept in fish tanks with high oxygen levels. Its very uncomfortable for the plecos, and they might rub against objects in the tank in an attempt to find relief. His very favorite food though is fresh raw zucchini. Popeye can be caused by a few things. Check the tanks temperature to ensure it is between 72 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Some people may find their pleco to be more active if they feed it live worms or move it to a bigger tank. There are over 100 species of plecos, so it is essential to do your research to learn the best source of nutrition for your pleco species. If your pleco is gulping at the surface, it doesnt have enough oxygen and is suffocating. A sunken belly is the result of the gut flora dying off and even though these fish are very hardy, it will lead to death. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Sadly, my pleco died that night. If your plecos fins start to rot or decay, it is important to act quickly as this can spread to the fishs body. He is still breathing, but he doesn't move when I approach him, only if I touch him. Its very plausible that plecos can die due to not being fed properly. These fish simply arent active during the day. If your plecos dont seem to be doing so well, then youre probably disheartened. If your Pleco has been hiding from you for a long time, it may be because the water in the tank is too cold. If you dont already have some in your tank, consider putting in some real. 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. Water parameters good? Put the torch on dim and slowly turn it up and the Plec is there. If your pleco is losing its color and slowly turning white, this might be an indication that it's either sick or dying. Although water conditions are the primary cause of these symptoms, low water temperature can also be a cause. Thats because theyre quite withdrawn fish that dont want to show when theyre sick (otherwise, predators will notice). He just started acting crazy the last couple of days. Resting on the bottom of the tank or hiding in plants or other objects. My Pleco Is Laying On It's Side Still Breathing But Not Movi As I said, the other fish are showing no signs of stress. As per him, he had that pleco for like 3-4 years. Infections are usually caused by the various bacteria and parasites that may be present in the tank. An air pump is optional, but recommended to prevent your pleco from swimming up to the surface to gulp air. This makes it easier for them to get bacterial infections. Hallo everyone, I have a question concerning my 4 year old 10.6 inch pleco. This can happen to any fish if it does not have . So i cranked it up. Take action by doing water changes and adding an air pump. You might not be feeding them enough either. If you discover one of your fish has popeye, check the water levels to determine if that is the cause. When the fish tank stays dirty, its going to cause stress to the fish, and that will make them sick. Today, I found him lying on his back on the floor of the tank but he is still alive. Cloudy eyes will be a sign that the fish is being kept in bad water. When I first set up my pressurized co2 system I was gassing my fish out. It could simply be that the pleco fish succumbed to an illness during the night. People dont monitor the water parameters closely enough, which winds up killing the fish. High ammonia and nitrates will cause your fish to lay on its side or lack normal movement around the tank. Both tanks are also a bit small for their inhabitants, so moving your Plec will overstock your Goldie tank. Here are some of my favorite foods for plecos (make a selection suited for the species youre keeping). Plecos are often wrongfully accused of eating and destroying plants. What kind of pleco is he? The fish could be just fine since its resting during the day. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Keep reading to know more. Many conditions that have the potential to kill plecos can be fixed with the right treatments. If all he is getting is algae (either fresh from the tank or wafer form) he may not be feeling very good. Just like any other fish, a pleco needs its own specified diet. Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. My fish is breathing slowly and is laying at the bottom of his tank on his side. Using a tiny pointed tool, such as a pair of tweezers, slightly open the mouth and slightly loosen the gill covers. Touch the fish and see if you can get it to spring up. Im not sure if somethings wrong or not. As long as nothing appears to be wrong with the fish, its not necessary to worry. 