pleco not moving but breathing

I think that it is nothing to worry about. Put the torch on dim and slowly turn it up and the Plec is there. Infections are usually caused by the various bacteria and parasites that may be present in the tank. Can be seen here, incuding specific details and how-to's on some of my special features. He does not even move if I touch him with a net, he just moves his tail a little. There are many things to consider, and you dont want to ignore signs that your fish are in trouble. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving. Are there females in the tank with him? Both eyes will appear to protrude if there is an infection present. The best way to prevent your Pleco from dying is to feed them a variety of food and provide at least 10 gallons of water for them every day. An ammonia spike is one of the most likely causes of the sudden death of your pleco or other aquarium fish. Poor pleco got nudged accidentally with the hose, though, and he's having a -really- hard time swimming. I have had him in this tank and the fish with him for over a year. You want to do the best job that you can while caring for plecos. 2 - Rotting Fins. They will float uncontrollably to the top of the aquarium, turned upside down, while still being alive. Malnutrition can make plecos get sick, and they will certainly die if you dont feed them enough. I found a great deal on a queen arabesque pleco this week, so it's at home now. If you have a nitrite spike in your aquarium, it will make the fishes red blood cells unable to carry oxygen, leading to it suffocating. When a pleco is stressed, it lowers its immunity and increases the risk of fast death. Today he seems very docile. Plecostomus fish, commonly called plecos, are relatively easy to take care of. Even the tiny three-inch long zebra plecos are carnivores. Nitrite is the most dangerous, and should always be at 0 ppm. Fin rot is one of the most preventable illnesses, as the main contributor to this disease is poor water conditions. This way, you can manage them and check for potential diseases. Taking care of baby plecos can be challenging in some ways. Water quality problems will sometimes cause plecos to develop a condition known as cloudy eye. White spots on the body can be seen as signs of ich. Ich is something that can be cured if you catch it in time. This can be a sign of an internal infection due to injury or the food its been eating. Perhaps it seems lethargic and it might even be laying on its side. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. If your fishs eyes appear to be bulging out of its head, it may be suffering from pop eye or exophthalmos. Ich is a condition that involves the fish being infected by parasites. If the fish isnt moving or breathing, its possible that its dead. Diseases and Treatment. Have you bought the pleco in question within the last week or so? Acclimation is floating the bag and slowly adding tank water to the bag to adjust the fish to your tank water. Pleco turning white is one of the signs your pleco is dying Temperature, stress, food, environment, water or bullying all can lead to discoloration of plecos and eventually death. Ensure you follow the package instructions to ensure proper dosing for your fish. Check out the FishForums.net Monthly Nitrate is considerably less dangerous, but should be lower than 30 ppm, and above 50 is the danger zone. Checking and monitoring the levels, temperature and pH will ensure the tank has the proper conditions for your pleco. A lot of pleco types also benefit from driftwood in their tank. Having more females than males also helps. This could happen to any fish owner, so it is essential to understand the causes of these symptoms and how to treat them. Mine doesn't get active til well after 10pm at night. whats wrong? Sick goldfish not moving but breathing/alive. They arent necessarily fish that will swim around and show off for you during the day under normal circumstances. 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It] | Keeping Catfish When I first set up my pressurized co2 system I was gassing my fish out. Like fin rot, Ich may appear due to poor tank conditions. I also asked my lfs and he said they are MOST active at night. My fish isnt moving. Definitely looks underweight. Tank mates: one guppy, one otocinclus.. in a 20 gallon tank. It's just another misleading thing that pet stores advertise. My pleco is laying on it's side still breathing but not movi By entering this site you declare 3. This happened all of a sudden. If they are desperate enough, they will turn upside down in their search for food at the surface. Read on to learn about things to look out for that show that your plecos might be dying. lol. Htels & Rsidences de tourisme; tablissements recevant du public; Habitats individuels & collectifs; Amnagements extrieurs; Design, Mobilier & Tapisseries Mine in the day is under a log and will only come out if there is food. Also, you should make sure that he has a heater, filter, oxygen and all the basics. Feed your pleco a varied diet, that meets the species needs. