Bite Marks or sores

[meghanashley]

Does this look like scuffle marks, as my pleco sometimes quarrels with my tire track or sores caused by something eles. Water parameters all check out to be fine. About two weeks ago after a water change my pleco's eyes became cloudy, I did a test the next morning (after the water change) and the PH was in the upper 6 (6.7) range, normally I do not fluctuate that low on the ph scale. No one else in the tank seems to be affected in any way and I have a tire track in the same tank, I would think with him being scaless that he would be more sensitive than the pleco. My pleco's voracious appetite has seemed to be deminished as well in the past couple of weeks.

The tank is a 72g. tankmates are tire track and ctenopoma. I'm running (2) Emperor 400's (1) Emperor 250?, (1) fluval 305 canister and I have a koralia and seio powerheads in the tank.

I removed all decor incase (excepting one piece actually made for fish) incase something was leaching toxins.

 

[meghanashley]

no opinions? The mark on the tail I'm pretty sure is a scuffle mark but the other two look odd to me.

 

[justonemoretank]

Cloudy eyes are usually a symptom of poor water quality. Please provide actual numbers on ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate (if you have record of this from before your water change, and then a current one, that would be AWESOME). If not, though, current readings are fine. This is absolutely necessary if you want an educated response from anyone as to diagnosis.

The decreased appetite also points to poor water quality, or possibly a parasite of some sort. Is his poo normal-looking?

You don't mention it, but do you have any heaters in the tank? Plecos have very thick armor, but can be burned by heaters if they stick onto the glass right next to them.

 

[meghanashley]

I will be honest that I do not test my water weekly. The cloudy eyes showed up the day after I did my weekly water change, I change about 30-40% of the water weekly. The tested the day after showed because of his cloudy eyes and everything ,as said, was fine besides the Ph as I mentioned (i.e amonia lightest bit of yellow nitrates red section and nitrites at 0.0) Because I do not do the tests weekly but have done the tests using the same kit brand (API) for years, I just know I'm good on some test just by the colors if that makes sense. The PH was a little lower I normally fluctuate btwn 7-7.5.

I do have a heater in the tank, but I would think that the mark would be longer (like he had laid against it, instead of the two circular shapes on his side. His eyes have cleared up, other two have been fine.

I have had the pleco for 8 years, and he's been through some tough times (i.e water problems smashed tanks ect). I have never seen sores on him like this. The missing scale on his tail looks like my tire track got him (he normally goes for he's tail area when he is nipping him), but as I said the other two marks kind of have me stumped, not sure if they could be bite marks.