Losing new Plecos
Posted: 24 Feb 2007, 22:13
Hello,
It seems that I?m not alone having problem when introducing new wild caught plecos. When I bought three L075 some weeks ago I put them in a tank with Corydoras, one or two days later I saw one of them keep hanging by the outlet from the canister filter, he/she was really skinny and didn?t look well. I tried to give different food after the light was turned of but I never saw anyone of them eating.
On the third day I decide to move them into a separate tank, where I could easier watch over them. Two of them were really easy to catch, probably because of the bad condition. I put a strong powerhead in the tank and also raised the temperature and added some salt into the water. I talked to the seller and they recommend me to threat them with Metronidazole which I did later the same evening.
Next day two of them were dead and looked really badly, part of the skin was damaged by bacteria. The last one I put in a well planted aquaria and he is alive and in good condition today. This wasn?t my first Plecos but my experience of Plecos is limited and after this I have bought five new L075 and four L333.
When reading in this and other Pleco forums I understand the stress involved for the fish many times result in bacteria infection and when reaching to a certain extent it?s almost impossible to save the fish. I guess mine wasn?t in the best condition but when reading others experience even healthy fishes can end up dead after changing environment.
I have started to do daily 10% water changes after introducing new Plecos after this, normally I change 30% 1-2 times a week. But how about feeding, instinctly you would like to pour food in front of them to make sure they eat and start to digest. But at the same time they are not very happy about food at this point and some seems to refuse food. Probably this has a more negative effect polluting the water.
I?m curios to hear if there is any good experience to avoid lost of new Plecos?
David
It seems that I?m not alone having problem when introducing new wild caught plecos. When I bought three L075 some weeks ago I put them in a tank with Corydoras, one or two days later I saw one of them keep hanging by the outlet from the canister filter, he/she was really skinny and didn?t look well. I tried to give different food after the light was turned of but I never saw anyone of them eating.
On the third day I decide to move them into a separate tank, where I could easier watch over them. Two of them were really easy to catch, probably because of the bad condition. I put a strong powerhead in the tank and also raised the temperature and added some salt into the water. I talked to the seller and they recommend me to threat them with Metronidazole which I did later the same evening.
Next day two of them were dead and looked really badly, part of the skin was damaged by bacteria. The last one I put in a well planted aquaria and he is alive and in good condition today. This wasn?t my first Plecos but my experience of Plecos is limited and after this I have bought five new L075 and four L333.
When reading in this and other Pleco forums I understand the stress involved for the fish many times result in bacteria infection and when reaching to a certain extent it?s almost impossible to save the fish. I guess mine wasn?t in the best condition but when reading others experience even healthy fishes can end up dead after changing environment.
I have started to do daily 10% water changes after introducing new Plecos after this, normally I change 30% 1-2 times a week. But how about feeding, instinctly you would like to pour food in front of them to make sure they eat and start to digest. But at the same time they are not very happy about food at this point and some seems to refuse food. Probably this has a more negative effect polluting the water.
I?m curios to hear if there is any good experience to avoid lost of new Plecos?
David