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The symptoms you describe are exactly what I saw happening to mine. I feed my Plec bloodworm, cichlid diet, sinking pellets, flakes and he eats algae. An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. You dont have to reach into the tank and touch it with your bare hand. We finished breaking down our multiple tanks, loaded the moving truck, drove it for three hours, spent two more hours waiting for the moving helpers, got the truck unloaded, started setting up the tanks, put the decor back in, added the fish. and the bristle nose swam out of the wood when we put in algae wafers. A long, long, long time ago when I was young my friends and I always had tanks. You can tell if a pleco is dead by looking to see if its breathing. It might need a bit more time to get used to its new environment. Plecos are often misunderstood because they dont like to be shown off, which makes sense given their wild origins. I think that it is nothing to worry about. Fish laying on its side in the bottom of the tank. Checking the water levels to ensure there are no harmful ammonia levels and correcting the problem with water changes will help your fish gain its movement back. JavaScript is disabled. Isolating the fish and fixing the problems source is imperative to save your pleco. I think it is just tired or not used to your tank try turning the lights off. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. If you offer them a place where they can feel safe, such as a dark spot under an ornamental plant, they will often come out to visit with you. Take action by doing water changes and adding an air pump. Look at the fish closely and try to see if its gills are moving. One or both eyes might wind up being covered by a white or gray slime. JavaScript is disabled. You should be able to keep plecos alive for many years with proper care. What should I do?! The water might be dirty or the parameters could be way off of what they should be. Unless you are bying a large (when grown on) species of pleco who is to say that it's a baby, unless this is visualy obvious. Physical damage. Pleco floating upside down | MyFishTank.Net Forum Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. Generally he is pretty active but sometime he just stay on one stop and don't move at all, even for like 1-2 days. Because of excitement, plecos can also breathe more rapidly after a water change. Bristlenose plecos are unique fish with unique needs and preferences. Alright, Ill try zucchinI and see if he likes it. Plecos are freshwater fish that need to live in water that is between 22 and 28 degrees Celsius (72-82F). i have heard reports of them lasting quite a while out of water. An air pump is optional, but recommended to prevent your pleco from swimming up to the surface to gulp air. Keeping an eye on the water parameters and cleaning the tank regularly will help to prevent things like this from happening. Make sure to add plenty of caves and natural hiding spaces if you keep multiple males in the same tank. Are its gills moving or does it appear to be motionless? We are a family friendly community with an incredible resource of information for fish owners and enthusiast alike. While in fact, there are hundreds. Adding fish without acclimating them causes shock. One of the most common questions I hear is why do my pleco likes to hide and not come out. Baby plecos have been known to die when the water temperature fluctuates too much. When one of us would pack it in for a while we would pass this one pleco to another person. Also, algae is starting to grow on the glass so I dont think that hes roaming around much at night either. Home Aquatic Problems & Solutions 7 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying and Needs Attention. Your fish may be suffering from ich if their skin appears to have white dots that look like salt or sugar flakes. One time a buddy was cleaning his tank and took all the fish out and put them in a bucket. We found him on the carpet under his bed and it looked pretty dead. You might need to do a better job of doing regular water changes. You transfer water from the aquarium to the bag while slowly removing water from the bag. Pet stores often sell plecos as algae eaters or cleaner fish which is why you might think it doesnt need its own tank and can survive on leftovers/waste. Abdominal swelling typically means that the fish has some type of internal infection. Turning white may be a sign your pleco is dying. Rapid temperature changes, irregular feeding schedules, and poor water conditions also contribute to stress in fish. What kind of pleco is he? When you try to touch the fish, its going to react and swim away. He was struggling really hard, and ended up tipping upside-down, fighting his way up to the surface, and all kinds of things. Sometimes Plecos can be a little shy and may hide from people, especially if they have been harassed by humans in the past. If there are no good bacteria, harmful levels of ammonia can build up quickly as plecos produce a lot of waste. As per him, he had that pleco for like 3-4 years. The eyes may appear cloudy or bloody if an injury is the cause. How to solve a problem like resuscitating an escaped fish A pleco might choose to remain very still and stay in the same spot all day. You may see this in plecos that don't get enough to eat. Using a tiny pointed tool, such as a pair of tweezers, slightly open the mouth and slightly loosen the gill covers. In pursuit of becoming a professional, I also want to inspire as many people as I can to pick up this hobby and keep the public interest growing.Read more about Sean.Please join also my Facebook group. Please help. I had a pleco who lived out of water for 12 mins! AquariaCentral.com, a division of Monster Aquaria Network, LLC. