Ornate + Pleco Question

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I

IUPEric

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Aug 5, 2009
7
0
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Pennsylvania
I recently acquired 2 Ornate Bichirs about 9". The previous owner, apparently without doing their homework, kept them in a small tank with two 7" Plecos. The Plecos "sucked" on the Bichir's slimecoat to the point of irritation. The scales of the Bichir's now look very light in color, almost transparent and have what looks like blood around the edges of where the Pleco was sucking. After rehomeing them, I started treatment with Marafix and have seen improvement over the past few days. I have also raised the temp to 80.

Can anyone provide any more advice on helping to heal these guys?

I am still learning about these fish, so please don't jump all over me about doing something wrong. This site is the best resource I have found for information about the fish. Thanks in advance.
 
Just make sure to keep there water nice and clean. 2x waterchange/week should do it. Just keep an eye out if any infection sets in.
 
Wishing you the best of luck with them but ive hard that melafix and primafix arent any good with airbreathers? I think i heard somthing like that. But ive kept a 11-12" Ornate with several different plecos and never really had a problem but it was done in larger tanks but its somthing i suppose that everybody can learn from really.
 
I've saved my last Bichir from a fungus by using Pimafix, and also my Leopard Ctenopoma both are air-breathers. Both are fungus free....Sounds like your doing a good job just remember to take out any carbon from your filter (it removes the Meds) hope that helps
 
the ornate will heal in time.. give it a month or so..
 
Thanks everyone! Keep the advice coming. I looked through the forums pretty good before using melafix and found quite a few posts of individuals using it on air breathers, lungfish and bichirs in particular.

I do not think they plecos would have bothered it if: 1) they were being fed regularly and 2) if the tank was larger. I would advise just to keep an eye on your plecos and be sure they aren’t pestering the bichirs.

Thanks again everyone!
 
Update:

I have been using Melafix for awhile and my ornate is healing nicely. I anticpate about one more month for full recovery. Thanks everyone for your help!
 
i believe adding sailt to your water helps especially with the slimecoat issue.
 
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