New fish in very rough shape, any tips?

[Plec123]

I was at my lfs today and saw an L137 pleco that was in pretty rough shape. Most of the caudal fin missing, having a tough time staying upright if he flipped over, etc. The owner gave him to me for free because he wouldn't sell a fish in that condition, so I'm gonna do my best to rehab the little guy.

He's in a planted 75 gallon tank with sand substrate and a substantial forest of corkscrew val, which he is sitting in. I put some zucchini and chopped shrimp on the bottom near him and treated the tank with melfix and pimafix prophylactically. Parameters are slightly acidic pH with temp of 76 and moderate-low hardness. The other fish are all great, just wanna nurse this one back to health.

Is there anything else I can do to try to aid his recovery, or is this just a waiting game?

 

[Tom the bomb]

How acidic. Try to get it as close to 7.0. But 6.6 would be decent.
I don't know.... Just make sure water is pristine. Parameters are perfect and keep treating it with melafiz and pimafix. Keep up with the diet. Try algae wafers too. And make cure the other fish aren't stressing it out by chasing it or any signs of aggression. U could also try Seachem stressguard, It works great.

 

[kno4te]

Keep nitrates down as low as possible. Make sure it’s eating and it should recover. Keep the pH steady.

 

[FreshyFresh]

I'm with the above suggestion of keeping nitrates as low as possible.

I'd want to keep the pH where ever your tap water pH settles out to.

 

[Plec123]

Thanks people, I'm hoping he'll start eating, that'll be the biggest plus. Nitrates have been good. I may do some small daily WC to maintain nitrates but my params are very close to those of the store and my tap has a higher pH and i don't wanna cause too much fluctuation.

 

[Nm1]

Melafix, clean water, 80 degrees and salt.

 

[celebrist]

I suggest zucchini over algae pellets, easier to see if it is feeding and easier to remove if he isn't.

 

[Raka]

Steady PH is more important in my experience than "ideals", all my plecos are in 8.4.

 

[Robinhood]

Steady PH is more important in my experience than "ideals", all my plecos are in 8.4.

I agree with you I keep plecos in with my african cichlid tank and they do fine. I have a constant drip system with overflow so no water changes.

 

[Plec123]

Just an update, he didn't make it. Got home from the gym maybe 4-5 hours after putting him in my tank to find him dead. I wonder if even moving was too stressful for him.