Pleco losing color?

Hello all...my clown pleco which I've had for about5 months now just had half his body go white. I've never seen anything like this happen, not sure what current water parameters are as I'm at work and the picture was just sent to me but I will post those in a few hours when I get home just wanted to throw the pic out to see if anyone can identify just off the pic

 

Ive never seen one go thiswhite, but I know myother plecs change color when theyre upset with each other, anybody aggressive in that tank.?

 

He lives with a dwarf gourami some Australian rainbows 2 gbr's some Cory cats and a rainbow shark all in a 55 gallon never had any aggression issues no one ever seems to be around him other then when everyone comes out to eat but still no ones bothering

I did recently just take out 1 large fake plant that seemed to be over crowding the tank which was about a week ago he never seemed to be in it too much but would catch him nibbling along the leaves here and there could the removal of this plant have something to do with this

 

It definitely could, I intend to follow this thread in the considerations of learning.

 

Possibly, depends on how much cover is in your tank. If it was his only good place to hide, maybe.

 

No there's plenty of cover he still has his normal spot the only thing I ever saw him do was nibble along the leaves once in awhile

Here is the full tank that big mess on the left is what I removed then spread out and added a few smaller plants they still have plenty of cover it just seemed to open up the free swimming space a bit more

Oh and I forgot about the black skirt tetras but even with them no one bothers grandpa(plecos name) I actually took this pic the day I got him he's in the bag acclimating to the tank

 

Try replacing it. My fish have their favorite rocks. (No joke) our Bloodparrot Smiley likes a pink/black rock, so we leave it in the dan ing center of the tank. What we do for our fish. =]

Erhm. Readding.

 

Can't replace threw it out took it out because it looked gross and just seemed to get in the way and yes most of my fish have their own spots the only ones that don't are the tetras and rainbows they just swim around all over the place the pleco has his own hidden area that he found on his own and also an area with a small piece of driftwood that he likes he is active in the tank dosent just hide like he used to he will be out during the day munching around on various surfaces and when it comes feeding time he usually fights off the fray to take his food back to his own home

 

It could be just stress from moving it. Parameters?

 

So just got home he has not moved from that spot not even for feeding time...checked water ammonia-0 nitRITE-o nitRATE~40 temp has stayed at a constant 78 could the higher nitrate cause this

I'm afraid it's time to get in there and make sure he is still alive

Bad news...he did not make it not sure if the nitrates being around 40 could of been the cause everyone else seems happy and healthy one more thing I noticed when I pulled him out was his belly was black he does have a piece of driftwood and gets daily feelings of protein/algae wafers and typically always gets a piece along with the occasional veggie feeding

Plecos are my favorite type of fish I've never had trouble with one but have lost both of the ones I've tried with this tank the odd thing is they are the only fish that doesn't survive I'm kind of at a loss for what's going on with that

 

I'm sorry to hear that. The nitrates is possible, but I would think plecos are more resilient to it than that (not that we try testing limits...) PS yes plecos eat drift, I know some don't eat all types. I don't think mine ever eats from my piece.

Your Trates seem high to me. =\

 

Yes I agree they are high and have to admit I had been a bit lazy with my water changes in the last month I do over filter to help take care of when I'm a bit lazy canister rated to 120 gallon tank along with an aquaclear 70 but just did a water change 4 days ago and can't do another till sat

 

I am sorry you lost him but I have no idea what could have been wrong to cause that color change and death, Alison

 

I really don't think your NitrAtes killed him.. 40 definitely needs a water change but it seems unlikely to me that its what caused it.

Just want to point out that overfiltration does not replace water changes

I'm sorry for your loss

 

Sorry !!! Did you feed it meaty stuff besides the vegs as well ?

 

Clown plecs are almost complete vegetarians, too little meat is unliekly to be the issue, against sorry for your loss.

 

Clown plecs are almost complete vegetarians, too little meat is unliekly to be the issue, against sorry for your loss.

Okay, Planet Catfish tells a bit different.

 

His diet did include all he would mainly eat the shrimp/algae wafers plus I would also feed frozen brine shrimp to the tank about once a week not sure if he would eat much of that or not

 

I just checked it. it only mentions vegetables and wood.

 

I just checked it. it only mentions vegetables and wood.

Don't think you're reading the entire article then.

 

Don't think you're reading the entire article then.

Yep, read it again, no mention of meat.
if you are refering to the option of adding frozen food, note that this does not have to be meat.

 

With meaty food I mean the more carnovious side of the diet brineshrimp, bloodworm, aso! Not as in cow, pig or sheep. Or do they mean frozen cumcumber, zuchinI aso? English isn't my native language (maybe that's causing this) but It's not only wood and vegs as you stated in my opinion.

 

Frozen. Can include frozen veggies and green water.
ive never fed them any inverts myself. They might eat worms but I don't even know if theyd eat shrimp.
Still don't think this is the cause.

on a diffeent topic, I actually think that in some instances of a high nitrate. Tank, they might be the fist effected, as they are swimming at the bottom in the actual waste.

 

I've never heard of "frozen" used for frozen vegs and wilipedia is more clear what's meand by it I think

But okay, I don't think it is the cause but only thinking up loud a lack of some minerals / vitamins might have made it vunerable for some kind of infection.

No use anymore. A shame for such a nice fish !

Regards Aad

 

Frozen. Can include frozen veggies and green water.
ive never fed them any inverts myself. They might eat worms but I don't even know if theyd eat shrimp.
Still don't think this is the cause.

on a diffeent topic, I actually think that in some instances of a high nitrate. Tank, they might be the fist effected, as they are swimming at the bottom in the actual waste.

Btw : Seriouslyfish is telling NOT to feed meaty stuff hahaha. Bit of contradiction in info as well.

 

From what I have read, when plecos in the wild eat algae , they are also consuming all the insect larvae, tiny inverts, things like daphnia and other little water bugs that make their home in the the algae giving them a protein source as well as they scavange on dead fish. Just my :Alison

 

That's often inan aquarium also though, not to gross you out.

My moneys still on nitrates