Damn... unexplainable pl*co death`

[Scott]

I remember a thread fairly recently about pl*cos dying because of using
a sandy substrate, and them ingesting the sand it the sand getting impacted.
I never paid much attention to it because I was not using sand as a
substrate...

However, I have had two pl*co's in a 55 gallon tank that WAS gravel and was
changed over to fine sand two weeks ago. Both did fine for the last seven
weeks or so -actively feeding every night on cucumber, zucchini, and every
couple of days a sinking spirulina tablet. Tonight when I came home, there
was a pl*co carcass in the middle of the tank (looked like a vampire had
gotten to him). Thinking back, I really only recall one of the pl*eco's
coming out to eat for the last couple of days - but I routinely have to play
"spot the pl*co" so I didn't pay it much mind.

Anyway, water parameters are all normal - 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 5ish
nitrate (my test kit ran out so I couldn't test tonight - but best guess
based on my normal readings at this time of the week). Tank contents: 4
tiger barbs (Puntius Tetrazona), 4 gouramis (trichogaster tricopterus), 4
Black skirt tetras (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), 4 head and tail light tetras
(Hemigrammus ocellifer ocellifer), 2 (now 1) pl*ecos. Yeah, I know - not the
best mix of fish species, but all seem to get along nicely and I have had no
problems in this size tank for the last couple of months since it became
cycled. All of the fish were quarantined before introducing into the tank...

Anyone wanna revisit the problems with pl*co's and sand? How many of you
have had the same problems with keeping a pl*co on sand? This is very
disappointing, they were actually the favorites of the fish that I have in
the tank... hard to find at times, but very cool when they were out and
about... the only fish that I "named" in my tank. One had more of a pink
tinge to the underbelly and the other one was more white so they were named
pinky and the brain. Google Pinky and the brain if you are not familiar with
the reference ;)

A sad day it is... at least I observed Memorial Day (without knowing) for my
fish.....


---scott

[Dick]

On Tue, 31 May 2005 01:05:40 -0400, "Scott" <smaxell1{at}hotmail.com>
wrote:

> I remember a thread fairly recently about pl*cos dying because of using
>a sandy substrate, and them ingesting the sand it the sand getting impacted.
>I never paid much attention to it because I was not using sand as a
>substrate...
>
>However, I have had two pl*co's in a 55 gallon tank that WAS gravel and was
>changed over to fine sand two weeks ago. Both did fine for the last seven
>weeks or so -actively feeding every night on cucumber, zucchini, and every
>couple of days a sinking spirulina tablet. Tonight when I came home, there
>was a pl*co carcass in the middle of the tank (looked like a vampire had
>gotten to him). Thinking back, I really only recall one of the pl*eco's
>coming out to eat for the last couple of days - but I routinely have to play
>"spot the pl*co" so I didn't pay it much mind.
>
>Anyway, water parameters are all normal - 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 5ish
>nitrate (my test kit ran out so I couldn't test tonight - but best guess
>based on my normal readings at this time of the week). Tank contents: 4
>tiger barbs (Puntius Tetrazona), 4 gouramis (trichogaster tricopterus), 4
>Black skirt tetras (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), 4 head and tail light tetras
>(Hemigrammus ocellifer ocellifer), 2 (now 1) pl*ecos. Yeah, I know - not the
>best mix of fish species, but all seem to get along nicely and I have had no
>problems in this size tank for the last couple of months since it became
>cycled. All of the fish were quarantined before introducing into the tank...
>
>Anyone wanna revisit the problems with pl*co's and sand? How many of you
>have had the same problems with keeping a pl*co on sand? This is very
>disappointing, they were actually the favorites of the fish that I have in
>the tank... hard to find at times, but very cool when they were out and
>about... the only fish that I "named" in my tank. One had more of a pink
>tinge to the underbelly and the other one was more white so they were named
>pinky and the brain. Google Pinky and the brain if you are not familiar with
>the reference ;)
>
>A sad day it is... at least I observed Memorial Day (without knowing) for my
>fish.....
>
>
>---scott
>

Interesting hypothesis! I did give up putting Plecos in a 10 gallon
tanks thinking 10 gallons was too small a tank. It happens that this
is the only tank with fine sand. Never gave it a thought. This tank
had always been a jynx. Ironically, today, it has lots of heavy plant
growth including one annubia that I have once before cut in half and
is now 2/3 to the top again.

