I recently purchased a P. cochliodon and am concerned for its health. She is about 9 inches and was in the LFS for at least two months, probably more. Always looked healthy. I will admit that I did not specifically observe the stomach before purchase.
Since I got it I have been pretty concerned about it, starting with bullying by two L114's. This caused some fin fraying and a couple of missing scales. I quickly removed the BEC to a 90 gallon on the same system but with only smaller catfish. Since then the BEC continually is sloughing slime coat and has a somewhat dirty appearance due to what I presume is fish snow getting caught in the excess slime coat. I started really evaluating conditions and thought the issue was that my pH was way too low (although all other fish seem happy).
I have not observed the BEC grazing on wood and I've supplemented with squash, red potato, cucumber, various algae and veggie wafers and still no feeding. a few days ago dumby me thought to look at the belly. It is very sunken. The fish is not overly active, she'll move positions in the tank but otherwise is pretty sedentary, staying stuck to driftwood. For the past two weeks I've been trying to get the pH up with little success. I'm reconstituting RO with GH booster and Marine Buffer. Reservoir water has pH 7 (sometimes 8 when I was really trying to have an effect of the tanks pH), TDS is ~150 and Conductivity around 250. After big and small water changes the tank water has finally moved up to 6.2-6.4, TDS is stable at 250 and conductivity is in mid 300's (may need to double check that).
Last night I treated for the first time with Sera Fishtamin to try to boost appetite with the B vitamins in it. No changes in appetite that I can tell. I've also cooled down the water from 80 to 76 and increased oxygen. The tank has good water movement and surface agitation. It's filtered by a wet/dry. I was previously doing weekly water changes but am now doing daily to try and get the pH up.
In the tank is inert substrate, old driftwood and very few plants - 2 nymphea. The tank has been up for three years and has been very stable til now. The pH has always been in the mid 6's but recently, and I can't figure out why, it's below six, below what my API can read, (hence daily water changes to try to get it to slowly go back up.
The BEC's wounds have healed except the missing scale. It appears to be healing but is still white. I do not see any redness to indicate infection.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.
Since I got it I have been pretty concerned about it, starting with bullying by two L114's. This caused some fin fraying and a couple of missing scales. I quickly removed the BEC to a 90 gallon on the same system but with only smaller catfish. Since then the BEC continually is sloughing slime coat and has a somewhat dirty appearance due to what I presume is fish snow getting caught in the excess slime coat. I started really evaluating conditions and thought the issue was that my pH was way too low (although all other fish seem happy).
I have not observed the BEC grazing on wood and I've supplemented with squash, red potato, cucumber, various algae and veggie wafers and still no feeding. a few days ago dumby me thought to look at the belly. It is very sunken. The fish is not overly active, she'll move positions in the tank but otherwise is pretty sedentary, staying stuck to driftwood. For the past two weeks I've been trying to get the pH up with little success. I'm reconstituting RO with GH booster and Marine Buffer. Reservoir water has pH 7 (sometimes 8 when I was really trying to have an effect of the tanks pH), TDS is ~150 and Conductivity around 250. After big and small water changes the tank water has finally moved up to 6.2-6.4, TDS is stable at 250 and conductivity is in mid 300's (may need to double check that).
Last night I treated for the first time with Sera Fishtamin to try to boost appetite with the B vitamins in it. No changes in appetite that I can tell. I've also cooled down the water from 80 to 76 and increased oxygen. The tank has good water movement and surface agitation. It's filtered by a wet/dry. I was previously doing weekly water changes but am now doing daily to try and get the pH up.
In the tank is inert substrate, old driftwood and very few plants - 2 nymphea. The tank has been up for three years and has been very stable til now. The pH has always been in the mid 6's but recently, and I can't figure out why, it's below six, below what my API can read, (hence daily water changes to try to get it to slowly go back up.
The BEC's wounds have healed except the missing scale. It appears to be healing but is still white. I do not see any redness to indicate infection.
Any advise is greatly appreciated.
