I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this but she's taken a turn for the worse. I have an 8 year old female BN pleco who isn't doing too well (it's been about 2.5 weeks). It started with her looking pretty thin, her belly was sunken in. I also think she was breathing more heavily, and continues to do so. It might be my imagination but I don't think so. I upped her feeding and added yummier foods (homemade). She was eating well, gained weight, and has held it back on. Now her appetite has decreased and she's very lethargic and somewhat unresponsive. All of the other fish have been doing well and acting normal this whole time. I don't know what to do for her and she really isn't that old.
1. ammonia = 0
nitrite = 0
nitrate = 10
2. 20gal long, 2 bettas, 1 DP, and 2 BN plecos, some cherry shrimp.
3. The plecos get Ocean Nutrition algae wafers, NLS wafers, shrimp pellets, and home made frozen food. Water is changed weekly, 50+%, and dechlorinated with Prime.
4. Only change in the last week has been increased feeding for the pleco.
5. Tank has been set up for about 6 months. It housed a school of cories, sold those, emptied the tank and added the 2 plecos and 1 betta. A few weeks later the 2nd betta was added. The DP was added about 1 month ago after a 3 week QT. The same filter stayed on this tank the whole time.
Thanks.
Listless Pleco
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Listless Pleco
It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
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Pufferpunk
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Re: Listless Pleco
IPs?
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
Re: Listless Pleco
I have no idea. Unfortunately she passed away shortly after I posted. Such a shame, she should have had more time 
I'm really going to miss her, I hope she didn't suffer much.
I'm really going to miss her, I hope she didn't suffer much.It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
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bertie 83
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Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
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Re: Listless Pleco
Sorry you lost her. I have no useful info as to why it happened. Keep a close eye on the other inhabitants. I do have to say, you will see your dp taking a ride on the bettas fins at some point. That's a guarantee. I had a couple of dps that seemed fine with my betta, then I saw that. Have a backup ready as I guarantee you will need it
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
Re: Listless Pleco
The tank is divided into 3 sections, no worries 
Betta/pleco, puffer, betta so the bettas can't see each other and try to fight through the divider.
Betta/pleco, puffer, betta so the bettas can't see each other and try to fight through the divider.It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another. We consider those, when the cerebral structure/intellectual faculties most developed, as highest. A bee doubtless would when the instincts were.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin
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bertie 83
- Moderator
- Posts: 5298
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:28 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: lineatus R.I.P, South American puffer. Valentini puffer, porcupine puffer.
Non puffer
Danios, Tetras, Redtail Rasporas,
Harlequins, CAE's, Yoyo
Loaches, Clown loaches ,Eels, various shrimp, tangs,wrasses, damsels, chromis - Location (country): Brighton, England
- Location: brighton , england
Re: Listless Pleco
I see. I should have guessed that lol
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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RTR
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Re: Listless Pleco
My guess would be breeder exhaustion. Males do tend to be pretty randy, and with single females, I'd rotate them in and out periodically. Over-breeding is hard on a number of species females, and BN plecos are definitely among them. While the male is egg-tending, get the female out and keep her out until she is fat and happy and egg-laden again (at least 6 weeks for me). If you have spare tank space, using three females in rotation to one male will give them long lives.
Where's the fish? - Neptune
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J-P
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Re: Listless Pleco
I have 5 BN whites that you are welcome to
if you follow me, you avoid stepping in the crap that I just did...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR55G ... pqlgec1A2Q
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZR55G ... pqlgec1A2Q
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RTR
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Re: Listless Pleco
I've had mine going since the tank room was set up (~25 years). None of the originals are still around, but the breeders are only the third and a few fourth generations.
Where's the fish? - Neptune