BigFish

I have a 200 litre tank which has been set up for 6months, its contains mainly small chchlids at the moment moment but i also have 3 medium size plecs, 1 big plec ( around a foot long ), a small chinese algae eater and a half banded eel. My big plec was introduced about a month ago and seemed to be doing fine up until a week ago. One morning when i went to check on them the big plec was laying on its side and not moving, i thought it was dead to start with so i went to get him out of the tank. As i touched him he moved ( made me jump lol ). He was trying to swim but was finding it very difficult, since then when he moves he can only manage a very jerky movement and doesnt get far before he falls back to the bottom, he no longer sucks on the glass but spends all of his time on the bottom. His fins have big splits in them and look very sore, i am assuming this is fim rot and im following all the usual treatments but i have never known a fish to be this damaged by fin rot so i am worried it could be something else.

Has anyone got any ideas?, i dont wantg him to die.

Angela_96

What type of cichlids are in that tank? Between that, the eel and cichlids it sounds like your tank is way overstocked.

Do you know what the parameters are? pH, ammonia, nitrate, nitrites?

BigFish

I only have about 8 small malawi cichlids, the parameters are all fine and all the other fish are showing no signs of lathargicness or fin rot, they are all as healthy as ever.

Angela_96

Malawi cichlids do not mix with plecos well, its very likely they have attacked it.
The tank is overstocked with the eel and pleco along with the cichlids.

BigFish

cool thanks for the advice, i'll have to swap some tanks around. Antone else have any thought on the health of the fish?

gremlin

It definitely sounds like someone is picking on your plec. What are you feeding the plecs and the chinese algae eater? Those four fish alone are more than your tank can safely handle - not just for the water parameters, but for space. I would pick one of those four to stay in that tank and move the other three to other tanks. I'm not sure how aggressive your cichlids are, I'm not too familiar with them, but you may also want to keep an eye on your chinese algae eater. They can be aggressive if they do not have enough room, hiding holes, or food. They are voracious eaters and prefer meatier foods as they get older. They need at least 2-3 caves that are exclusively "theirs", and your size tank is the minimum for one with no other bottom feeders. He may not have started picking on your plec, but if your plec is not feeling well, the CAE may go after it.