# Plecos dying :(



## DigzTheBeatz

I have had 4 plecos in the last 4 months and all of them have died. :sad::sad: I am not sure why. All my parameters are good. The temp was high at first 82 since I have 2 angel rams in there, but lowered it to 77. Is that still too hot? There wasn't algae on the walls of the aquarium, but I have the wafers. They died fairly quick so I can't imagine it was starvation. All the other fish are thriving. I have algae on my decorations it could have eaten. I vacuum the gravel every week or other week. The tank is well planted. I'm at a loss. Any suggestions?
When I checked my levels last week they were:
Ph 6.8
Ammonia 0-0.25ppm
Nitrate 5ppm or lower
Nitrite 0ppm

This is the setup and tank mates I have:
45 gallon
2 angel rams
2 african dwarf frogs
4 neon tetras
4 lampeye killifish
5 clown killifish
2 ghost shrimp
4 platies


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## AvocadoPuffDude

Generally speaking, plecos tend to be pretty hardy critters. Maybe some of the fancier types require special care, but most of the common ones are tough.
Do you have any driftwood in your tank? Many need driftwood to "rasp" with their little raspers. 
Are there hiding places so it can get away from the rams? I doubt they would pester it so badly it died, but plecos are mostly nocturnal and like to hide out during the day.
Yes, the eat algae, but I think it would be difficult to starve if you're feeding the algae wafers. Mine love those so much they'll come out in broad daylight and fight off the gathering of other fish around them.
Perhaps it's some other chemical that got into your tank accidentally that doesn't show up on the regular tests, have you had your hands in anything - lotions or oils or perfumes - and then in the tank?
The only other thing you could check would be the hardness, but I doubt that would be it, other than that I can't think of anything. It's not underfeeding or starving. It's not the temp or <regular> water parameters. 
Try adding driftwood, and ensuring hiding places.
Good luck to you!


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## lohachata

what species or L number are the plecos ? they all need omnivore diets..they all need driftwood to aid in digesting their foods.were there any marks or discolorations on them?
i keep my plecos between 78-88 degrees.most hypancistris species need warmer water..


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## AvocadoPuffDude

I did think of one other thing: metals or other items that may be dissolving, such as sea shells. Do you have anything metallic? Any stones that may be leaching something into the water......what type gravel do you have?


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## chronoboy

even without driftwood my old pleco "had to give away cause he was 13" to much for a 55g" but i never had driftwood and had him since it was 3" long survived a house fire and disease outbreaks, over the years nothing could kill him.

So im thinking thier is somthing fishy going on with your tank, and are you getting the pleco's from the same dealer, if so ask them what thier water conditions are, some fish stores add alot of salt to prevent disease, not a expert but just a thought i had, not sure if a fish is used to a tank with alot of salt if it would kill them to drop them into a tank without any salt?


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## Homer

Plecos do not like salt, i dont think any catfish do, because it burns their skin. The snails wouldnt like it either. I have had my tank about 7 months and i am on my third pleco. My first got stuck in one of the decorations, which is just bad luck. My second i just came back from my 9 day vacation and all my fish were alive but him. I had him for about 3-4 months and i dont understand because ive never had any problems with plecos dying before and now i bought a rubber nose or rubber lip pleco (is there a difference?) which is actually my first ever non common pleco.


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## DigzTheBeatz

Sorry for the delay. I kept looking for a notification about replies. New to this site. 

I got the plecos from 2 different stores. I got my first 2 from (cough) PetSmart (cough). I know, I know. I don't buy anything from them anymore. They were cute, not supposed to grow too big, and and a good deal. I bought 2. I forget the kind. 

The other 2 I bought from my LFS at different times. The first was an albino bushy nose I believe and the most recent was a rubberlip. I went back to my LFS to ask and the only thing they could think of is the Excel plant food I use. They suggested I stop using the Excel for a few days, then once I get a pleco again slowly start dosing the tank with it again. Most plecos don't have a problem with this, but they heard a few people having this issue so it's all they could come up with. 

I make sure my hands are clean anytime I put them in my tank and I rarely ever use lotion since I work in the food industry and can't use it most of the time. 

I use a normal colored gravel (black and red) that all pet stores sell. I make sure it's rinsed off before putting it in the tank. 

No driftwood. I have had issues with a low ph so I didn't get any driftwood since it will leach out tannins that will lower my ph. I do have places in the tank that the pleco could use to hide. I bought a cave for my rams (that they don't use, lol) and some other decorations that the pleco could hide under. 

I have used crushed coral to help raise my ph, but that was a while ago and I try not to keep in there too long so my ph doesn't get too high. 

I have also used a 6.7 ph buffer I got from my LFS since my ph was getting low at times. There is metal in the tank, plant anchors I bought from my LFS.


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## DigzTheBeatz

And my LFS doesn't use any salt. They said they are completely fresh water. I know this because I asked them about some ghost shrimp I had that kept dying that my boyfriend bought at a (cough) PetSmart (cough). He told us it's because they need salt and I don't have any salt in my tank. I have 2 that have acclimated though and are still alive and well!


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## 207lauras

I had a few die on me after an ich outbreak, they looked completely normal and I was told it affects them differently, you dont see it because it settles in their gills or something. Is is possible that their tankmates at the LFS had ich and you may have brought it home on them?


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## lohachata

plecos do not mind the low PH.....so that is not a worry..healthy fish can be pretty resistant to ich..and if the plecos had it ; you may not have noticed it becuase it will settle in the gills first...

hi laura ; i see you remembered...


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## DigzTheBeatz

Didn't see any sick fish or any with ich at the LFS and I didn't have any outbreaks in my tank.


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## AvocadoPuffDude

DigzTheBeatz said:


> And my LFS doesn't use any salt. They said they are completely fresh water. I know this because I asked them about some ghost shrimp I had that kept dying that my boyfriend bought at a (cough) PetSmart (cough). He told us it's because they need salt and I don't have any salt in my tank. I have 2 that have acclimated though and are still alive and well!


NOW YOU SEE WHY I WON'T DO BUSINESS WITH THE BIG BOX PET STORES - PetCo is the worst, PetSmart isn't much better. Ghost shrimp DO NOT NEED SALT!!!!! I've kept them in 100% fresh water for long periods, the only problem is some folks keep them in salt/brackish water, and changing them over to fresh water is a big hurdle if you don't do it very slowly so they can acclimate.
Try to buy shrimp from a REPUTABLE lfs THAT KNOWS WHAT IT'S TALKING ABOUT...most of the employees at the big box stores don't know crap about taking care of fish!!!!! The misinformation I've seen and heard them dispense is atrocious. They sold a customer a tank and all the supplies, along with an oscar and some guppies. No cycling, all they wanted was the sale, and as we know, the oscar will make short work of the guppies. No matter, they made a sale. Send someone home with all new equipment AND fish? NOBODY would do that if they had the slightest idea how to care for fish - especially the initial set up, which takes some time.


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