Common pleco laying on side dying... Please help!!!

Julieann · 08-01-2009, 05:15 PM

I have a common pleco (named Plinko) that is nearly 10 years old. He was doing just fine until I did a partial water change two days ago. (have conducted lots of partial water changes over the years with no problems). My sunburst platy died (no other fish in tank), and Now Plinko is laying on his side, his tail is curved, he's not moving, and I'm pretty sure he's (obviously) not eating. His skin doesn't really appear to be cloudy, I don't see any white patches or abnormalities... Except his top fin looks a little ragged. Also, his fins are not closed in close to his body as others have described. He looks pretty normal. I moved him into a huge bowl of fresh water (with aeration but no filter) since I don't have an emergency tank (in the process of moving) and took a sample of the fresh water to petsmart for testing to make sure the water was okay. Ammonia was .5, nitrate levels were both zero, pH was 6.8, alkalinity was 120, hardness was 75, and chlorine / chloramine was zero. The lady at petsmart said that although the pH was a little high, the water was okay. I went ahead and added some PImafix thinking he may have a bacterial infection (saw a post on another site that said this is commonly why plecos lay on their sides). Noticed after I added pimafix that One site said not to use pimafix, as they believed it contains an undisclosed amount of clove oil, which they claim can kill fish if overdosed, but bottle says active ingredient is 1% pimenta racemosa. When I first added Plink to the fresh water, he swam around every now and then upside down, but since the pimafix addition, he hasn't swam at all (others have said pimafix tends to make fish sluggish). Petmsart didn't carry maracyn... Or I would have used it. What should I do??? Please help!!!! Don't know if I need to change water and go get maracyn... Leave him in fresh water.. And/or try to adjust the pH and get ammonia levels down to zero.... Or do you think it's too late to do anything? I've heard it takes plecos a long time to die when they're on their way out. Any advice would be INCREDIBLY appreciated. I've become pretty attached to Plinko... We've been through a lot together!!

Scooper · 08-03-2009, 06:18 PM

I'm not really sure what to do. If it is bacterial then I would change the water and dose him and the tank with maracyn to be safe. I'm sorry but I've never heard of this with my limited fish keeping. I hope everything turns out well.

KyleBradley · 08-03-2009, 09:23 PM

Probably too late.. Ten years is a long life..... Just say goodbye and get another.

08-01-2009, 05:15 PM	#1
Julieann Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 1	Common pleco laying on side dying... Please help!!! I have a common pleco (named Plinko) that is nearly 10 years old. He was doing just fine until I did a partial water change two days ago. (have conducted lots of partial water changes over the years with no problems). My sunburst platy died (no other fish in tank), and Now Plinko is laying on his side, his tail is curved, he's not moving, and I'm pretty sure he's (obviously) not eating. His skin doesn't really appear to be cloudy, I don't see any white patches or abnormalities... Except his top fin looks a little ragged. Also, his fins are not closed in close to his body as others have described. He looks pretty normal. I moved him into a huge bowl of fresh water (with aeration but no filter) since I don't have an emergency tank (in the process of moving) and took a sample of the fresh water to petsmart for testing to make sure the water was okay. Ammonia was .5, nitrate levels were both zero, pH was 6.8, alkalinity was 120, hardness was 75, and chlorine / chloramine was zero. The lady at petsmart said that although the pH was a little high, the water was okay. I went ahead and added some PImafix thinking he may have a bacterial infection (saw a post on another site that said this is commonly why plecos lay on their sides). Noticed after I added pimafix that One site said not to use pimafix, as they believed it contains an undisclosed amount of clove oil, which they claim can kill fish if overdosed, but bottle says active ingredient is 1% pimenta racemosa. When I first added Plink to the fresh water, he swam around every now and then upside down, but since the pimafix addition, he hasn't swam at all (others have said pimafix tends to make fish sluggish). Petmsart didn't carry maracyn... Or I would have used it. What should I do??? Please help!!!! Don't know if I need to change water and go get maracyn... Leave him in fresh water.. And/or try to adjust the pH and get ammonia levels down to zero.... Or do you think it's too late to do anything? I've heard it takes plecos a long time to die when they're on their way out. Any advice would be INCREDIBLY appreciated. I've become pretty attached to Plinko... We've been through a lot together!!

08-03-2009, 06:18 PM	#2
Scooper Teenie Weenie Fish Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 60	I'm not really sure what to do. If it is bacterial then I would change the water and dose him and the tank with maracyn to be safe. I'm sorry but I've never heard of this with my limited fish keeping. I hope everything turns out well. __________________ My Tanks: 10 Gallon: 2 Dwarf Puffers 2 Otos 20 Gallon: 2 Kribs 4 Khuli Loaches 4 Cherry Barbs 2 Platys 1 Undetermined Shrimp 4 Dwarf Cories

08-03-2009, 09:23 PM	#3
KyleBradley Little Fish Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 143	Probably too late.. Ten years is a long life..... Just say goodbye and get another. __________________ 20-gallon hex 37-gallon High-top http://winchenchronicles.proboards.c...lay&thread=732