Royal Pleco feeding issues..

[matubula]

I found on the underside side of the log where the plecos hid and kept everybody out including efforts at my hand, covered with infertile eggs......

Your royals spawned?! Are you sure, any chance it was another species of plec? Please share more!

Off topic I know but I cant address this via pm's.

 

[zerojquan85]

Not anymore for ALL fancy plecs though- most of them are now being bred by hobbyists (esp the banned ones) but a royal is more likely to be imported though.

I would have thought the same thing but nowadays all importers treat the fish when they come in so by the time we the hobbyist gets the fish from the importers its already has been treated for those stuff

but there are importers that actually cut corners sometimes and sometimes the meds fail during QT so I wouldn't discontinue this suggestion myself very quickly.

Zero:

Some of those nasty buggers dont start showing til years/months later- have you heard of the "incubation" period? Thats how those nasty critters survive in cycles. So keep that suggestion in mind as well too instead of discontinuing it because it has been 9 months. They need the host to survive for specific purpose and they just start attacking when the time/condition is right. There are so many things that we even don't know about or know very little about. Though there are many people with opinions on what treatments would work etc. I would trust the most experienced discus/pleco importers that breeds to tell you their trick.

I would just personally keep a close watch on it if its eating and then still losing weight then I'll personally think its something wrong inside it. But if its eating and not losing weight then its more likely you probably would have to hand feed it until it gets fattened up. Some of my littlest sultans are trained to come to the front of the tank and get their bloodworms treat thru the pipettes same for my oil catfish males so I know that they're getting the food they need due to other cats/plecos pushing them out of the way for the bloodworms on the ground.

thats the best advice so far.... thanks Proteus..

I'll keep that in mind.... with the making sure to hand feed.. I'm throwing some new cucumbers in as we speak.. so hopefully.. i'll start going after it.. I just hate losing this guy... he's the first pleco i bought since i gotten back into this hobby...

 

[Mr Pleco]

Your royals spawned?! Are you sure, any chance it was another species of plec? Please share more!

Off topic I know but I cant address this via pm's.

? No other plecs in tank, other bottom dwellers would be Clown loaches??
I couldn't think of any other answer esp the way the alpha male guarded the entrance to the log???

Tank also has 3 sevs all males, can't see them even fitting into the cave let alone upside down? We will never know unless it happens again?

 

[matubula]

? No other plecs in tank, other bottom dwellers would be Clown loaches??
I couldn't think of any other answer esp the way the alpha male guarded the entrance to the log???

Tank also has 3 sevs all males, can't see them even fitting into the cave let alone upside down? We will never know unless it happens again?

Could you pm your email? Id love to pick your brain about it.

 

[MrWiskers]

I have had similar issue with pleco and cichilds where they would not eat. Usually it is a parasite issue. In every case I have treated the tanks with 2x metronidazole (use 2x the recommend amount, will not hurt anything but make sure you remove your carbon while treating and do a 25-30% water change on the 3rd day) and it has fixed the issue. Had this happen last week with my wild caught L-14, L-48 and niger cats. After 24-30 hours of treatment it was like a switch and yesterday and today they were eating like crazy.

I treat all my wild caught fish with metronidazole when I first get them. I doubt importers and most dealers are going to spend the money or time to treat their fish.

 

[zerojquan85]

I have had similar issue with pleco and cichilds where they would not eat. Usually it is a parasite issue. In every case I have treated the tanks with 2x metronidazole (use 2x the recommend amount, will not hurt anything but make sure you remove your carbon while treating and do a 25-30% water change on the 3rd day) and it has fixed the issue. Had this happen last week with my wild caught L-14, L-48 and niger cats. After 24-30 hours of treatment it was like a switch and yesterday and today they were eating like crazy.

I treat all my wild caught fish with metronidazole when I first get them. I doubt importers and most dealers are going to spend the money or time to treat their fish.

what do metronidazole come in? I've been trying to find them ever since i notice my royal was doing that.. same with my L-14 right now..

I'm treating it with ich and other water change.. but can't seem to find metronidazole anywhere..

 

[TwistedPenguin]

what do metronidazole come in? I've been trying to find them ever since i notice my royal was doing that.. same with my L-14 right now..
I'm treating it with ich and other water change.. but can't seem to find metronidazole anywhere..

Metronidazole is 'flagyl'. It's what's in General Cure by API and Parasite Clear by Jungle along with Praziquantel.
I certainly would not be treating for ich just for the heck of it.

 

[zerojquan85]

Some Good news everyone..

My L190 and L14 seems to be doing better.. Royal is eating up wood and eyes are back to normal..

My Goldie on the other hand is still taking some time.. But his eyes have improved and its eating more and more each day....

More updates to come.. but thanks for everyone's input.. much obliged!

 

[T time]

you spawned royals?!?! let me know the details. very good news

 

[thepwner70]

change the food to something different