Rhino Pleco

[Justin West]

Okay, www usenet readers are not your friend. So I will attempt this
message once again. However, it may be a little more brief. <smiles>

55gallon tank. 5 platties (female) 3 swordtails (female) introduced in
small quantities over 2 months approximately.

readings were approximately 0 for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and about 7
pH.

Introduced Rhino Pleco who appeared agile when taken from store tank
and when introduced in my tank. Pleco died approximately 3 hours
later.

Was left in another tank with some water for night as store was closed
and almost completely rotted. No visible signs of disease (accept for
that part about death I suppose).

Is this typical? I'm having a hard time finding information about
Rhino Pleco's.

[MarAzul]

Saw one listing of the name as:
Glyptoperichthys scrophus

But planet catfish lists as:
Pterygoplichthys scrophus
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/pterygop/80_f.php

Maybe that will help with your search for information...

Mar
---------
Vet Tech student


"Justin West" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Okay, www usenet readers are not your friend. So I will attempt this
> message once again. However, it may be a little more brief. <smiles>
>
> 55gallon tank. 5 platties (female) 3 swordtails (female) introduced in
> small quantities over 2 months approximately.
>
> readings were approximately 0 for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and about 7
> pH.
>
> Introduced Rhino Pleco who appeared agile when taken from store tank
> and when introduced in my tank. Pleco died approximately 3 hours
> later.
>
> Was left in another tank with some water for night as store was closed
> and almost completely rotted. No visible signs of disease (accept for
> that part about death I suppose).
>
> Is this typical? I'm having a hard time finding information about
> Rhino Pleco's.
>

[Elaine T]

MarAzul wrote:
> Saw one listing of the name as:
> Glyptoperichthys scrophus
>
> But planet catfish lists as:
> Pterygoplichthys scrophus
> http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/loricari/pterygop/80_f.php
>
> Maybe that will help with your search for information...
>
> Mar
> ---------
> Vet Tech student
>
>
> "Justin West" > wrote in message
> oups.com...
>
>>Okay, www usenet readers are not your friend. So I will attempt this
>>message once again. However, it may be a little more brief. <smiles>
>>
>>55gallon tank. 5 platties (female) 3 swordtails (female) introduced in
>>small quantities over 2 months approximately.
>>
>>readings were approximately 0 for ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and about 7
>>pH.
>>
>>Introduced Rhino Pleco who appeared agile when taken from store tank
>>and when introduced in my tank. Pleco died approximately 3 hours
>>later.
>>
>>Was left in another tank with some water for night as store was closed
>>and almost completely rotted. No visible signs of disease (accept for
>>that part about death I suppose).
>>
>>Is this typical? I'm having a hard time finding information about
>>Rhino Pleco's.
>>
>
>
Sounds like some sort of transport or water shock. Not much else causes
a fish to suddenly drop dead in 3 hours flat. pH change, major hardness
change, something like that. I don't know where you live, but did the
fish get very hot or cold on the way home? Did you acclimate the fish
in any way? Also, what's approximately zero for ammonia and nitrite? A
trace of ammonia or nitrate could have caused trouble if you happened to
get a wild caught fish.

Just some thoughts.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[Justin West]

I say approximates because the measurements taken are only as good as
the water test kit you use. That and there is bound to be some guess
work involved as the kit used takes water samples in tubes and you have
match/guess where it best fits on the charts.

That being said, the store I purchased the fish from did not make claim
that they had other returns, so I would have to hazard a guess that the
poor fellow simply didn't make it through the transport to the house.
(straight trip, no stops, not very far).

We climatized the fish according to store instructions. Left bag in
for 15 minutes. Opened and filled half with water from aquarium and
left for another 15 minutes. Then left bag part way in so fish could
swim out.

Regards, and thanks for the advise... JW

[Elaine T]

Justin West wrote:
> I say approximates because the measurements taken are only as good as
> the water test kit you use. That and there is bound to be some guess
> work involved as the kit used takes water samples in tubes and you have
> match/guess where it best fits on the charts.
>
> That being said, the store I purchased the fish from did not make claim
> that they had other returns, so I would have to hazard a guess that the
> poor fellow simply didn't make it through the transport to the house.
> (straight trip, no stops, not very far).
>
> We climatized the fish according to store instructions. Left bag in
> for 15 minutes. Opened and filled half with water from aquarium and
> left for another 15 minutes. Then left bag part way in so fish could
> swim out.
>
> Regards, and thanks for the advise... JW
>
If you try again, you might want to acclimate for a bit longer. Instead
of filling the bag halfway, scoop in smaller amounts of tank water over
a couple of hours. Once the fish is in mostly tank water, take him out
of the bag without putting the store water in your tank. I usually use
a net, but for plecos I use my hand since their spines get stuck in nets.

Good luck with your next pl*co.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com