Pleco Problem!!!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
Ok as much as I enjoyed reading all of that. I'll try to help.

Filtration doesn't really matter in this this situation. Some fish are just sensitive. Imagine being put in a small box, and then being crowded by 13 others. The fish probably became stressed out because there's no room. It would help if we could see a picture of your setup.
 
I understand completely Sean. In my defense, the one inch per gallon response felt like a dismissal more than help with the questions asked. I can't imagine 14 being the magic number for the tank and no matter what a 15th fish is unable to survive. It appears to only be new plecos that are unable to join(even though the one in the tank is fine). My water seems to be fine and over crowding is natural in the wild. There has to be more possibilities. My apologies if any feathers got ruffled.
 
Dude you need to get a bigger tank or take half of those fish out of there. The fish that are surviving in that tank have been accustomed to the lousy conditions but the new plecs may not be as hardy. The others will sucumb to that tank also in a short amount of time. We are trying to help out. I have a 65 gallom with a total of 22 inches of fish and it has been set up for 10 years! A lot of us have been doing this hobby a long time. I myself started in it in 1968. I still learn everyday something new. So listen to the good advise on this forum. Peace!
 
if you have 14 fish in the tank and you ammonia is fine then that is not your problem. it could just simple be the fish. the fish could have a problem that you just cant see yet.
 
Don't listen to the flamers rcnjr; whilst I don't condone over crowding, I'm not a fish snob that believes fish require a good acre to stretch their legs, and if you give them any less, you're a sick sick monster. If people stop and think about a fishes swimming tendencies, i.e. Bottom dwellers, mid-tank, and finally top. If I have a 10g with 2 bns (opposing sexes) a 4-5 corys, and 6 ...hatchets the tank would be far from overcrowded - all that'd be of concern is params. Which in this case are perfectly fine. So rather than flame someone whos concerned about their tank and is looking to figure out a problem, not have your opinions pushed down his/her throat, post if you have a RELEVANT suggestion, if not, go and blab away on a thread you know something about. Doing something for a long time doesn't mean you know best.

Rcnr; how thick is your gravel? If its too thick and not being distrubed frequently when you gravel vac/do maintenance, gases can build up and kill fish really quick. Is the albino plec you've got in there fully matured? if its mature and male it may be attacking the new plecs during the night and contributing to death by stress. Did you buy the new ones from the same store? It's possible the stock may be sick and again stress of moving is simply finishing them off. Have you checked the corpses for obvious causes of deaths?
 
Hey JUZAH I was trying to help the guy out. If you took it as I don't know what I am doing or like the way I answered him keep your coments to yoourself. Answer the op question and don't worry what other posters post. Seems to be the promblem on this forum lately.
 
Thanks Juzah, I purchased the two plecos from different stores hoping to get different results. The first one that didn't make it had blood on its tail the night previous to its death, but the second one did not. Because of this, I first thought my albino pleco was to blame. When the second loss didn't appear wounded, I was worried it could be anything.

My Albino Pleco is starting to mature because his bristles are starting to show.

I have 25 pounds of rock in the tank (about 2 1/2 - 3 inches). I do a 20% water change every Friday and vacuum the rocks each time.
 
Yeah. As has been said, your tank is overstocked and if you upped the water changes, maybe things would improve. Maybe. What other fish do you have in there? Plecos are high waste producers too.

I know overstocked. See, I have a bristlenose pleco fry tank that is 20 gallons. And right now there's probably close to 50 or 60 inch long fish in there. Know how I keep them alive and well and happy? Other than feeding twice a day? Nearly 100% daily water changes. And the fry don't live in there for months or years: once they hit an inch or more they're moved to the main tank where they can't be eaten. And water change water change water change.

Also I would argue that 10 gallons difference makes a lot, between what you can get away with in a 10 and a 20. A 10 gallon stocked with two bristlenose is pretty full of bottom dwellers.
 
I added a Black Ruby on Monday, proving that the issue is just with Plecos. Despite the amount of fish in the tank, my filter keeps the water clean (153gph). No ammonia, no nitrites. The Black Ruby has been in the tank almost a week and the plecos added only lasted overnight. Juzah might be right, my Albino may be the culprit.


1 Cherry Barb
1 Gold Barb
1 Black Ruby Barb
1 Harlequin Rasbora
1 Pearl Danio
1 Sunset Fire Platy
1 Mickey Mouse Platy
1 Orange Flash Cockatoo
1 Blue Ram
1 Albino Bristlenose
! Chinese Algae Eater
1 Pristella Tetra
1 Bleeding Heart Tetra
2 Emerald Cory Cats
 
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