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. The Plecos never attack the food of other fish during such sessions. Are you watching him 24/7? If your fish is stressed, you may notice the loss of color in addition to the loss of appetite and abnormal swimming behaviors. They take a full breath, in and out, about 6 times a second. Sometimes I will catch him moving about. They will eat some algae but they need more than that to stay healthy. Swim Bladder Disorder: How to Tell if Your Floating Pet Fish Is Dead Plecos are strong swimmers, so it may be necessary to have two people present in order to remove them quickly. Fish that are acclimated in this fashion become comfortable in new tanks faster. I also asked my lfs and he said they are MOST active at night. Many things can cause stress such as poor water conditions, overcrowded fish tanks, and incompatible tank mates. If the pleco doesnt respond to you moving it around but still breathes, you have to provide it will clean water as soon as possible and test your water. If you have plecos that just keep dying in your fish tank, then you probably arent caring for them properly. Alright, Ill try zucchinI and see if he likes it. It's a common pleco and it' Why is my betta sitting by the heater not moving. Since plecos dont have scales, it can be hard to know whether its dropsy or not. This situation can be turned around if you act fast. 3. If your plecos seem to be losing color rapidly, then its a sign that theyre dying or getting very sick. Did you add any new fish recently, particularly any wild caught or F1s? In order to keep your Pleco happy, you will need to ensure that the tank is heated and supplied with a filter. Why Did My Pleco Die and How to Prevent the Fish from Dying? You must log in or register to reply here. It was in a tank with Piranha and had scars on it, but after a while they left it alone. Tap water contains chlorine and chlorimine that are toxic to fish. Weve touched a little on improving the tank setup for your pleco catfish. Many enthusiasts say that plecos will play dead sometimes. Fish Lore's aquarium fish forum - aquarium hobbyists helping hobbyists since 2005! I read that they loved blanched vegetables, so I have given them a cucumber slice the last three nights for about an hour and then took it out. Pet stores often sell plecos as algae eaters or cleaner fish which is why you might think it doesnt need its own tank and can survive on leftovers/waste. That caused me to look at all of the fish, and I saw that many were very pale. Fast forward to the next day. I drop an algae wafer in every other day and he usually jumps right on it but since he stays in his little all the time now Im not sure if he eats it. 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. Fish are fascinating creatures, and although some are easy to take care of, that doesnt eliminate the possibility of them developing a sickness. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Sometimes plecos that can't breathe well will float near the surface of the water. This can make it very tough for the fish to swim around normally. What does it mean when a pleco fish dies overnight? Just keep an eye on him. My fish isnt moving. Abdominal swelling typically means that the fish has some type of internal infection. This could happen to any fish owner, so it is essential to understand the causes of these symptoms and how to treat them. Why is My Fish Laying On the Side? - Aquarium Hunter This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Its a quite common sight: a pleco laying on its back. My Pleco did that for a while too. Threw him in the tank anyway and it survived. . Unfortunately, catching him would be all but impossible. Plecos are breathing WAY too fast!! - My Aquarium Club When using tap water you need to use tap water conditioner. The water might be dirty or the parameters could be way off of what they should be. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. JavaScript is disabled. Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. he sound fine, try touching himand he will probably swim away. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. If possible it would be advisable to move the pleco to a nursing tank away from other fish. A male with eggs/ babies may stay in the cave for several weeks without eating. One or both eyes might wind up being covered by a white or gray slime. Can be seen here, incuding specific details and how-to's on some of my special features. If you catch some of the signs early enough, then itll be possible to turn everything around. Always supply food in the presence of light to the baby fish. If they are desperate enough, they will turn upside down in their search for food at the surface. He might be guarding eggs or trying to entice a female to breed with him. HELP! My pleco is going crazy! I don't know what's wrong. I would watch him closely, make sure he eats. Did you just get him? As long as they are damp or wet they can live for probably 20-30 minutes. Vampire plecos need to be fed meaty foods such as shrimp and snails. Both stress and poor water quality can make it more likely that the fish will get infected. What's wrong with him? I have never seen any fish go through as much as this guy did for about 10 years and live. 