my l205 died =(

[AlvinBrockway]

So i went away for about a day and a half, when i got home i checked on my fish first thing. I see my l205 sitting in a corner i assume hes alive check on the other fish and start to feed them. After awhile i notice the 205 isn't moving, so i decide to investigate the situation. I grab my net and move it near him, nothing, i tap him with the net, nothing =( he just died, the only thing i've done new is put in some Mopani driftwood, and a hydor air/bubbler combo. I check water parameters and find my water to be perfect, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 7.7 ph. My other fish are fine, a common pleco and a red oscar. I check the 205 for signs of the oscar bullying him and i see nothing and honestly my oscar has been very peaceful towards any other fish i put near him. The only other thing i changed was a decoration that he used to sit inside all the time i flipped it over so he can still get in, but is also viewable as he wasn't able to be seen the way the decoration was originally setup. I doubt anyone can tell me the exact reason my 205 died, im writing more just to share my sad story with others, i hope i didnt stress him out changing the decoration on him.

[MatsP]

Sorry to hear that.

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Mats

[AlvinBrockway]

yea im pretty bummed out by the whole thing, as he was the coolest fish i had. Anyhow i plan on getting some more soon, going to call my LFS and see what he's got available.

[MatsP]

I would try to avoid mixing small, fancy plecos with Oscars and large plecos tho' - if you have only one tank, then you'd better stick with fish that go well with Oscar - that means robust fishes, not small fancy plecos. (They can certainly be fancy, as long as they have the defences to protect themselves).

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Mats

[Farid]

hi alvin,
at first i have to say...the belly of your 205 (the pic i saw) was not really well fed...
to get a Peckoltia fit and vital you need:

min. 28°C
soft wood
different food types (shrimps, mosquito larvae (frozen nod dried), different tablettes, and dependng of the species ...vegetarian food like red pepers, zucchini, koliflower...and so on

wood helps the catfish to digest while the high temperatures help aswell for a good digestion!
if i'm honest i asked myself how long the L205 will make it as the tank is not really set up for L types...

if you like i can make some pics of my catfish tanks to give some examples...

good luck in the future
farid

[AlvinBrockway]

the pics that i posted were when i first got him from my LFS and he just got it in that day, so i guess whoever the supplier was is to blame, i've only had the fish 2-3 weeks. Im 99.99% sure it wasn't the oscar that killed the fish and i doubt it was a territory issue with the other pleco i guess chalk it up to bad luck. I have put veggies in, cucumber, corn, peas(unshelled) and algae wafers and he seemed happy, i suppose i should have done some more research but nothing really points to any one reason why he died..i inspected him for signs of a fight with the oscar as that was my first thought and found no signs, then i checked water parameters perfect, <.3mg nitrate, 0 ammonia, 74f water temp...live and learn i suppose.

[Birger]

Im 99.99% sure it wasn't the oscar that killed the fish and i doubt it was a territory issue with the other pl*co i guess chalk it up to bad luck.

It may not have hurt it directly but the chances of one of these fish competing with an oscar and a common pleco are very slim, whether it is for territory or food.

Birger

[Farid]

hi alvin,
what kind of hiding places did he had? like a cave or a peace of wood?

do you maybe have a picture of the whole tank?

cheers
farid

[AlvinBrockway]

I have a big piece of Mopani Driftwood, its about 15in length, and 8 inchs wide, also a decoration thats hallow which he loved to be in.

[AlvinBrockway]

I have a big piece of Mopani Driftwood, its about 15in length, and 8 inchs wide, also a decoration thats hallow which he loved to be in.

[Farid]

hi alvin,
mopani is not really soft...if you can carve smething with your fingernail while the wood is dry...then is is the god stuff...

here are some of my tanks..not only for catfish...

28x Sewellia sp. "spotted 100x40x30cm


10x L134 & babies 80x40x50cm


5x (Monocirrhus polyacanthus) 6x LG6 80x40x50cm


Nannoptopoma sp. "Peru" , LG6 babies 27,5x40x30cm


8x LDA33 & 12x (Brycinus longipinnis) 100x60x40cm


4x L204 & Endler Guppies 100x60x40cm


14x Loricaria melini & Mix 100x60x40cm


imagine you are the fish and you like it the way where you came from...in my mind while installing a fishtank i try to (think like) be the fish and look at things i would like as if it would be my home soon...things you dont find in nature like any unnecessary decoration does not help...a clay cave or a coconut is much more than a ceramik skull or piramids for example...bamboo is perfect for any fish to find a quite place...5 bamboos are even better and do not only look... they also feel natural while being eaten

i just found some nice pics of the amazonas UW.
http://www.amanotakashi.net/portfoli...nderwater.html

i think you can choose any of these fotos and try to make something similar in any size of tank ...make it simple but don't make it too perfect...then nature sometimes is very wild...
i also give my fishes (any kind) a place where they can hide very well so i cant see them...this is (i think) necessary so they can have a break from anything that stresses them...this can be you (and anyone else) just looking into the tank. soon as the animals get used to your movements and to the moments you approach, you open the cover to feed them...anything...they will sooner or later not go away. and this is the moment the fish is feeling safe. from now on you can enjoy and observe the real behavour of any type of fish!
some people install a tank ...not too much things like wood stones or anything so they can see their fish...the only thing we sometimes need is patience...

this should not be any wrong thinking about your installation...but i think maybe you can use one or more things to give your tank (fish) a natural look...

best regards
farid