my pleco isn't well, please help :(

[halliwell57]

Hi all, apologies for my first post requesting help, i have been a browser for a while but have never got round to registering before.

Here's where i'm upto so far...

around 2 weeks ago i found my 1 year old L183 upside down in the middle of the tank with an abrasion to the side of him, i assumed it was just a one off attack. Anyway, the week later i found my female bristlenose floating with a very similar abrasion in pretty much the exact same place!

Which brings me to today, i've been cleaning my tank and found my male bristlenose hiding but looking very fat, so i take him out for a closer look and find that he also has the same abrasion but smaller.

I drop him into a tank where i can keep an eye on him (while i come here to get advice!) and as i drop him in he's almost lifeless, he is breathing but thats about it, he is laying out in the open and i can pick him up without so much as a wriggle!

Here's a few pics i've just taken, can anyone shed any light on:

a) why he's soo fat?

b) what could be causing the abrasions?

c) and finally what if anything i can do to stop it.

Just to add, in the tank he was in i have a pair of L066's, 1 remaining L183, 8 baby albino bristlenose, plus a handful of baby guppies.

Any help would be really appreciated

(just realised i cant upload my images, i'll go and photobucket them and brb!)

 

[halliwell57]

 

[Lornek8]

Looks to me to be a bacterial infection. That's the reason for the bloating & the wound. Its not an abrasion but due to the infection. Looks like its got a bit of pop eye which also points to a bacterial infection.

 

[halliwell57]

Looks to me to be a bacterial infection. That's the reason for the bloating & the wound. Its not an abrasion but due to the infection. Looks like its got a bit of pop eye which also points to a bacterial infection.

Thanks for the help, i've put him in a tank with a couple of my bigger (and more valuable!) fish, would you recommend removing him to prevent it spreading?

 

[Lornek8]

If you can.
How long has it been in this new tank? If its been a few days you might consider treating ths new tank as well since the occupants have already been exposed. At the same time, you should consider treating the old tank as well for the same reason.

 

[halliwell57]

It's been in the new tank for around an hour, and so has my L183.

I can remove them to a spare tank temporarily, what would you recommend i treat the tanks with?

Thanks again for your help.

 

[Lornek8]

Sorry not so sure what medications are available where you're located. Hopefully someone will come along that can help. You're looking for something for a bacterial infection. In the US there are meds that treat gram + & gram - bacterial infections. i, personally, like to use meds that treat for both so tpically this means using two different meds.

 

[halliwell57]

This is the only bacterial medication i can find locally, would you have any idea if this product is about right?

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/interpet-internal-bacteria-100ml-25611

Sorry for all the questions, i would just like to try and save the fish or at least stop whatever is is from spreading.

 

[Lornek8]

That could work. From that same site, these are ones i'd consider. Again, not very familiar with most of them so not sure how effective they are. Tough to say for any certainty as there are no ingredients listed.

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/interpet-fungus-finrot-100ml-25609
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/melafix-antibacterial-fish-remedy-240ml-by-api-16284
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/liquisil-100ml-by-interpet-36429

 

[halliwell57]

Thanks for your help, i'll go down to the store and pick something up shortly. I'll let you know how it goes :thumbup:

 

[macvsog23]

Try Mela fix and prima Fix

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/API-118ml-Melafix-118ml-Pimafix-Bargain-Combi-Pack-/220680279233?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item336191d4c1

 

[halliwell57]

Try Mela fix and prima Fix

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/API-118ml-Melafix-118ml-Pimafix-Bargain-Combi-Pack-/220680279233?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item336191d4c1

Thanks

I bought some Melafix from my LFS and have just given a dose to all 3 tanks that the ill fish have been in.

Unfortunately i lost the male bristlenose but hopefully with the help i've received here i have stopped it happening to anymore of my plecs

 

[RobHarrison]

If you ever need any help buying the right meds or information, head to your local fish shop Pier Aquatics they will have everything you could possibly need and also very good advice

 

[halliwell57]

Thanks again for the advice, i removed my carbon and i'm on the 3rd treatment of Melafix. I guess only time will tell if it works or not but so far so good.

Unfortunately i lost the male BN but i think it was inevitable with the state he was in when i realised he wasn't right, the problem was that he would never come out until all the lights were off and we were in bed so i never got a good look at him until it was too late

 

[Irene0100]

you can add pimafix with melafix for extra cover.
the 'fix' are good but this infection may be too far set in and need something more powerful. the interpet should help -unless they are beyond help , but do treat both tanks as its seems infectious

 

[Big-B]

:imsorry: for your loss.