The tank has only 7 fish in it, 5 are Harlequin Raspora Cyprinids plus
one Molly and one Platty. I have lost a number of fish in this tank
never sure why so the Plecos were just one more casualty. I have
sometimes wondered if the fine sand was a problem, but stopped
thinking about it as the tank has been doing so well in the last year.

dick

[Elaine T]

Dick wrote:
> On Tue, 31 May 2005 01:05:40 -0400, "Scott" <smaxell1{at}hotmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>> I remember a thread fairly recently about pl*cos dying because of using
>>a sandy substrate, and them ingesting the sand it the sand getting impacted.
>>I never paid much attention to it because I was not using sand as a
>>substrate...
>>
>>However, I have had two pl*co's in a 55 gallon tank that WAS gravel and was
>>changed over to fine sand two weeks ago. Both did fine for the last seven
>>weeks or so -actively feeding every night on cucumber, zucchini, and every
>>couple of days a sinking spirulina tablet. Tonight when I came home, there
>>was a pl*co carcass in the middle of the tank (looked like a vampire had
>>gotten to him). Thinking back, I really only recall one of the pl*eco's
>>coming out to eat for the last couple of days - but I routinely have to play
>>"spot the pl*co" so I didn't pay it much mind.
>>
>>Anyway, water parameters are all normal - 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 5ish
>>nitrate (my test kit ran out so I couldn't test tonight - but best guess
>>based on my normal readings at this time of the week). Tank contents: 4
>>tiger barbs (Puntius Tetrazona), 4 gouramis (trichogaster tricopterus), 4
>>Black skirt tetras (Gymnocorymbus ternetzi), 4 head and tail light tetras
>>(Hemigrammus ocellifer ocellifer), 2 (now 1) pl*ecos. Yeah, I know - not the
>>best mix of fish species, but all seem to get along nicely and I have had no
>>problems in this size tank for the last couple of months since it became
>>cycled. All of the fish were quarantined before introducing into the tank...
>>
>>Anyone wanna revisit the problems with pl*co's and sand? How many of you
>>have had the same problems with keeping a pl*co on sand? This is very
>>disappointing, they were actually the favorites of the fish that I have in
>>the tank... hard to find at times, but very cool when they were out and
>>about... the only fish that I "named" in my tank. One had more of a pink
>>tinge to the underbelly and the other one was more white so they were named
>>pinky and the brain. Google Pinky and the brain if you are not familiar with
>>the reference ;)
>>
>>A sad day it is... at least I observed Memorial Day (without knowing) for my
>>fish.....
>>
>>
>>---scott
>>
>
>
> Interesting hypothesis! I did give up putting Plecos in a 10 gallon
> tanks thinking 10 gallons was too small a tank. It happens that this
> is the only tank with fine sand. Never gave it a thought. This tank
> had always been a jynx. Ironically, today, it has lots of heavy plant
> growth including one annubia that I have once before cut in half and
> is now 2/3 to the top again.
>
> The tank has only 7 fish in it, 5 are Harlequin Raspora Cyprinids plus
> one Molly and one Platty. I have lost a number of fish in this tank
> never sure why so the Plecos were just one more casualty. I have
> sometimes wondered if the fine sand was a problem, but stopped
> thinking about it as the tank has been doing so well in the last year.
>
> dick

Anyone know what they live on in their natural habitat? I'm guessing
mud and rocks rather than sand.

--
Elaine T __
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