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH? My fish is alive and moving, but isnt breathing? The fish might be very sick and it feels unable to move. My Albino catfish does this all the time. To revive a dying pleco, perform a big water change and make sure the water parameters are optimal. Problems can occur when caring for plecos. It is important to research food options for your pleco because some brands have more harmful ingredients than good. This gave me false readings that my water had hardly any co2 in it. Fin rot is a common infection among aquarium fish. . Make sure that you dont have improper tank mates in the fish tank with your plecos. How to Know when Your Goldfish Is Dying: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow Many enthusiasts say that plecos will play dead sometimes. Cloudy eye is caused by bacteria and if your pleco is under stress, has had an injury, or lower immune system it can come up. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything hes learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium. 3. Plecs are also known to suck the slime coat off goldfish, causing injury and illness to the goldfish. 7 Signs Your Pleco is Dying and How to Treat - Pet Owners Another reason for a pleco not moving is that it is dead. Nutrition might be playing a role in the fish dying as well. If it doesnt move if you try to touch it, then its truly dead. Why Does My Pleco Always Hide and Never Come Out? - The Aquarium Adviser This typically isnt the case, and some plecos dont even eat algae. Check the water quality and try to fix anything that is wrong. I doubt this is the issue, but my pleco was acting odd, curving and swimming like he was intoxicated flying from one side to the other, no CO2, regular parameters, but I checked the temperature, like yours mine was breathing up a storm, but I raised the temp 4 degrees up and he was fine my temp dropped to 72, and he was going bananas, but after about 20 minutes I guess he caught a warm front and hugged the heater damn near. Floating the fish for an hour or so will help it to get used to the water temperature of its new home. If there are elevated levels of chemicals, perform small water changes for a couple of days to lower the concentration. Recently, I watched. I went and asked to the shop from where I got that pleco. Clean your fish tank. He could still be in shock from the move. Ive put this first on the list because its probably the most frequently made a mistake. Its possible that your pleco is feeling threatened by the filter, so its hiding behind it to feel safer. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Issues with water quality can stress the fish and make them sick. Surprisingly, common plecos aren't meant for most home aquariums. Did you just get him? If your pleco is sleeping: They will typically be in a motionless or relaxed position, with their fins and gills not moving as much as usual. Are you watching him 24/7? Its also imperative to regularly clean the fish tank. Fish laying on its side, mouth open. If the pleco is not moving but breathing, then there are several things that could be happening. The Complete Answer, Can Plecos And Shrimp Live Together? There are various products that might treat it but as for your best option on products I don't know. Infections can be remedied by giving the fish medications. Its a sign that something is wrong, and you might need to make some changes. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are three crucial parts of the nitrogen cycle of aquariums. This can happen to one eye or both. pleco not moving but breathing Now the tank is in pretty bad shape (were working on it!) Sometimes plecos will just float near the top of the tank when the oxygen levels arent sufficient. You might see a pleco fish laying at the bottom of the tank motionless. Knowing what signs to look out for might allow you to turn things around before its too late. A swollen belly isnt a good sign. Usually, rapid breathing is caused by some pollutant or toxic in the water. Cloudy eyes will be a sign that the fish is being kept in bad water. You shouldnt count the fish out completely just yet, though. I tried to prod him gently, but he still hasn't moved. API Liquid Super Ich Cure is another product you can purchase to treat ich. He is still alive. Disease can make fish sluggish and it can also cause them to stop eating. At the petstore, which of course is just a pet store. My Pleco did that for a while too. he sound fine, try touching himand he will probably swim away. There has to be something wrong. Moving forward, it should be easier