AHHHH! OH NO!

[gillnurse]

well everything's been fine..until...well i'm thinkin i have some parasites or somethin..haven't had any other probs....so i tried Copersafe medication. I don't know if it worked or not. Also I got a new Pleco...just a normal 2 dolla one. So in 2 days I've lost 3 fish!!! My Platy that I've had since I got the tank and has always thrived no matter what. and my 2 cory cats...now...I think that the cory cats tail seemed a little nibbled. Could my pleco have killed them. I don't know what it is. HELP ME!!! I'm Dyin here I feel sad!!!*SICK*

 

[MissFishy]

First of all, as I'm sure you know, the pleco will not work well in your tank. They grow up to a couple of FEET long within a year. I myself have a 1 footer. They can also get aggressive as they get larger.

You shouldn't mess with medications unless you know what the problem may be. Not really sure about the copper safe, but make sure you follow directions to the "T." Once you are done treating the tank, make sure to do a large water change.

My rule of thumb, when in doubt, step up water changes, that almost always perks fish up.

 

[gillnurse]

yep

I know he's gonna grow...but the good thing is that the fish place here will trade em out. I switch the killer pleco to my 55 gallon and he isn't biting on the cichlids...haha. they'd fight back! I actually love borneos but my last 2 lived 3 weeks and died. they told me they don't usually live long know anything about borneos?

 

[madgalaxy]

First of all, as I'm sure you know, the pleco will not work well in your tank. They grow up to a couple of FEET long within a year. I myself have a 1 footer. They can also get aggressive as they get larger.

What are you feeding that thing? Are you giving it steriod injections?

I have had a pelco in my 30g for almost 2 years. He started out at about 2 inches and now is about 5 inches.

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

They grow up to a couple of FEET long within a year. I .

There is no proof of somebody having a pleco over 12 inches long in captivity, so how can it grow several feet? Your statement is false.

 

[MissFishy]

I mispoke, my Pleco reached the length of 1 foot (12 inches) within 1 year. He started out in a 10 with another pleco, then both were moved to a 55 where the 8" was cannibalized by the 12". Of course, if you keep these guys in a small tank, their growth will be stunted and they will not grow to their full size. Yes, I have seen a 2 footer common pleco in captivity at my LFS. I'm sure there is lots of proof out there Gerald, otherwise people wouldn't continuously warn people not to buy these things.

 

[homebunnyj]

There is no proof of somebody having a pleco over 12 inches long in captivity, so how can it grow several feet? Your statement is false.

I personally saw an eighteen-incher at a lfs recently that had been returned because it outgrew its tank.

 

[homebunnyj]

What are you feeding that thing? Are you giving it steriod injections?

I have had a pelco in my 30g for almost 2 years. He started out at about 2 inches and now is about 5 inches.

Yours must be one of the dwarf species, for instance, a rubberlip or bristlenose. There are others, I understand, I'm just not familiar enough with plecos to rattle all of them off.

 

[madgalaxy]

Yours must be one of the dwarf species, for instance, a rubberlip or bristlenose. There are others, I understand, I'm just not familiar enough with plecos to rattle all of them off.

It is not a dwarf species. I am a firm believer that most fish will only grow to the size of their environment. IF they are not overfeed.

For example my wife has a clown loach in a 6g tank at school (she is a first grade teacher, the kids have named him "stripe"!). He was very small when she got him about a year ago. He has not grown much since then. His colors are very vibrant and is very healthy!

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

Yes, fish will grow to their environment, but its the outside that stops growing, not the inside. After a while the fish will die because the body will be too small for the inside.

 

[MissFishy]

Good god, that's just cruel. Yes, a fish will only grow to the size of it's environment. Unfortunately, the fish's insides and organs will not stop growing. The organs will continue growing and squeezing into the smaller body until the fish simply "explodes" and dies. Very painful and very slow. Do NOT keep fish in tanks smaller than what they should be in, i.e. a clown loach in a 6 gallon tank is absolutely ludicrous and cruel.

 

[madgalaxy]

Yes, fish will grow to their environment, but its the outside that stops growing, not the inside. After a while the fish will die because the body will be too small for the inside.

In all my 20+ years in the hobby I can honestly say I have never heard of this and my grandfather used to own an LFS. All I can speak is from my experiences. But, I digress until I can research this more.

Good god, that's just cruel. Yes, a fish will only grow to the size of it's environment. Unfortunately, the fish's insides and organs will not stop growing. The organs will continue growing and squeezing into the smaller body until the fish simply "explodes" and dies. Very painful and very slow. Do NOT keep fish in tanks smaller than what they should be in, i.e. a clown loach in a 6 gallon tank is absolutely ludicrous and cruel.

I do not think it was neccesary for you, MissFishy, to refer to me (and my wife) as "cruel". Frankly, you do not know me and should not be so quick to pass judgement. *thumbsdow

 

[sylentmode]

lol, yeah the outside, not the inside thing is pretty silly....stunted growth is stunted growth....your skin wont start bursting out of its seems if you have stunted growth.

 

[fish_chic]

In all my 20+ years in the hobby I can honestly say I have never heard of this and my grandfather used to own an LFS. All I can speak is from my experiences. But, I digress until I can research this more.



I do not think it was neccesary for you, MissFishy, to refer to me (and my wife) as "cruel". Frankly, you do not know me and should not be so quick to pass judgement. *thumbsdow

well a clown loach in a 6 gal is cruel.

 

[MissFishy]

If you'd research some on clown loachs, you will see that the actual "experts" do not recommend them for tanks typically smaller than a 55. They also like being in groups. Your isolated clown stuffed into a 6 gallon in a classroom full of kids that in all likelihood tap tap tap all day is probably hell for it. Sorry, don't know you, but from what I see here, you aren't caring for your fish properly or responsibly.

No, the fish won't "explode" per se. The organs on the inside will begin to condense and get "squished" at which point they will eventually shut down. Not fun.