Catfish / Pleco health problems

pmnovak1 · Post by **pmnovak1** » 08 Oct 2003, 16:11

I am having problems with plecos and certain Cats in my tank. To date, I've had a Feather Fin Syno and a Leopard Pleco both die. I now have an Syno Angelicus in my tank and I think he's coming down with the same thing.

They seem to get a film over their bodies and something that looks like dull spots. The Angelicus has a few white spots on him now. Its not Ich. (I've had that before and know what it looks like). This just seems like a gray haze is covering the fish with a few white spots on the body.

I haven't had any problems with my other fish. I have a four-lined Cat and he's been fine. I also have Angels and Silver Dollars and no issues there.

I'm not sure what this is. There is currently a does of Copper Safe in the tank because I had Ich about 3 weeks ago and am in the process of eradicating it. I pushed the temp up to 85 over a few days. Could it be a temperature thing?

Post by **Silurus** » 08 Oct 2003, 16:13

Do you have a picture, and (someone else will ask of this sooner or later) what are the water parameters?

pmnovak1 · Post by **pmnovak1** » 08 Oct 2003, 16:35

I'm going to try to take a picture tonight. He likes to hide upside down on one of my rock formations, but I'll try to get a good picture taken.

The PH is a little high, around 8.2. (unfortunately, my tap water is pretty high). I've been testing for Ammonia and Nitrites daily and have been doing weekly 30% water changes. Both Ammonia and Nitrates have been negligible. They have risen a little as I continue to learn how much to feed this fish (I overfed them a little and caused a short spike)

Post by **Barbie** » 08 Oct 2003, 17:58

It sounds to me like the tank wasn't cycled. That would definitely stress the fish enough to cause slime coat problems. Ammonia and nitrites need to read 0, Nitrates need to have a reading, that you are reducing with regular, partial water changes. Then you know the tank is stabilized. The addition of salt at a teaspoon per net volume of the tank can sometimes help reduce the toxicity of nitrites, but personally, I would do a 30% water change a day until they were at 0 and you are showing nitrates.

Barbie

pmnovak1 · Post by **pmnovak1** » 08 Oct 2003, 18:44

I've had 0 readings for Ammonia and Nitrites for the last 2 weeks. I have gotten a spike twice when I added more fish and I think I was feeding them too much. I did a water change and cutback on the amount of food I was giving them and the readings stayed at 0.

Because Cats and Plecos are scaleless, are they more suceptile to something like this? I haven't had this issue with my other fish.

Chocky316 · Post by **Chocky316** » 08 Oct 2003, 18:58

could be body slime disease??

Post by **Barbie** » 08 Oct 2003, 19:23

You might do a search for velvet. The pictures of it would give you a good idea if that is what you're dealing with. Any cycling stresses in the tank are giong to make the fish more prone to catching any and every bug that's present in their personal glass box, IME.

Barbie

DeLBoD · Post by **DeLBoD** » 08 Oct 2003, 19:53

Costia might be worth looking up.

pmnovak1 · Post by **pmnovak1** » 10 Oct 2003, 05:29

Here are two pictures of the cat. It might be Ich. Not sure.

http://home.wideopenwest.com/~pdnovak/SickCat1.jpg

And another:

http://home.wideopenwest.com/~pdnovak/SickCat2.jpg

Post by **Silurus** » 10 Oct 2003, 05:35

That is unmistakeably ich. But you said it was the angelicus that was sick and the pics are those of an eupterus.

pmnovak1 · Post by **pmnovak1** » 10 Oct 2003, 05:57

Its funny. I was thinking the same thing, but that was just what the Petstore (Petsmart) had him listed as.

Well, I've been treating the tank for Ich for over a week now, so hopefully he'll get better.