I have a dying pleco

[betta blue]

Oh dear! Don't know what to do. Been trying to get back on this site for most of the day. My beautiful pleco is on the substrate upside down and breathing hard. All of his coloring is a very defined pattern (whitish and black)as opposed to his usual grey. His tail is red and black. I think his tummy looks bloated. I've had him for 11 years...bought him cause he looked like a stealth airplane on the side of the tank. Had no idea he would grow to 13 inches but thanks to planet catfish (and thank you apistomaster..and another good man), I got 45 gal., 75 gal and finally a 90 gal. to house him. I believe he is a chocolate plec as I have an albino chocolate in the 75 gal. and my babe only grew to 13 inches. Any advise right now would be very much appreciated. Been all day and I'm still crying. I think this may be his last night. He has totally clean water and forget all that PH stuff...he's 11 years old in the same tank with the same water parameters.

Shar

[catfishchaos]

Lack of oxygen in the water possible? Are running any air stones in the tank?

[betta blue]

Thank you for you reply. I'm not quite as devastated as yesterday. He's still alive but struggling. I think it may be dropsy and am going out to buy marci...something that they recommend. I'm not very original in my names but Plec was housed in a 90 gal. tank with Oscar (an Oscar fish). Oscar would terrorize him periodically but we gave Plec a lovely cave that he enjoyed. He put up with Oscar and didn't seem to have major stress problems for the past 5 years that they have lived together. Their tank has regular water changes. Nothing other than Plec's health has changed in that aquarium. I've put Plec in with my albino plec (called Alby) in a 75 gal. with a filter good to 100 gal. I'm not sure if the medication will effect Alby but don't have a choice other than doing it in the 90 gal. to effect Oscar. Afraid the 75 gal. has a number of maturing bristlenoses that hatched during the winter and I've been relocating them to my Black Moor tank and Alby's tank with about another 20 in the tank they hatched. Only tank I didn't put them in was Oscar's as I knew he'd eat them all.

Plec is obviously stressed as his coloring is vibrant...the red on his tail makes me worry. His bloated belly makes me think it's dropsy. I got him as a baby so I know they can live up to 20 years and he's only 11...no, I joined this site 10 years ago so guess he's only 10 and a half. Cause of him I now have 4 tanks that progressed as he grew. I don't want to loose him. Any advise is appreciated.

Shar

[naturalart]

Its possible you may not have a big problem betta blue. I'm assuming you have

Pterygoplichthys pardalis

. Sometimes if a pleco has eaten all the available algea in an aquarium, they can start eating the food you feed the oscar, meaty stuff. If they don't have enough algae in their diet to balance that, they can bloat. If this is true 1 solution is If you just keep it in a healthy, safe environment, the food will slowly digest and you pleco could be good as new in a few days. This is just one possibility.
Do you feed your pleco algea wafers? And what do you mean by 'red tail'. is it damaged or injured? Where does the red occur exactly on tail? Also do you have any pics of the fish?

[betta blue]

Thank you Naturalart. I know my Plec and I know he's in distress. Sorry if I've sounded outrageous with my concerns. I got him right after my blue betta...he's the second fish I've ever owned. Cause of him and how much I cared about him, I now have a 20 gal, a 75 gal and finally a 90 gal for him as he grew. He's still alive but I don't know for how much longer. I am trying the medication for dropsy...hopefully, it won't hurt the albino. Honestly, Plec looks so bad that I don't know how much time he has left. He's only middle age. He should have another 10 years left. Obviously, I've done something wrong but Oscar is more delicate or so I've read and he's fine in the tank. I don't know...it was like over night that I saw him in distress. I don't know whether to put him back into the 90gal. I thought water quality and put him into the 75 gal. that I have a 13in. albino chocolate plec, 3 ghost tetras, a blue gourami and a whole bunch of adolescent bristlenoses. As everyone, my first thought was water quality so I moved him. Dropsy means water quality but I've been dilegent on maintaining water changes cause Oscar is sensitive to it or so I've read. But Oscar is fine and Plec isn't? Sorry, trying not to get emotional as I believe I will have to deal with his loss. I should have had him for 20 years...he's special!
Shar

[betta blue]

Thank you Naturalert. Didn't get your full message the first time. I give Plec sinking algae tablets. I feed Oscar first with frozen Mysis semi thawed (he wolfs them quickly so there is no left overs), ciclid pellets and shrimp pellets all interchanged. While Oscar is busy eating, I put the sinking algae tablets in the tank otherwise Oscar eats them. Plec's body's pattern is totally articulated. I think that means he's in stress (and yes, Plec is a he). Honestly, his coloration right now is extrodanaire...very distinct and beautiful...he looks like a leopard. About an inch from the end of his tail is a slight red coloring with the black marks. I've watched him on the bog wood...not sure if he's eating it. I've put bloodworms into the tank for the Gourami and ghost tetras and sinking algae tablets for Alby and the bristlenose kids. Plec doesn't eat cucumber,lettuce...tried in the past only to scoop it up the following morning so don't think peas will work. Do you think the Marci... (sp) will hurt Alby? He's 6 years old. I've had the Gourami for 5 years and the ghost tetras for about 3 years. I suspect that they are at their life max but still all looking healthy. Alby should have another 14 years. Is that too much stress on Plec to be in a tank with so many little fish. Alby is keeping his distance and not making aggression...gives room to Plec, even though he is the same size...about 13 inches. Should I put Plec back into the 90 gal? It has a marine pump good for 120 gal.
Shar

[naturalart]

When you say "Articulated" do you mean its the natural color of the fish in the cat-elog? is it still upside down? Also what do you mean by the fish looking really bad ... are the fins ragged other than the red mark? Does it have a 'film' covering its body?

I would try to hold off on the Medication. If it is 'sitting' upright but just not feeding thats ok. Large fish like yours can go for probably a week without feeding. Fish do get indigestion just like us. I don't see a problem with all the other little fish other than the pearl gourami. If "Plec" doesn't respond the gourami can pic and pic at its fins and skin for nourishment. And hopefully the two pleco's 'like' each other.

You did mention a smaller tank, is it available for quarantine? That would be best.

[bekateen]

Pics would still be helpful

[betta blue]

Thank you for all your responses. Plec passed away on August 28th. Been too emotional to respond before. We cremated him...his armor was such that it was like a Vikings cremation on a raft...the fire raged around him and he lay there strong. He was in perfect shape and beautiful ... actually said we could have this wonderful fish mantled...nah...would never do that. Thanks to him, I learned fish keeping skills and the importance of size of aquariums, filters, water changes, etc. All my fish in all of Plec's old tanks are doing fine. He's their godfather that taught me the commitment of aquariums. i bought him about 3/4 in. hanging onto an aquarium and looking like a stealth airplane. No one told me that he'd grow to 13 in. But every step of his life was so amazing for me to watch him grow...and yes, he was personable. I don't know what I did wrong but at least it was fast.
I just want to tell anyone out there that a plec needs maintenance but worth watching him daily. He was an amazing acrobat and we watched him from the living room (he lived in the dining room). I've heard all the negatives but if you give a plec space, clean the aquarium regularly, they will give you so much wonder of life with such a big fish watching it...and not hard at all to maintain if you are committed.
Rest in Peace my Plec.
Shar