# Placossumus Issue!



## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

We have a Placossumus (probably misspelled) that we call Baby A. Right now; It's looking like she's getting fin rot  What can I do to help her?
I know her fins haven't been nipped at, because most of it isn't at the tip of her fins, but more towards the middle. She swims just fine still, but I don't want it to end up killing her or getting to the rest of the fish in her tank


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## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

aquarium salt. if you're not using it, start it up right away. there are several medical remedies available, but the simplest solution, and the one with the best long-term effectiveness is a pinch of aquarium salt.

is this the only pleco you have in this tank? they usually prefer to be kept in small groups (2-4 is fine).


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Plecostumos, i think. hahaha


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## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

We have one other in the tank. The aquarium salt wont hurt. Gold fish, right? (That's their tank mates)


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## homegrown terror (Aug 6, 2012)

why would you put a pleco with goldfish? tropicals CAN NOT live happily with goldfish, they need drastically different water temperatures and conditions, can be hostile towards each other, and both species can grow very large. plecos only belong in tropical tanks, and goldfish only belong in goldfish species tanks.


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## BWG (Oct 11, 2011)

Any idea what species of pleco it is? Some can live in subtropical temperatures like goldfish, but homegrown terror is right in that you'll have some decent to huge sized fish. Definitely wouldn't agree on them preferring groups though. Some species like the ones sold as common plecos are way too territoral for that.


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## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

Because our gold fish and the pleco live happily together and both our tropicals and gold fish need a heater? All our gold fish died before we put a heater in and now they're huge.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

How big is the tank? Depending on the species of goldfish and depending on the species of pleco you are going to need something in the 100 gallon mark at the very least. If you have a common pleco they grow massive, produce a lot of waste and have been known to eat the slime coat on goldfish. 

Are you sure it is not a water quality issue? Knowing what your parameters are could help rule out things like damage from ammonia.


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## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

It's a ten gallon tank, and we just did a water change. The ones we got are the ones from walmart... So I'm not quite sure what type they actually are.. But they are happy together, let the fish (if they can fit) into their little ship that they have. The goldfish can go right up to them and pick around them and the plecos don't do a thing.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

Eek. Afraid to say, goldfish need a much much bigger tank than 10 gallons. My goldfish is so stunted from living in a smaller tank that he is only half the size he should be and he is over 5 years old. It wasn't until I put him into a decent sized tank that he started growing again. 

If you have common or comet goldfish they are supposed to reach at least a foot in length in ideal conditions in about a year. Even fancy goldfish can grow to the size of a baseball. 

Plecos also need at least 20 gallons for the smaller species and at least 50-100 gallons for the bigger ones. 

Your tank is massively overstocked (even if all the fish are quite small now). I would advise that you are either going to have to upgrade to a much larger tank or try and re-home your current stock. You are only going to run into problems further up the track and it is not fair on the fish to make them live in such cramped conditions. 

Sorry.


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## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

Gold fish and plecos will only grow to what their tank is...

But right now that's not my concern, my concern is the fin rot x.x


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

I'm sorry but that's a complete myth. The rot was probably because of the ammonia. The tank is overstocked, and has wrong fish. I don't know how to deal fin rot with Plecos. PLEASE do your RESEARCH before buying any animal. I'm sorry if I'm mean, but it's the truth. :-?


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

The massive levels of ammonia that tend to build up quickly in a way overstocked, too-small tank is probably the most common cause of fin rot -- so I'd say nobody is out of bounds for suggesting you give your fish a much bigger tank.

And yes, these fish _will_ become stunted in that environment - and then they'll more than probably drop dead many years before they ought to because of it. Anyone who cared for the welfare of their fish might want to pay heed to the experienced fish-keepers when told "the tank is too small". 

I am not sorry for being blunt.  

Be careful treating your pleco with salt, some species don't do well on it and also are sensitive to medications - try a half dose for him in a hospital tank.


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## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

and I did.. The plecos will only grow to their habitat. So will the gold fish. If I move them to a bigger tank, of course they're going to grow. We've had them for seven months and haven't had an issue. We'll just try lifeguard and if that doesn't show any improvement, then I'll try the aquarium salt.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

No they won't. It's a FACT that Plecos and Goldfish will overgrow the tank, if you won't follow advice, expect some trouble. PLEASE follow our advice, and rehome them.


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## CHARLi3 (Apr 13, 2012)

I've had fish since I was five.. i have a little knowledge of fish. has anyone asked how many fish are in the tank? No. you're all assuming I have 20 fish in a ten gallon tank, just by the way it sounds.

All I asked is suggestions for fin rot, not a lecture about my tank. When I feel they need a larger home, and can provide one for them, I'll rehome them. I've done research and There's a reason I have very few posts on this site is because no one will stay on my topics or give me the help i need.

