pleco with injuries

[Iris]

Last weekend i got a 5" pleco from my neighbour. I believe he is something like a common pleco, but I'm not even close to being an expert... He came out of a 5g tank. So now i have him in my 33g tank with a goldfish, they are sharing half the tank asI have a devider in there because the goldfish is getting chased by mine. I know goldies and plecos are a bad idea, but so far they have been living together for 5!! years in a 5g tank...

A couple of days ago i noticed that the pleco had a big sore on his back. it first looked like as if the skin was peeling back. So I put him on the side with no other deco but plants and gravel. But since it looked like as if it is getting worse...

is there anything I can do for him?

The water parameters are all good, no ammonia, no nitrite, nitrate 7.

thanks
Iris

[Iris]

anyone?

I think I now know how he got injured. He was trying to hide during the day and was trying to squeeze himself behind the heater....

I hope it is getting better now as I finally got him a cave yesterday.

Please give me any suggestions of how to treat that injury further..

Iris

[Janne]

If it's a heat or mechanical wound, just do regular water changes often to keep the water quality high and bacteria level low and it will heal within a few weeks...if you do not see any improvement after 4-5 days you maybe need to use some medication against bacteria and fungus.
Normally wounds caused of other fishes, furniture in the tank etc. heal very well as long the water is good and special in catfishes, if they not do heal thats a sign that something is wrong with the water.

Janne

[Iris]

thankx Janne,
I'll keep an eye if it gets better now. He took the new cave as a new day time home not the too small place behind the heater

Iris