HELP, pleco is dying

[Renteria]

i have a 12in. common pleco that all of the sudden it startded floating. he looks like he has a stomach full of air and his stomach is starting get bigger. also, his anus is red and it looks like a shape of the marble. please help

 

[davo]

prolapse? What are your params, tank conditions etc. What you been feeding?

 

[Renteria]

i havent checked im out of srips. he has a midas tank mate and a ornate bichir tank mate both 12in. in a 55g, for now. the midas was starting to pick on him so i put the pleco in the jag tank. it eats frozen krill, bloodworms and algea on the glass. he is still floating. ireally dont know what todo.

 

[WyldFya]

You don't feed any veggie material?? That is a possible problem in the holding position. Post your params, that will help.

 

[Renteria]

it is probably going to die. it is in with my 10in. jag in a 55g. i ran out of test strips but i know my jags tank is my best tank when it comes down to water quality. i realized that i got the pleco about a week ago from petco and thats probably the reason its dying.... I HATE PETCO!!!!

 

[Bogwoodbruce]

Maybe it has had too much protein in it's diet.

 

[davo]

Maybe it has had too much protein in it's diet.

Yeah, even commons which generally have a higher tolerance for large amounts of crude protein, doesn't do them any good. Need more roughage in the diet mate. Leads to problems such as bloating.

 

[courtneem]

I would say (hope this doesnt come off as mean, not trying to be, just straight forward kind of person)

1. Get a good liquid test kit if you are going to check on you water. Last longer then strips and more cost effective, as well as more true to reading.

2. A pleco which is a very dirty fish (pooping machine) which at 12in can have an impact on your bioload.

3. Adding that large of a fish it is important to know your water params as it can spike as it adjusts.

4. Feed him some peas (laxative effect on fish) blanch them and squeeze the pea out of the skin.

5. Sounds to me like he has blockage or he is really constipated. I will leave it to the more seasoned pleco owners on to other issues. If it could be a parasite etc.

 

[OscartheGrouch]

12 inches? That's a pretty big pleco at petco. I usually get algae wafers for plecos and stay away from the protein diet.

 

[davo]

IMO&E algae wafers are supplement at best... not staple. Not to mention the amount of "algae" wafers that have little to know "algae" and are primarily made of crap and protein based components- always read the label...