Help me please my plecos from my local fish stores keep dying i dont know what to do. I have tried 2 pitbull plecos a regular spotted pleco and a golden nugget and they all have died. The crazy thing is I bought a red marble bristle nosed pleco from daves rare fish and he is great no problems what so ever. I dont know what to do.
HELP!!! plecos from lfs keep dying
- Thread starter brawler1588
- Start date
Hi,
There are plenty of possibilities that we need to consider. Could you please answer first the diagnostics form below?
The first thing we have to consider are the water parameters. Have you tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, KH and GH between your own tanks and the LFS' tanks where the plecos have been? Try comparing both sets as that is your key to change your acclimation process as necessary. Matubula has a valid point in pointing out your acclimation procedure. Use API liquid drops when doing your tests so the test results will be accurate. Post the results here so we will be able to help correct whatever issue has caused the demise of your plecos. The other thing to watch out for in regards to water conditions is if they also add salt in their tanks. Salt can increase the electrolyte level and can cause osmotic shock if the fish is moved from one tank with high conductivity level to another tank with a different level by a large gap.
Secondly, if your fish are showing unusual signs beforehand, take note of that and try to assess the situation. Why did the fish suffer such external symptoms? Were flukes and other ectoparasites involved? What about bacteria and virus? Were the fish eating very well at all? How did the poop look? Those questions can be answered in the diagnostics form above which I requested so we can cover all bases possible.
Thirdly, be very careful where you buy your fish. Some stores do not provide the best care possible for the fish they sell. Understand that the fish do not take well when they are transported from the farms to wholesalers who quarantine them for only a few days and then repackage them to dealers and eventually to your own tanks. Transportation is a very streneous process that a majority of fish end up dead by the time they arrive to the store's doorstep. Does your store ever quarantine their new stocks? If so, how long? What do they use to treat the fish?
Please keep us updated.
There are plenty of possibilities that we need to consider. Could you please answer first the diagnostics form below?
The first thing we have to consider are the water parameters. Have you tested for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, KH and GH between your own tanks and the LFS' tanks where the plecos have been? Try comparing both sets as that is your key to change your acclimation process as necessary. Matubula has a valid point in pointing out your acclimation procedure. Use API liquid drops when doing your tests so the test results will be accurate. Post the results here so we will be able to help correct whatever issue has caused the demise of your plecos. The other thing to watch out for in regards to water conditions is if they also add salt in their tanks. Salt can increase the electrolyte level and can cause osmotic shock if the fish is moved from one tank with high conductivity level to another tank with a different level by a large gap.
Secondly, if your fish are showing unusual signs beforehand, take note of that and try to assess the situation. Why did the fish suffer such external symptoms? Were flukes and other ectoparasites involved? What about bacteria and virus? Were the fish eating very well at all? How did the poop look? Those questions can be answered in the diagnostics form above which I requested so we can cover all bases possible.
Thirdly, be very careful where you buy your fish. Some stores do not provide the best care possible for the fish they sell. Understand that the fish do not take well when they are transported from the farms to wholesalers who quarantine them for only a few days and then repackage them to dealers and eventually to your own tanks. Transportation is a very streneous process that a majority of fish end up dead by the time they arrive to the store's doorstep. Does your store ever quarantine their new stocks? If so, how long? What do they use to treat the fish?
Please keep us updated.
Make sure the plecos you buy have well rounded bellies! Not shrunken in ones! Some plecos are shy and for that reason and many others slowly starve to death in a Fish Stores tank and sometimes yours too! Make sure they are eating after you bring them home!
I have been told by experienced pleco breeders that they need wood in their diet to aid digestion (I have not verified this theory but always used it). Is your wood non toxic? Could they be chewing on something toxic in your tank? Are they getting any wood?
brawler1588;3700165; said:
The pitbulls need alot of oxygen in the tank. Not sure what a spotted pleco is. Gold nuggets can be sensitive fish and not for an average tank. BN's are pretty hardy plecos. So, overall I'm not surprised as to which one survived.
Also your lfs could have had them in different conditions then your tank (PH and temp).
The lfs said to but the closed bag into the tank to get the water to correct temp. Than dump out there water and than put him in no mixture of store water and my water. Tank has been running for about 2 months no amonia ph is 7.6- 7.8 and nitrite is the first Lowest don't know exactly the number. The thing about the wood is that the longest they have lasted is a weeks or so. The golden nugget bought on thurs. And died two days later. It is a cichlid tank but the ph isn't that high plenty of hiding spots any thing else I missed remind me so I can state it thanks everyone
just to be sure... you are not dumping the fish store water into your tank. you should drip your water into the bag, for a while, and then net them into the aquarium... dump the bag water into a sink or water the plants.
i had a couple die like that as well...good luck
Yea I don't put the store water in my tank. You also said drip the water into the bag how do I do that