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 also important to clean the fish tank and do regular water changes to avoid throwing the water parameters off. It can be caused by elevated ammonia levels in the tank or an injury that resulted in a bacterial infection. But getting a hold of aquari-sol quickly may be an issue. You should be testing the water parameters regularly to protect the fish. Ensure that youre feeding the fish appropriately. Unfortunately, this is not true. Even the pleco was quite all right till yesterday. Cloudy eyes in fish appear as a white cast or film over the eye. The first thing you should consider is whether the pleco has died or not. My Albino catfish does this all the time. We need the oxygen to flow and the current from a filter or movement of . If your pleco has seemingly rips/cuts in its fins, its most likely fin rot. A healthy probably pregnant bristlenose pleco female. I have one Bristlenose Pleco in a 55 gallon aquarium along with some other fish. They won't necessarily be dead yet, but they'll be struggling to try to breathe. In some circumstances, plecos can get really aggressive towards each other. When a pleco is not moving it can be a sign that the water has gotten too polluted or it is lacking food. Pleco catfish don't move a lot he started they're nocturnal. What are you feeding this little guy? Im experienced in the fishkeeping hobby for many years. It could be related to water quality, malnutrition, or even other things in the tank that are causing the fish stress. However, if you tap the fish tank, itll likely spring up and start swimming. The way your one is laying is a bit worrisome. Ouwch. He was just hanging there out of the water not moving. Noticing whether your pleco has a sunken in belly can be hard, especially if you dont see it very often. If your pleco fish doesnt appear to be moving, youre likely going to be incredibly concerned. It can get habitual to the routine, and they follow the owner's hand movements. I'm not entirely sure the kind of pleco as I didn't buy him but I think he is a common pleco. Increasing the temperature in the sick fishs tank is another way to combat the disease and aid recovery. They will float uncontrollably to the top of the aquarium, turned upside down, while still being alive. Your pleco may be dying if it appears to have a bloated stomach. Hopefully, that wont be the case for your fish. You might even be concerned that the plecos are dying if things are going particularly bad. Quarantining fish is putting them in a closed-off environment for a couple of weeks, before putting them in your main tank. My husband's pleco often does this. Plecos are freshwater fish that need to live in water that is between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius (72-82F). Low immune system. 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. Also, does he have any places to hide? The average life expectancy of plecos is between 10 and 15 years. If your pleco's fins start to rot or decay, it is important to act quickly as this can spread to the fish's body. They like to hide normally so he is quite happy. 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. Yes this normally happens with Plecos. If this is the case do a 25% water change as soon as possible. Its normal for these fish to hide and be very wary of venturing out. Without the tank cycled, there are no good bacteria to convert the ammonia into nitrates for live plants to consume. You dont have to reach into the tank and touch it with your bare hand. Youll want to scoop the fish out of the tank and dispose of it. Is Your Pleco Swimming Upside Down? (7 Causes of Swim Bladder Issues) I did my weekly 50% water change with my regular EI dosing which didn't bother him at all. Theres a good chance that youre not doing regular tank maintenance. We and our partners share information on your use of this website to help improve your experience. Does the fish appear to be gasping for air? It still might take plecos a bit to feel bold enough to swim around. If it was dead youd know it, lol. Monitoring your water levels and performing weekly water changes will prevent this from happening to your fish. 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. The Pleco is Bloated. Plecos are a type of tropical fish that need a heated tank with a filter. Paralyzed pleco - Aquarium Advice - Aquarium Forum Community Most of the day, he is there. 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. Below, youll see some of the common signs that show that your pleco fish might be dying. Pleco males usually fight to assert dominance and defend their territory. Another reason for a pleco not moving is that it is dead. The hardest test for a Pleco keeper is to get the Pleco addapted to his new home. 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. White spots on the body can be seen as signs of ich. Youll also get a bit of information about why these signs are occurring. Also having a water test kit for ammonia and nitrite will help greatly in knowing when to do water changes. Change the Tank Water Frequently. 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention, The average life expectancy of plecos is between 10 and 15 years. It is the most common disease in tropical fish, like plecos, and is likely caused by poor water conditions. A pleco cant survive off of algae and needs its own diet, apart from what you feed its tank mates. Fish laying on its side in the bottom of the tank. Recently, I watched. Malnutrition can make plecos get sick, and they will certainly die if you dont feed them enough. This parasitic infection causes white spots to appear all over the fish. If this is not taken care of, it will cause your fish to die. 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?

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