So i've said what I'll try to do, so PLEASE stop harping about my tank! You don't think my goldies and my plecos should be together, that's YOUR opinion! They've been happy with each other since we got them. I'm not asking what to put with what, we take guidlines from things posted in pet stores and look online before purchasing anything. The fact that our beta is ALONE in his three gallon tank is proof of that. He cannot be housed with any tetras or any other suggested friend, cept for snails we haven't tried them yet. I got my advice on something to try for fin rot, so this topic is closed.


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## LebronTheBetta (Apr 23, 2012)

Fine then. Have it your way. Just remember that your fish are suffering but if you don't care, I don't care anymore. My Betta is alone as well. Snails produce too much ammonia in the tank so you need at least 10 gallon for that. And if it matters, IMO AND EXPERIENCE!!!!

I'm leaving this thread to the Pleco Experts. Good luck with this one.


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## BWG (Oct 11, 2011)

Research like this? Goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) Profile

Please don't complain when you come asking for advice and that advice isn't something you want to hear.


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## kfryman (Nov 7, 2011)

Okay to first treat finrot you need to find out what is causing it. The usual cause in fin rot is bad living conditions, so in a way everyone is on topic. Good clean water should clear it up, do 50% water change daily, if it advances try a half dose of aquarium salt 1/2 tsp/gal. As said some plecos can't tolerate the salt. Some can...

Remember gold fish are pins fish they need lots of space, a 10 gallon is too small for one gold fish, throw a pleco in the mix (Both are HUGE poppers) you have several problems that will happen. Just want to inform you. I am in no way jumping at you and yelling. But do take in the knowledge of others.


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## LittleBettaFish (Oct 2, 2010)

What you have to understand is that by overstocking your tank, you are more than likely producing more waste and ammonia than your biological filter can process. Goldfish and plecos are some of the biggest waste producing fish in the hobby, and unless you have a fully established filter with plenty of room for media, you are guaranteed to be seeing spikes in ammonia. 

Goldfish are capable of living for well over 20 years. They are more of a commitment than even a dog or a cat. To purposefully cause stunting in any animal is inhumane and unnecessarily cruel. Goldfish are incredibly hardy, and it can be years before you see the ill-effects of improper housing and care. If you truly want to be raked over coals, go onto a goldfish forum and see what they have to say.

Please don't disregard what the people say on this forum as fallacy. I can count on one hand the number of fish and pet store employees whose opinion I respect, and I have been to dozens and dozens of stores in the past few years. Any basic internet search will show that your stocking is grossly inappropriate. 

So it is probably poor water quality that is causing issues with your pleco, and until you address the core of this issue you are just going to see an exacerbation of these problems. 

If you have a liquid test kit for ammonia and nitrite, please use them and post your results here. If not, please at least go out and purchase them. Even if you are not going to take our advice on tank size, at least do not unintentionally poison your fish.


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## copperarabian (Apr 27, 2011)

homegrown terror said:


> aquarium salt. if you're not using it, start it up right away. there are several medical remedies available, but the simplest solution, and the one with the best long-term effectiveness is a pinch of aquarium salt.
> 
> is this the only pleco you have in this tank? they usually prefer to be kept in small groups (2-4 is fine).


Many plecos are aggressive and as they get larger can hurt each other badly. They lock their pectoral fins out and hit each outer. Bristle-nose plecos on the other hand will bring their gill spikes out and jab each other with them, they probably lock their pectorals too.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Everyone is 'harping' on about the tank size, because it is the cause of the fin rot.

Big Fish = Big Poop + Small Tank = Ammonia = Fin Rot, Stunted Fishies, Death


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## Olympia (Aug 25, 2011)

By only growing to their tank size, you mean stunting. Toxin levels building up in such a small space will damage their internal organs, which will keep them small. ;-) This produces side effects such as decreased life span (people who keep goldfish in bowls say they live 2 weeks average, people who take care of their fancy goldfish see a life of 15ish years). Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate harm the fish's ability to process oxygen, the gills develop hyperplaisia which makes oxygen transfer difficult, another cause of stunting.

People often compare keeping a fish in a small tank to keeping a dog in a crate it's whole life.. but the truth is there's much more to it. The poor fish are poisoning themselves, they are the cause of their own illness, the only prevention is to allow a larger volume of water for dilution of toxins and sufficient space for bacteria to grow to help control measurable wastes such as ammonia. Toxins such as urea aren't measurable but also exist in the water, causing additional harm.

If you've had them seven months like this, a lot of damage has been done, their internal organs are badly damaged and they will never reach their potential life spans.

There's no way around this, sadly.. Your tank will constantly have an ammonia problem in such a small volume for so many fish, and the only solution is a much larger tank, depending on what exactly is in there.


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