# my poor pleco



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

I just got a pleco (he's a small one, under 2 inches) and I noticed that he has little white bumps all over him. What is this? And what can I do about it. I live about 40 miles from the nearest walmart, but i can make a run there tonight if i have to.


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

here's another pic. there's some fuzz on the tank, so it makes it look worse than it is, but that's still what it looks like, just not quite so many spots


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

ok, i took a look at a site posted by BlackBetta, and it is definitely ich. All i have for medication is melafix. Will this take care of it? Or should I get something that specifically states it will treat ich?


----------



## Lexus (Jan 19, 2005)

Melafix works great but remember to follow the instructions and be careful if you have scaleless fish and/or tetras as they are more sensitive to meds!


----------



## judya (Jan 23, 2005)

He looks just like the one I bought. Sigh!  It has now infested my two angels as well. Tank has two angels, the new pleco, and cory as the only fish. (Yeah, pleco was in the quarantine tank for awhile, and didn't look infected.) I'm trying Mardel brand Maracide, with the active ingredient of Malachite Green. I also raised the temp a bit, added some salt, and did a partial water change.

I removed the cory, as it doesn't seem infected, and they don't do well with some medications. I removed the plants (because of the salt) and moved the biowheel in with the cory, so hopefully I can keep some biological cycling alive, if the medicine should kill my bacteria

Today is day one. I'll let you know how it works.


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

Well, I took off for the store before I got a reply. I saw that a few people recommende Quick Cure, so I got a bottle of that. And aquarium salt seems to be pretty much standard, so I picked up a small carton of that as well. I read that plecos are more sensitive to medication, so I only did 7 drops instead of the 10 recommended (1 per gallon). Well, starting day one of treatment...
I'll post updates as I have any to report


----------



## Fish n chips (Jan 19, 2005)

Good Luck :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:


----------



## malawi4me2 (Jan 18, 2005)

Good luck! Quick cure (malachite green + formalin) is the best thing to treat ick (melafix is not an ick treatment). Scaless fish are sensitive to it, so just watch for any signs of stress (Not starting out with a full dose was a good thing to do!). You should see an improvement within two or three days.


----------



## Damon (Jan 18, 2005)

I cant be sure because your glass is very spotty but that looks like velvet also. A better pic would help.


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

Ok, I've been trying to cure this for a week, and I was a little late on giving them the meds today, now it looks like it's gotten worse.
Simpte mentioned Velvet. What would I use to treat that? Will quick cure or Melafix take care of it?
I'm at my wits end.
Also, I've left the filter running, cause I don't want waste buildup, but I took the carbon out. Could this be filtering out the meds still?


----------



## BlueAmbist (Feb 1, 2005)

doesn't appear to have velvet to me. It doesn't look like its the best pleco on earth, looks thin. I would crank your temperature up to 85F gradually(assuming you have a heater) also I took it by your post its a 10 gallon tank, this fish will grow to about 20-24" easily so you will need a bigger tank if you plan on keeping it. If you wanted to choose something else otocinclus species are usually pretty good algae eaters, though can be a bit delicate to water conditions an established tank they would be fine in. On one last note, Melafix is definately not for ich.  Hope he gets better for you.


----------



## Moonlight Fairy (Jan 31, 2005)

my plecos arent growing easily.. one grew fast and got to 3" in a month and is now the same size after like 7 months and my 2 babies are still like smaller than a thumb and I have had them for over a month. If you can find rid+ich.. that stuff works wonders on a lot of stuff.


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

Well, he's only about 2 inches long, so he is quite tiny, although I notice his fins seem a little ragged, so i wonder if the fish he was with didn't harrass him a bit at the store. I had moved a betta into that tank, and he seems to have contracted the same disease. So i've quarantined them. My female bettas (in the same tank) showed some early signs, but all their white spots (and there weren't very many) disappeared in a day or two.


----------



## Fishnut2 (Jan 18, 2005)

I agree with Blue...with his entire post. Looks like ich/not velvet. Do you have a heater in the tank? Raising the temp is the best thing for them. Malachite green is the best med. Ich is very contagious, and can be spread to your other tanks through nets/hoses/buckets/moving filters/plants. Be careful!
One last note: I'd think twice before purchasing fish from the same store again. I wouldn't completely avoid the place after one incident. But I would be extremely cautious in the future. If they are on a central system...It's very likely thier other fish are sick. If you let fish drop more then 10 degrees in transit...it's likely that you created the problem.


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

Unfortunately, I don't have a heater for the tank, but I can increase the temp in the room, so that will have to do. He probably did drop a bit in temp during transit, since I had to take him 40 miles (and I'm in North Dakota, it's chilly here) from Walmart to my house. So, I probably created the problem, and it will just take a bit before he recovers. On a more positive note, the pleco and betta both seem to be doing better in quarantine.


----------



## Fishnut2 (Jan 18, 2005)

Nosilver4u,
You definetely need to buy a heater. For a 10 gallon tank...they are relatively cheap. I suggest a thermometer too. You can spend the money on meds and have sick fish...or solve the problem with a heater. These a tropical fish. Your water temp is probably around 72 without a heater. The fish you have require about 78 degrees...and 86 would be better, until they are cured. Spend the money! You and your fish will both be happier. :roll:


----------



## nosilver4u (Jan 23, 2005)

Actually, the temp averages 78-82. I do turn the lights off at night, and i've seen it as low as 74 in the mornings, but that's been rare lately. A heater will definitely be my next purchase, maybe after my next paycheck. On a happier note, all my fish seem to be doing splendid now, with no signs of ich, although I'll put a few drops of Quick Cure in there for the next few days yet, just to make sure.


----------

