what does sunken belly mean?

[Rey]

Does it mean a pleco can't eat? or is near death?
I have seen Royals go from sunken belly to being full or normal. But I have seen others perish soon after

 

[Irene0100]

it means they are under fed or not feeding properly. like seeing a really skinny person.

 

[Jackson]

It can be parasites, not enough food or improper diet or even bacterial infection
This is what I've experienced with royals/panaque

 

[Lornek8]

It can be all or any of the things the others mentioned.
Sunken belly in herbivores is a bit more dangerous than for omnis or carnis. Herbivores, its proposed, rely on gut flora to process food. In a starved condition, sunken belly, the gut flora dies off and the pleco can no longer process food. This is a condition typically seen in imported herbivore plecs. In omnis and carnis the digestive system is setup a bit differently so a starved, skinny plec can often recover. The severity of the sunken belly often makes a difference in the prognosis of the pleco.

 

[Rey]

Thanks, for the advice it is a common pleco so an omni. I am currently treating him with melafix. Still not sure if he is eating though.

 

[Jackson]

Thanks, for the advice it is a common pleco so an omni. I am currently treating him with melafix. Still not sure if he is eating though.

Melafix is useless

You'd need to treat with prazipro or another type of anti parasite medicine

 

[Rey]

Thanks had no idea about melafix. Okay I will see if they have that at the LFS if not I will order some.

 

[Lornek8]

Melafix is useless

You'd need to treat with prazipro or another type of anti parasite medicine

Totally agree on both points.
Prazipro is my treatment for all new plecs especially wild caught. It seems to help get rid on many internal nasties and I've found plecs acclimate better after a prazipro treatment.

 

[Rey]

Thanks, I purchased the Prazipro and am treating the big common pleco with it who had the sunken belly.