Plecs Keep Dying

[wileycoyote]

We have a successful freshwater aquarium ,with a strong filter (4A) and 5 freshwater plants.

Approximately 10 Goldfish,2 Japanese Loach,3 Dassia & 4 Minnows.

We change up to 20% of the water every week & feed twice a day.

We fed the Plec with their own tablets every second day and never had more than 2 plec in the tank at any one time?

Any ideas ,like the Japanese Loach,the Plec are interesting ,quiet fish.

Any idea ,why the keep dying after 2 weeks.....

Wiley coyote

[burman]

Unusual for plecs to be the dying fish in an aquarium, they are usually indestructible as far as fish go. 9/10 times fish die in an aquarium it's usually down to poor water quality but you'd more than likely be losing the other fish first before the plecs were effected.

So...

What size is the fish tank? What size are the plecs? Have you lost both of them, or only one at a time? Are there any marks on the body of the plecs? Are you buying them from the same shop?

[wileycoyote]

Dear Burman,

Thanks for helping.

1.Tank is 30x 35 x 60 cms

2.Plecs were approximately 5-6 cms

3.Died individually ,but one 2 days after first,both had been in tank 15-20 days.

4.Unfortunately,our tank is beside the cat-litter tray,do you think there are vulnerable to an excess of nitrogen?

5.The filter is a Fluvial 4A,and changed weekly.THe freshwater gets tap safe.

Hopes this helps

Wiley Coyote

[wileycoyote]

Do you think that they are getting enough to eat ?

The pet shop owner said 1 tablet,in quarters every second day,however the box says 2/3 times every day.

Also the bigger golfish & 2 loach seem to get to it first ,while the plec are adhered to the glass

Any thoughts ?

[burman]

Sorry for the late reply Wiley, had a week of sickness and it slipped my mind.

1.Tank is 30x 35 x 60 cms

and stocks quite a few fish

Approximately 10 Goldfish,2 Japanese Loach,3 Dassia & 4 Minnows.

Goldfish can be quite messy, if they are of a decent size then along with the other fish you may have an overstocked aquarium leading to water quality problems. This is one explanation, though usually you will find the other fish would start dying as well. I would say with your current stock level though you might want to leave it at that and forget adding new plecs. Even if the tank is not overstocked now it will be in the future as the goldfish and plecs will grow to a large size.

4.Unfortunately,our tank is beside the cat-litter tray,do you think there are vulnerable to an excess of nitrogen?

I don't think that would effect it anyway.

5.The filter is a Fluval 4A,and changed weekly.The freshwater gets tap safe.

Large filter for a small tank, hope it's not blowing the fish around like a whirlpool. The correct size for that size tank would be a Fluval 2/3. Not that it matters a great deal.

Very importantly it's worth knowing that when you clean the sponge out of the filter to wash it through with some of the tank water, and not tap water.

The sponge builds up with a large number of aerobic bacteria which help get rid of the ammonia and nitrogen in your tank. This bacteria colony is very important and a wash though of tap water can kill a lot of them off. This is also one of the main reasons a filter has to be running all the time.

Do you think that they are getting enough to eat ?

Could definitely be the problem, many a time a plec will starve in a tank that doesn't have enough algae to support it, and they can be a bit slow getting to other food.

My top tip for keeping plecs is to feed them a bit of cucumber every few days, just a slice will do. The other fish will leave it alone and the plecs will love it. The cucumber slice can be floated in the tank if the plec is willing to go up and take it, but the best method it to weigh it down with a strip of metal weight, the same strips they use to tie around the bottom of aquarium plants. You know it's safe for the tank then.

Hope this helps, good luck.

[wileycoyote]

Dear Burman,

This is good info,hope you are feeling better.

My wife has adjusted the pump & it is less definitely less of a whirlpool !

Yes, using tank water to wash out filters on a weekly basis & replace after 5/6 weeks.

Have recently has noticed a build-up of green algae on one side of tank,but this could be due to the death of the 2 plecs ,with no one cleaning away algae.

Yes,I agree they were always slow at going for food & the 2 large Goldfish & 2 Japanese loach always went for the quartered tablets,before the plec went for them.

I'm really interested in your tip about the cucumber ,as we all liked the plec & felt sad when they died.

We would like to have one to help us claen the tank & they were always interesting

Wiley Coyote

[burman]

The cucumber will be loved by the plec, they will end up going though a slice every other day. Chuck a new plec in there and try giving them a bit of cucumber to supplement the algae diet and see how it goes.

You can also feed them lettuce (soak for 10 seconds in some boiling water first) and peas (treated much the same way, until soft) but I always found cucumber to be the easiest and most liked.

Let us know how you get on with it, cheers.

[burman]

Yes, using tank water to wash out filters on a weekly basis & replace after 5/6 weeks.

Forgot to mention this. When you change over for the filter sponge you get the same problem as when you wash it with tap water, they'll be no bacteria on the new filter sponge that should be cleaning your water.

A good way to get over this problem is too cut off a large bit of the old sponge and leave it in with the new sponge for a few weeks to 'seed' it with bacteria.

In fact as far as I remember Fluval pumps, in the centre the sponge there should be a little plastic tube. If you have nothing in this at the moment put a bit of course gravel in there (or even better some cut up plastic non toxic pipe), it will provide a home to this needed bacteria so you don't have to worry about the sponge supporting it as much. This will never need to be changed, just washed though with a bit of tank water every once in a while.

[wileycoyote]

Dear Burman,

Thank you for this invaluable advice.Particularly about the filter/cleaning.

Yes,we will take a chance & buy a new plec this weekend,using the cucumber food.

Will let you know how we get on

Best wishes

Wiley Coyote

[wileycoyote]

Dear Burman,

The cucumber worked ,as our new plec is still surviving.

We have also added a piece of wood,which seems to be allowing him to rest & keep out of the hurly burly of the other fish.

Best Wishes

Wiley

[burman]

Good news Wiley. Thanks for the update.

[wileycoyote]

Dear Burman,

Sods Law ,The Plec died ...we are totally gobsmacked..

Shocked Wiley Coyote !

[burman]

Bugger, sorry to hear that Wiley.

I wouldn't bother trying another one too soon. Better leave the tank running as it is for now and keeping an eye on the other fish. If you start to see any illness in them or you lose anymore fish then you will need to check your water quality.

If you are buying your plecs always from the same shop maybe they just have a bad stock of them. So if you do try another plec try from another supplier.

Edited April 1, 2008 by burman

[wileycoyote]

Thanks Burman

Yes,we agree plecs are off !

We are all happy that the other fish are fine,at least they gained a log.

I still don't understand,a friend commented that plecs should be the easiest fish to look after ,but it doesn't seem to be that way for us...

Mai Pen Rai

Best wishes

Wiley Coyote