Bristle Nose Pleco with no Nose

[Koko4Cichlids]

Have you tested your water?

Yes

If yes, what is your ammonia?

0

If yes, what is your nitrite?

0

If yes, what is your nitrate?

5

If I did not test my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be asked to do a test, and that water tests are critical for solving freshwater health problems.

Do you do water changes?

Yes

What percentage of water do you change?

21-30%

How frequently do you change your water?

Every week

If I do not change my water...

1. ...I recognize that I will likely be recommended to do a water change, and water changes are critical for preventing future freshwater health problems.

HELP Please. I’m pretty new to Fish keeping. I have a bristle nose Pleco that got in a fight with my Jack Dempsey and lost so badly…he lost his nose. He’s still alive and a bit sluggish. Please help me save him! (If even possible) :_-(

 

[1 2many]

It looks mortally wounded. It’s not a water quality problem but rather a compatibility issue. Don’t know if it’ll be able to recover from that. Will take a miracle.
In the future, if you are unsure whether or not your fish are compatible ask for advice ahead of time. Tank size and tank mates will be recommended to you.

 

[Caveden]

HELP Please. I’m pretty new to Fish keeping. I have a bristle nose Pleco that got in a fight with my Jack Dempsey and lost so badly…he lost his nose. He’s still alive and a bit sluggish. Please help me save him! (If even possible) :_-( View attachment 1486755

Don’t think it will recover much, it’s mouth is gone or destroyed. It will starve to death and if I were you I would euthanize it.

 

[Deadeye]

Is the mouth in tact? If it is it may have a chance, but I’d agree with others that it doesn’t look good.

It looks mortally wounded. It’s not a water quality problem but rather a compatibility issue. Don’t know if it’ll be able to recover from that. Will take a miracle.
In the future, if you are unsure whether or not your fish are compatible ask for advice ahead of time. Tank size and tank mates will be recommended to you.

I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a bad tankmate issue. Plecos and big American cichlids are frequently mixed without problems. Most of us on here probably would have thought this would work out.
I’m just surprised a dempsey did this. There must have been some size difference because I wouldn’t expect a jd to have the weaponry to break through a pleco like that. What else is in there?

 

[1 2many]

Is the mouth in tact? If it is it may have a chance, but I’d agree with others that it doesn’t look good.

I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a bad tankmate issue. Plecos and big American cichlids are frequently mixed without problems. Most of us on here probably would have thought this would work out.
I’m just surprised a dempsey did this. There must have been some size difference because I wouldn’t expect a jd to have the weaponry to break through a pleco like that. What else is in there?

If the JD is already established and claimed the tank it won’t take kindly to a new tank mate. Even if they were raised together, lack of cover for the pleco to escape or inadequate space for both species to coexist will ultimately lead to undesirable results.

 

[Deadeye]

If the JD is already established and claimed the tank it won’t take kindly to a new tank mate. Even if they were raised together, lack of cover for the pleco to escape or inadequate space for both species to coexist will ultimately lead to undesirable results.

True, I completely agree there that without hiding places or if the pleco is a new addition it would complicate things. I’m pretty sure the only reason my jd is letting his tankmates live because that they’ve always been there (and dominant/too fast to kill).
I’m just more surprised that a jd could bite through what looks to be a good sized pleco’s skull. They are strong but not many fish can do that to a pleco (mostly trying to rule out any other dangers like predatory characins or bigger cichlids like amphs or parachromis).

 

[TwoTankAmin]

1. Plecos hide. If you keep them and do not provide adequate cover, you will have problems sooner or later.
2. The Jack Dempsy is named after the famous boxer. That common name should be a clue as to it's temperament.
3. Most fish see smaller fish and eggs as food.
4. The normal dividing line between what any given fish might eat in term of other fish is, " Does the potential meal fit in it's mouth?"

The thing about keeping fresh water fish is that they come from isolated places, a river, a lake a pond a rice paddy etc. There is a wide diifference in parameters from location to location. The one common thread is the water is fresh (very little or no salt i.e. sodium chloride). This leads to the potential to mix species which would never meet in the wild. It is the responsibility of the fish keeper to make sure 110% that mixing species which would never meet otherwise might will be OK to keep together. If in doubt, do not do it.