Found My Pleco Discolored

Hey guys so I was starting my weekly water change when I moved one of my decorations to gravel vac under it and I found my pleco hugely discolored and sluggish. Yesterday he was fine when I gave him his wafer. Anybody know what cause this? I’ve had him for a few months after I bought him not knowing he needs a bigger tank. I couldn’t find anybody to take him so I’m stuck with it for now. I’ve had him for 3months now.

30g
76*f
3 platys
1 Pleco
3 mystery snails.
Penguin 200 HOB
5 1/2 inch air powered sponge filter to
And air stone in the corner
My platies are okay to that’s what baffles me
Well gonna finish my 10 gallon water change like routine

 

My BN pleco looks similar to this right now because he is growing, if your other fish are fine I'm sure there is nothing to worry about

 

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

There are ways to rehome common plecos...I don't think you should keep him for life if the 30 gallon is the best you can provide. But the tank size is not the issue right now since he is small.

So my first thought would be to test the water. Just because the other fish are fine doesn't mean he is. And you know your fish better than anyone. If he is behaving out of character in addition to the color change, then I do think there is cause for concern.

 

My BN pleco looks similar to this right now because he is growing, if your other fish are fine I'm sure there is nothing to worry about

It’s just makes me worried cause he is barely moving at all. He moves if I bump him or like when I moved the decor but he moved like 5 inchs then stopped

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

There are ways to rehome common plecos...I don't think you should keep him for life if the 30 gallon is the best you can provide. But the tank size is not the issue right now since he is small.

So my first thought would be to test the water. Just because the other fish are fine doesn't mean he is. And you know your fish better than anyone. If he is behaving out of character in addition to the color change, then I do think there is cause for concern.

What parameters are normal 0,0,20 before water change ph is 7.0
Well I made this thread to late. The pleco pasted away while where where at dinner. I had put a wafer in close by it and it ingnored and and after dinner I rechecked and it had stopped breathing and was stiff as a board. My only thought was with the addition of the 3 snails they put eat him and he starved. My lfs won’t take fish back if they didn’t sell them to you only would if they got to big to keep ( they have a couple 300ish g tanks for that) I had planned on taking him to my lfs when he got bigger because they will only take a fish back if it’s to big for you. But he didn’t make it to that point sorry I forgot to add that earlier

 

I don’t know, except that it looks starved. The belly looks caved and the tail end is very thin. You said it ate fine just yesterday? How long have you had it? My best guess is that you got the pleco already starved and it was just a matter of time before it passed.

 

sorry about your fish.

 

There are types of plecos that stay around 6 inches. My rubber pleco changes colors to blend in with the gravel. Sometimes he is black, brown or tan. (Edit: I’m sorry about your pleco. I didn’t read that part earlier.)

 

I don’t know, except that it looks starved. The belly looks caved and the tail end is very thin. You said it ate fine just yesterday? How long have you had it? My best guess is that you got the pleco already starved and it was just a matter of time before it passed.

Bout 3 months is how long I’ve had him. I don’t know if he ate fine cause I give them the wafers at night when lights are off because if I don’t the platys will eat the wafer before the pleco find it. But he looks good yesterday so I was surprised to find him this way. Oh well maybe I’ll look for another pleco just not a common pleco

 

sorry about your pleco

 

I just typed a long paragraph of info about plecos and how they act and what might be wrong and blah blah blah but then I read up into the chat and I saw it was to late I'm sorry for your pleco I know how it feels

 

Some plecos when they won't eat (or cannot eat) will become ill because the bacteria in their gut no longer functions - pretty much if it isn't getting fed at the store you purchased it from (they cannot survive off of algae alone, a flat belly is fine but a concave belly is always a sign of worry - I had a rescue royal pleco that was very sharp over its head and had a sunken belly, he made it for several weeks before he passed, he simply regressed even though he had been eating well).