Hello all, I recently lost both of my plecos. Within 3 days of each other. I removed the bodies immediately. I can't figure out what killed them. Thier tankmates are 4 baby angels (1.5 inches), two baby ornate bichirs (2.5 inches), a baby black ghost knife (2 inches), and baby five clown loaches (3 inches). One pleco was a longfinned bristlenose, and the other was a blue phantom. The longfinned was about 2 inches and the blue phantom was 4.5 inches. The bristlenose died first. Water parameters: Ammonia - 0.0, Nitrite - 0.0, and Nitrate fluctuates between 3-5. I do weekly 30% water changes and monthly 60%. I fed cucumber and spinach everyother day, and sinking pellets and bloodworms every day. All other fish are lively and active. The bristlenose seemed fine then he was just dead one evening. The phantom acted a little strange, he normally stayed on the bottom but was up high recently. Any ideas? I hope to prevent this in the future, thanks for the help!
Back to back dead plecos.
- Thread starter DJ-EGGNOGG
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- death help pleco plecostomus prevention
this reminds me of when I had 10 bristlenose(3 L144s and 7 longfin super reds) die suddenly last year but every other fish was fine what solved the issue was several massive water changes and adding carbon to the filter. What I eventually figure happened was the landlord sprayed for bugs near my tank while the air pump was on, the air pump sucked up the poison and spit it into the bottom of the tank where only the plecos were
How long did you have the plecos?
Silly question but when you do water changes are you using tap? If so, are you using prime?
My girlfriend did a big water change a couple months ago while i was out of town. Didn't add prime and half my plecos died over the next few days.
Silly question but when you do water changes are you using tap? If so, are you using prime?
My girlfriend did a big water change a couple months ago while i was out of town. Didn't add prime and half my plecos died over the next few days.
I had the bristlenose for a month and a half, the blue phantom for a month. Yes and yes. I have. No additives in my city water. I went to the city website and read the reports. Very clean water. And I always use prime.
There is so much snow on the ground that there is no way there is any spraying going on. And I think it's something strange since all other bottom dwellers are doing great.
If you are doing water changes, and considering that I never felt the Blue Phantoms were the hardiest of plecos. If you are not using Prime, then try my methods in which I only added a couple of gallons every 30 minutes. If you are adding it all in 1 shot then that can be the problem.
Are you using any glutaraldehyde-containing products including but not limited to:
- Seachem Flourish Excel
- API CO2 Booster
- Azoo Carbon Plus
- Cidex
- Metricide
- NilocG Enhance
- Easy Life Easy Carbo
- Rataj CO2 Vital
- Dinosaur Spit
- Rhinox Easy CO2?
If water is changed frequently enough and the temperature isn't too different then a chemistry swing might not be to blame, otherwise could be a factor!
