Ok I'm not to sure how this site works but I joined in hope to find some answers for my fish... I have a 115 gallon tank containing, 2 large red Oscars (10 & 7 inches) , albino Oscar (6 inches), 4 jack Dempsey ( two are 6 inches & two are 3 inches) , convict ( 3 inches) , angelfish (4 inches) an 2 Plecos that are 8 inches... all the fish have been together for a long time an for the most part get along they all have their own special place in the tank to call their own.. expect 1 of my Plecos recently purchased at petco as an adoption. He has been in the tank for 6 days. 2 days ago I noticed a hole in his back fin the width of a pencil I didn't think much of it because he's new an thought I may have missed that feature to him, however now his back fin and tail look torn an feathered. He is not picked on the other fish just swim around the plecos.. I'm thinking I bought him with Fin rot... An I'm not sure how to go about treating him.... Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated... Thanks in advance.
Pleco with Fin Rot...
- Thread starter AngelaNiikole
- Start date
Clean water is a good start. What are your parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate? I'm guessing with that heavily stocked tank your nitrates are probably high...frequent large waterchanges are the best medicine
Oh, and welcome to the best fish forum on the planet!! You came to the right place for solid info. You really should quarantine fish for a few weeks before adding them to your main tank. You can lose your whole collection adding a fish that may be carrying a disease. Not a fun lesson to learn the hard way!
I vacuum 20 gallons every 4 or 5 days. Treat new water with stress coat, salt, and easy balance. Rinse my filter cartridges when water is changed. Replace cartridges every 2 weeks.
Temp=78 degrees
Ph=7.8
Alkalinity=120
Chlorine= 0
Hardness=150
Nitrite= 150
Nitrate=50
You have an incredibly high bio load in that tank, what kind of filtration are you running? If I had to guess I'd say water quality is your issue, you should not have measurable nitrites. Depending on what your filtration is thats probably what you need to fix along with very large water changes till it's under control. Even then with those fish you will want to do large weekly water changes. Welcome to the site btw! 
You have an incredibly high bio load in that tank, what kind of filtration are you running? If I had to guess I'd say water quality is your issue, you should not have measurable nitrites. Depending on what your filtration is thats probably what you need to fix along with very large water changes till it's under control. Even then with those fish you will want to do large weekly water changes. Welcome to the site btw!
Non of my other fish have or have had any problems. Just this new Pleco. I have 2 marine land penguin bio wheel 360 filters running. Two 4 inch airstones. I change the water quite often otherwise the shrimp shells the Oscars spit out add up fast an smell. So I do 20 gallon vacuum every 4 or 5 days. How do I lower my nitrite? Just with water changes? Should I remove the sick Pleco? All I would have to put him in is one of my 5 gallon buckets with an airstone at the moment...You have an incredibly high bio load in that tank, what kind of filtration are you running? If I had to guess I'd say water quality is your issue, you should not have measurable nitrites. Depending on what your filtration is thats probably what you need to fix along with very large water changes till it's under control. Even then with those fish you will want to do large weekly water changes. Welcome to the site btw!
Would do 50% wc's twice a week with ur stock. That'll keep ur water levels controlled with water checks. Your nitrates should be less than 20 at all times and the pleco should heal up. I assume from that and not getting picked on by cichlids in the tank.
Long term the tank needs to be upgraded if you plan to keep all the fish, especially together.
Long term the tank needs to be upgraded if you plan to keep all the fish, especially together.
