New here & Mr. Pl*co needs help!

[ladyhawk]

Hello all. Glad to join this forum. You are all spoke highly of in another group I visit. When ever someone needs help with a CF it's said to visit here

So here I am and a problem from the get go. We have a 6 inch(or so) common Pl*co. He was liveing in 55 gallon and doing well for several months. After adding Pink Convicts to the tank they picked on his finns for his Algae waffers So I moved him into a 46 gallon, planted tropical tank. He wasn't fond of the bright light at first but soon seemed to adjust and was eating well. However in a few days he got this whitish patchy color on his skin. After doing some reading I felt he had become ill with a secondary infection and got Fungus. I moved him to a 10 Gallon sick tank and treated with Melafix, 5 days of Maracyn. After that 1 dose of Fungus clear. His color went back to normal, he ate the whole time. So after 2 or so weeks in treat ment and then several days of looking good I moved him back to the planted tank.

He is eating but again he looks very off in color to me. He is pale all over. Its not a slimey looking pale it's just he is off looking. What could cause this? Is the bright light for plants a problem for a Pl*co? He has a hidy spot. Can any one help? this is my sons fish. He just loves how big they get. We even have a 100 gallon we bought for him and his original buddies. We don't want to lose the guy. Help please!

what a way to introduce myself

[Silurus]

It sounds like your pleco is just a little stressed by the bright lighting, as they are known to change colors depending on mood, lighting and substrate.
One way to tell if your pleco is OK is to have a look at the fish when the lights are off.

[ladyhawk]

Ok...so after the lights go out I do notice he sticks to the glass a lot more than while the lights are on. He seems a little extra shy while the lights are on also. So tonight after lights out I will look at him. If he looks back to normal what dose this mean? If the lights are causeing stress that can't be a good thing for him. Would adding some more hide caves help you think?

Thank you for the help so far

[Silurus]

More hiding space is always welcome. What can it hide under now?

[ladyhawk]

Right now there is a rock stuckture that has a hallowed out center. The opening is pretty well cover by plants. He also stays under places where the plants are thick. I could break some clay pots to make caves in between some of the plants. Would that do?

Also... can I post a picture useing photo bucket? I could try and get one of him. Then you could see what you think. Plus this would show the tank.

[Silurus]

Would that do?

That would be very good. Or you could use PVC pipe of a suitable diameter (although clay pots are esthetically more pleasing).

[Beersnob]

How much planting foilage do you have? My wife is in charge of the plants (and they may be over planted) but the plecos are under some tall plants with broad leaves that shield them from the plant lights. I believe Silurus is correct with the hiding issue. In fact, I see my Pleco once a day for about 1-minute. If I was younger, I'd say I hate hide-n-seek! But alas I am not a youngster playing those type of games!


Good luck,

Scott

[ladyhawk]

Well the tank WAS thicker(plants I mean) . When I move Mr. Pl*co to the sick tank believeing he had fungus, I also treated this tank. Wouldn't have served much purpose to get him well only to put him back into the tank if he got fungus there. 2 mollies also came down with it by the way. Any how....some of the plants died. I had to thin it out over the last couple days. I have ordered some new plants, but gotta wait 2 weeks for them. I was hopeing the 1 hidy spot was gonna be enough.

Since it seems to be a light issue I bought a medium size clay pot today. Gonna break it tonight, clean it and put it in the morning. With any luck he will go back to looking like himself. He is a really pale brownish red color. He just looks wrong Looking through your pics here I think he is a L008...Leopard ...like I said ...'think'.

Thanks so much No one has really been able to tell me if the light would stress him untill now.