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I bought a lemon spotted green pleco at the weekend. Since its been in my tank it has got some greyish brown stuff (can't get close enough for a pic) on each side of its head which is also on the join between the head and the frontmost fins.

It also has a slightly discoloured patched just behind the dorsal fin.

Any advice? I cant take this anymore every other fish in the tank is fine?!

really need pic or better discription (no offence). first things whats you water like? is it still feeding?

*** Sorry about that Barb. Must have had a bad day the day I posted that. I had even forgotten about this post.

From what I have read from the skeptical aquarist:

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/h ... ngin.shtml

"Treatments. Whatever medication route you decide on, the preliminary step is sanitation. You can do a few things to promote rapid healing yourself. For a start, you'll have better success with fungus cures if you precede them with a 50% water change, after siphoning out all loose mulm and debris. This reduces the dissolved organic content of the water. You don't want the medication to expend itself oxidizing organics in the water. Follow up a few hours later, when the water is clear of floating debris, with a thorough backflushing of the filter. And raise the temperature to 80°F--â?? not enough to stress the fishes--â?? because fungi grow more rapidly at cooler temperatures, which also slow fish metabolism."

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/health/ich.shtml

"I've recently read that at lowered temperatures the vulnerable free-swimming stage can last as long as 96 hours: that's four full days! This might be a problem in a cool outdoor pond, but rather than drag out stressful treatment, you'll surely begin by raising the temperature in the aquarium. Adjusting the setting on the heater will do the job; don't try to raise or lower water temperatures faster than a couple of degrees an hour. Higher temperatures result in speeded-up metabolisms, both for the parasite and for the fish. Above a certain temperature (86oF is often quoted) the heat-sensitive parasite will be stressed. Its life cycle is interfered with, and it might even be killed. But if the host fish is also stressed, high temperatures can be counter-productive. You need to judge your individual species' tolerance for heat; a White Cloud Mountain Minnow or a Corydoras will be more stressed by heat than a Discus. Since at higher temperatures the water holds less oxygen, you might want to lower the water level enough to get some extra splash from the filter return."

Both state almost similar first-aid treatments.

here is a pic, im afraid its not very good.

But you can just about make out the bit on his fin its like the green fur has gone and theres only brown underneath left

Water parameters amm 0 nitri 0, nirtr 15, ph 8 temp 78

Its still feeding

A better pic

Looks like the fish is healing nicely. If you say its feeding OK, then I guess it successfully fought the infection by itself.

It might be a heating element burn. Perhaps your pleco likes to hide against it.

Those look very much like pleco bite marks to me. Perhaps the fish was bitten in the shop (was it in with other L200's - this would be quite understandable as they are know to bite if cramped). L200 are one of the hardiest L-numbers, so given good husbandry I would expect it to make a full recovery - just don't do anything drastic.

Jools

Thankyou for your responses, it had a hearty meal tonight of a cockle and an algae wafer and its acting fine.

Kotty

glad to hear its doing better. I must say that is a very beautiful Pleco

Just thought Id show you how happy she looks now

Kotty

wow, very nice pleco glad to see she is happier and doing well.