Alamyst

Hi. I am pretty sure I had a Hypostomus plecostomus. He was a baby. no longer than an inch and a half. Amazing little guy. He was dead this morning when I woke up. Just laying upside down at the bottom of my tank. My girlfriend started cryin.
The tank I started him in is a fifteen gallon tank. Small gravel on the bottom. A few fake plants and a little bell for him to hide in. I have about a dozen red-rosie feeder fish in the tank along with him. Anyway the water was changed two weeks ago. I got my Pleco four days ago. He was given some food however not during lights out like most sites seem to sugjest.
The temperature in his tank is within normal range. I can not figure out what killed my poor little Pleco. Also I am pretty good with aquatic animals. I have turtles, aquatic frogs and many other fish. I am sad and ignorant as to why the Pleco died. I would love to get another, but not if the poor guys is going to pass on me.
If any has sugjestions or tell me what I did wrong I would apperciate it.
Thank you.
Alamyst.

Butterfly

Plecs need lots of green stuff to eat. Algae, veggie rounds and fresh veggies. Many times plecs and algae eaters die because they have not been handled right at the store. when you get another make sure his tummy is nice and filled out, no sunken bellys.
Your tank is over stocked with that many fish and plecs are huge waste producers . Need to change about 255 each week and Vacuum the gravel.
How long has the tank been set up? What are the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate water test readings? Sorry for all teh questions but will help us hlp you figure out what happened.
Carol

armadillo

Oh, Alamyst. I am so sorry your pleco passed away. My baby BN just disappeared. I haven't seen him in weeks and I am sure he's dead and long eaten, as I've taken the whole tank apart to find him, pretty much.

I have read Butterfly's suggestions, and I agree about the overcrowding and the chance that waste poisoning may have contributed. I also used to leave out a slice of cucumber at night, for him, but I don't think lack of fresh greens would have killed him so soon, but you never know - you didn't have him long, did you?

Please don't beat yourself up if you dont' find the answer. Sometimes, it's just down to bad luck, you know. And if you do find some answers, then it will just make you a better owner for the next little guy you get.

Please tell your girlfriend that the fact that she cried is really sweet, and that we all understand how it feels.

Alamyst

All of my water test came back negative. However I did not test until after he died. It was an error in my judgment.
The tank has only been set up and run for two weeks. Put the red-rosie in 12 days ago. The pleco four.
I hope the store did not sell me a unheathly Pleco. It would be wrong for them to mistreat them.
Ty for the help. I will follow suggestions and keep reading up on the Pleco. Maybe I will try again when I am sure to succeed. I ll let you guys know.
Ty.

Butterfly

I don't think not having fresh greens killed him in such a short time either I was just suggesting good pleco foods.
Since the tank has only been up a couple of weeks I think it is not cycled. There are many good articles for starting tanks in the beginners forum.
I really don't think I would add any more fish to that tank since it's still plenty stocked.
Carol