to look out for problems with the fish. Theres a good chance that youre not doing regular tank maintenance. There are actually many signs that show you that plecos are in rough shape. This is constant. Most of the day, he is there. Fast forward to the next day. I have one Bristlenose Pleco in a 55 gallon aquarium along with some other fish. Put him in the 10g quarantine tank, along with the current population (3 lemon tetras, 2 bronze cories, one oto). Hopefully, this will never happen in your fish tank. Common pleco not moving after tank flush! This can be caused by not thoroughly cycling the tank before adding new fish. Another result of starvation might be aggression, or your pleco sucking on the slime coat of fish like we sometimes see with goldfish. When you dont treat this disease, it can cause the fish to lose vision or even lose the eye. Water parameters good? Monitoring your water levels and performing weekly water changes will prevent this from happening to your fish. My pleco did the same thing, he still hides in his cave for long periods of time but if I sneak up on the tank he is usually swimming around. You might even be concerned that the plecos are dying if things are going particularly bad. For a limited time, download my pleco catfish ebook below on how to care for these beautiful animals. Since plecos dont have scales, it can be hard to know whether its dropsy or not. In some cases, it might even be as extreme as males killing each other. 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It], Do Plecos Eat Snails? You can feed the fish foods that are high in fiber to clear it up. White spots may appear on your fish if it is sick. In most cases, it is poisoning by ammonia, nitrite, or other nitrogen. Plecos are a type of tropical fish that need a heated tank with a filter. When the water quality is poor, itll weaken the immune system of the plecos. If your Pleco has been hiding from you for a long time, it may be because the water in the tank is too cold. Plecos can stay in the same place for long periods of time, or move and go back without you knowing it. Full Pleco Breeding Guide (Everything You Need to Know). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypostomus_plecostomus, https://www.petco.com/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/plecostomus.html, Why Is My Goldfish Turning Black? Of course, itll be prudent to try to touch the fish to see if it moves. If this is the case do a 25% water change as soon as possible. You also have to keep in mind that theyre nocturnal. Its wise to isolate the fish during the treatment process by setting up a quarantine tank. Breeding bristlenose plecos is certainly an exciting thing to do. Poor water conditions usually cause bacterial infections. I had this fish gang for 2 years together now, with only minor Youll also get a bit of information about why these signs are occurring. If you cant see your pleco at all, it may be hiding in the substrate or in the plants. If possible it would be advisable to move the pleco to a nursing tank away from other fish. Why would a pleco fish stop moving entirely? Thats because theyre quite withdrawn fish that dont want to show when theyre sick (otherwise, predators will notice). Both tanks are also a bit small for their inhabitants, so moving your Plec will overstock your Goldie tank. Perhaps the heater stopped working and the water temperature dipped far too low. The pleco has stayed motionless in the same spot and position for a few weeks and I started wondering if it was dead so this morning I took a net and stuck it near him and he freaked out, swam around and went back to the same spot. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. For example, a temperature fluctuation could have killed the fish. Just keep an eye on him. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Goldfish Laying on his side, breathing ever 15-30 secs. Add an airstone if your filter doesnt create enough surface movement. The signs above have a lot of things in common. Plecos are supposed to be fairly hardy fish, and this likely made you confident enough to purchase some even as a beginner. Not related but kind of funny: I also have a Whiptail Catfish, if you're worried about fish that don't move, don't get one, they will just sit there even if another fish sits ontop of them or you touch them or anything. Is there a way to tell if a pleco fish is about to die? When my pleco went nuts, the pH had dropped to 6.8 and the drop checker was very yellow. My name is Jeff, and my goal with this site is to share everything I've learned over the years about caring for aquatic life. It looks like he is taking his last breaths in only a day and that too without showing any symptoms of any disease. Therefore, it is important to notice your fishs behaviors when they become sick. Some even buy them specifically to try to keep the fish tank clean. He may also fall sick due to anxiousness. How to Tell the Age of a Cockatiel (Age Chart Included! Its very uncomfortable for the plecos, and they might rub against objects in the tank in an attempt to find relief. Use a fish net or scoop to touch the fish gently to test whether its