Baby Bn Pleco Very Thin

At the planted tank at my job, I introduced 2 baby bn plecos, an albino and a standard. Just found the standard baby, who is less than an inch in length, on the bottom gasping. I picked him up and he is very thin.

There is not a lot of algae growth in the tank, but there are clear signs the plecos and snails have been feeding. I have also been supplementing the tank with food just in case.

I am considering taking him home and place him in my tank for a while, where I know there is an abundance of biofilm and algae. This tank has a female albino BN in it who is very well fed. Would you recommend this? He looks like he's on the verge of starving to death.

 

Are you feeding veggies? What sort of food are you supplementing?

 

Can you get a picture of him?

I would never put a fish of questionable health into any of my tanks. It's possible he has parasites or a bacterial infection causing him to lose weight.

 

Are you feeding veggies? What sort of food are you supplementing?

The tank is only a week old, but used established media, plants, and has been supplemented with Bacter AE to encourage biofilm. It is also by a window receiving sunlight as well as 10 hours of lighting from a Fluval 2.0 per day, so there is some algae growth.

I am feeding the tank New Life Spectrum pellets, crushed because all the fish are tiny (pearl danios, baby plecos, Asian stone cats), as well as HikarI algae wafers.

Can you get a picture of him?

I would never put a fish of questionable health into any of my tanks. It's possible he has parasites or a bacterial infection causing him to lose weight.

I have a cherry shrimp tank he can stay in, no risk of spreading disease to inverts. I just wanna see if he'll recover.






I have Metroplex at home to medicate for internal parasites, and some Garlic Guard. Think that will help?

 

Can't help, but Pearl Danios(Galaxy Rasboras) are brilliant little fish. Where did y'all get yours from?

 

Can't help, but Pearl Danios(Galaxy Rasboras) are brilliant little fish. Where did y'all get yours from?

Please stay on topic. Thanks!

 

He likely is being starved out by the other pleco, so he needs food ' n a daily basis, shrimp pellets, fresh veggies (squash, zucchini, green beans), higher protein foods are needed to help with weight gain as well as an abundance of food. Plecos are territorial so food enough for two without it getting broken up into several pieces will have only one really eating and chasing the other off, warmer temp and extra food will fix him right up (warmer to stimulate appetite).

 

He likely is being starved out by the other pleco, so he needs food ' n a daily basis, shrimp pellets, fresh veggies (squash, zucchini, green beans), higher protein foods are needed to help with weight gain as well as an abundance of food. Plecos are territorial so food enough for two without it getting broken up into several pieces will have only one really eating and chasing the other off, warmer temp and extra food will fix him right up (warmer to stimulate appetite).

It's a 20 tall so I figured it was plenty of space for a pair. It's also on the cooler side at 70°.

I'll get him on a good diet at home and see how he fares. May need to start keeping squash and zucchinI at work!

 

It's a 20 tall so I figured it was plenty of space for a pair. It's also on the cooler side at 70°.

I'll get him on a good diet at home and see how he fares. May need to start keeping squash and zucchinI at work!

They need several caves/hiding places and a 29 would be recommended if yay are trying to keep more than one, they can and will kill each other over food and space. A 20long would be better than a high as the footprint is better. I would only recommend one bristlenose in a 20 high as it is not enough space for more, other bottom dwellers might become targets for the pleco as it gets to maturity (territory, even females will kill for space).

 

They need several caves/hiding places and a 29 would be recommended if yay are trying to keep more than one, they can and will kill each other over food and space. A 20long would be better than a high as the footprint is better. I would only recommend one bristlenose in a 20 high as it is not enough space for more, other bottom dwellers might become targets for the pleco as it gets to maturity (territory, even females will kill for space).

Thanks for the info. We have plans to install a couple of 55 gallons but need to racks built first. I'll keep the runt for now, dropped him into his new tank with a piece of fresh squash to eat.

 

Plecos also need wood to eat for digestion. Do you have any driftwood in the tank?

 

Plecos also need wood to eat for digestion. Do you have any driftwood in the tank?

Right now just mopani, which is too hard, but I'm getting some cholla this week. I have a bn pleco in a 29 so I'm familiar with their care.

 

Right now just mopani, which is too hard, but I'm getting some cholla this week. I have a bn pleco in a 29 so I'm familiar with their care.

View attachment 400156
View attachment 400157

Mine rasp on mopanI just fine.

 

Mine rasp on mopanI just fine.

I've always heard it wears on their teeth really badly due to it's hardness.

 

I've always heard it wears on their teeth really badly due to it's hardness.

Underwater the outside layer of it softens, enough the pleco should be fine. I'm not noticing any difference in the plecos I have and their teeth wear.

 

Thanks for the info. We have plans to install a couple of 55 gallons but need to racks built first. I'll keep the runt for now, dropped him into his new tank with a piece of fresh squash to eat.

Yes.

 

Please stay on topic. Thanks!

Apologies.