Pleco Sucking Dead Fish Infected Fish...

[TombedOrchestra]

So, I'm dosing my tank for a suspected columnaris infection (white film over fish head, flashing, etc).

Well, I'm using Furan 2. I dosed on Thursday and Friday, then yesterday changed water. I'm continuing second treatment today for total of 4 doses like the instructions say.

I woke up this morning to my most infected fish dead and on the filter. That didn't surprise me. What concerned me was the pleco sucking on it. Looked like it had been sucking for a while. Half the scales were missing, and several deep 'holes' in the body (i'm guess this is where it was 'sucking').

Is the pleco going to get this disease as well? I've been dosing the whole tank, so hopefully the anti-biotics will keep it from spreading?

Thanks,

 

[Mcasella]

The pleco will suck on any dead fish, the holes are from other fish in the tank not the pleco, plecos rasp down the side of the fish so it will be a massive area that is exposed not little holes.
If the pleco is in the same tank you are treating it is already exposed to the disease, eating a diseased fish will not further increase its chances of catching it if it is columnaris.

 

[TombedOrchestra]

The pleco will suck on any dead fish, the holes are from other fish in the tank not the pleco, plecos rasp down the side of the fish so it will be a massive area that is exposed not little holes.
If the pleco is in the same tank you are treating it is already exposed to the disease, eating a diseased fish will not further increase its chances of catching it if it is columnaris.

Very helpful! Thanks