alive or not. If the water condition and bacterial infections caused the situation, then youll need to fix those problems. Stress will make fish stop moving and acting normally, too. It creates an environment where the disease cannot grow or spread. Fin rot is caused by underlying conditions such as bacterial infection. Does the fish appear to be gasping for air? Why Do My Plecos Always Die And How To Keep Plecos From Dying? - AG Many plecos are omnivorous, meaning they need both plant-based foods and protein to thrive. Below, youll see some of the common signs that show that your pleco fish might be dying. If the fish is not moving, then there are no signs of life, such as breathing or eating, then it has likely died. If the plecos are in a community fish tank, then itll be important to ensure that they are kept only with compatible tank mates. My Pleco Catfish doesn't MOVE or EAT? - YouTube My pleco has started acting as if he's on fire! Regular water changes are an important part of fish tank maintenance. JavaScript is disabled. Many people mistakenly think that plecos dont need to be fed. An aquarium needs about 6 weeks to fully cycle before you add fish. So I sighed, and accepted I was going to lose him. He is still breathing, but he doesn't move when I approach him, only if I touch him. Many different types of illnesses will make fish feel lethargic. Home > Plecos > Care > 11 Signs Your Pleco Is Dying [+ How To Save It]. If you cant see the gills moving, this suggests that the fish is truly dead. If your pleco is losing its color and slowly turning white, this might be an indication that it's either sick or dying. How long have you had the tank? If you catch some of the signs early enough, then itll be possible to turn everything around. If youre not taking good care of the tank, then the fish might die. He (or she) is normally pretty active, being a good vacuum cleaner for the tank. Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his familys fish tank. Ammonia and nitrites build up then bacteria build up to convert them into something less harmful to fish. Quite often bottom dwellers do just sit and not move. Why is My Fish Laying On the Side? - Aquarium Hunter If the oxygen levels get really low, plecos might stop moving. The main pressure on the regulator has been dropping so I raised the main pressure in the regulator and then increased the bubble flow. Pleco catfish are often kept in the aquarium hobby because, Plecos and cory catfish are two extremely popular catfish species, Pleco catfish are one of the most popular fish in, Pleco spawning Plecos are cave-breeders, and they spawn exclusively in, For a limited time, you can download our FREE pleco catfish ebook, 2022 KeepingCatfish.com - Privacy policy Webdesign by Websmart Websites. Turn lights off and put in some bloodworm or something and then come back in five minutes with a torch. There are over 100 species of plecos, so it is essential to do your research to learn the best source of nutrition for your pleco species. Just a thought Sayuz. Im not sure if somethings wrong or not. If he's alive and swims away why are you worried? Plecos dying: its a sad sight and one of the questions I get asked most frequently. However, if your pleco is dying: They may exhibit unusual or distressed behavior, such as rapid breathing, lethargy, or loss of appetite. For plecos, most types need a tank thats 30 gallons in size, but there are smaller species (like bristlenose & clown plecos) that can live in a 20-gallon tank. Read on to learn about the signs and symptoms, the causes, and treatment options for your pleco. My drop checker had pretty much all of the air OUT of the "exchainge" area, in it's place was water. Do your best to determine what is wrong with the fish. There is a possibility that something happened in the tank, though. Its very plausible that plecos can die due to not being fed properly. I drop an algae wafer in every other day and he usually jumps right on it but since he stays in his little all the time now Im not sure if he eats it. If it was dead youd know it, lol. You are using an out of date browser. Ketchup_Turkey 4 yr. ago. Sorry your pleco is ill. every day I feed the fish in my school aquarium and I've notice the pleco doesn't ever move. If your pleco is stressed, it may exhibit some of the following behaviors: Hiding is a natural defensive response for many fish. Checking your tanks levels and temperatures will help you determine if the tanks conditions are unsafe for your pleco. He flaps his fins about once e Help, my guppy is lying on its back and isnt moving but is still alive. Aren't the nitrates a tad on the high side? Some plecos will swim upside down because they want to eat the food on the surface of the water. These fish simply arent active during the day. i know hes alive because if i try and move him he will swim away, What do i do? He said that probably it was aged quite a lot. If your pleco has seemingly rips/cuts in its fins, its most likely fin rot. Theyre caused by one of the following things: If your pleco has a cloudy eye but acts normal, it will probably go away by itself.
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