# Help identifying growth on pleco



## bushboar (Dec 16, 2009)

My pleco has developed yellowish white growths on its fins that I can best describe as looking like egg masses. Can anyone tell me what they are? I initially treated with coppersafe and maroxy. Within one day of starting initial maroxy treatment the growths started to go away, but they came back a couple of days after completing maroxy treatment. I am currently treating with maroy and melafix with no change in the growths.

PH 8.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3.0
Nitrate 20ppm
GH 75
KH 300

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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Hi and welcome to the forum.

First things first, your Nitrites are too high. 

They should be zero in an established/cycled tank. I'm going to find the link for questions about all of your stats so that someone can help you.


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## Romad (Jun 28, 2009)

Here it is. 

http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/tropical-fish-diseases/must-read-all-members-please-read-652/


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## bushboar (Dec 16, 2009)

*additional details*

10 gallon tank

aquaclear mini filter - currently no charcoal filter installed while treating but sponge and ceramic bio blocks installed - clean sponge monthly

perform 1/3 to 1/2 water change monthly - last change 7 days ago

Fish currently in tank are two albino corydoras, one guppy and one pleco

nitrite and ammonia were zero prior to treating, but treatment appears to have killed nitrifying bacteria

just added Amquel to bring nitrite back to zero

Day 2 of Maroxy and Melafix treatments


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

How long has the tank been running with fish in it? Not many plecos suitable for ten gal tank. If tank was cycled ,could be the pleco creating more waste than the filter can handle. Agree,medication could also have destroyed some bacteria (good kind).
Water changes once a month, will not do for 10 gal tank holding a pleco of near any species with exception of Pit Bull pleco possibly. Water changes for nearly all tanks should be on the order of 25 percent weekly.
Usually ,sores and fungus are associated with secondary bacterial infections which are related to declining water quality. I might try performing water changes more frequently,providing prioper foods for the pleco. Some are herbivores,some are omnivores,and some are carnivores. If it is common variety,alage wafers and fresh vegetables such as zuchinni,spinach leaves,lettuce,etc can be offered. Common variety pleco will quickly out grow the ten gal and be a constant source of water quality issues due to large amount of waste produced.


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## MoneyMitch (Aug 3, 2009)

1077 said:


> How long has the tank been running with fish in it? Not many plecos suitable for ten gal tank. If tank was cycled ,could be the pleco creating more waste than the filter can handle. Agree,medication could also have destroyed some bacteria (good kind).
> Water changes once a month, will not do for 10 gal tank holding a pleco of near any species with exception of Pit Bull pleco possibly. Water changes for nearly all tanks should be on the order of 25 percent weekly.
> Usually ,sores and fungus are associated with secondary bacterial infections which are related to declining water quality. I might try performing water changes more frequently,providing prioper foods for the pleco. Some are herbivores,some are omnivores,and some are carnivores. If it is common variety,alage wafers and fresh vegetables such as zuchinni,spinach leaves,lettuce,etc can be offered. Common variety pleco will quickly out grow the ten gal and be a constant source of water quality issues due to large amount of waste produced.


suprised you didnt go further with the water quality issue  

going to agreer that the illness was brought on with poor water quality and minimal w/c's spcially for a pleco in such a small tank. if i were you i would continue the treatment then when it clears up treat for a week or so more and keep a eye on nitrites and ammonia since the treatment will destroy the BB. i would even recommend a Q tank to treat in. during this treatment your tank is going to have high ammonia and nitrites dont add any fancy ammonia or nitrite removal chems just test everyday and change up to 75% of water to get parameters where they need to be and re dose meds accordingly.

Money


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## bushboar (Dec 16, 2009)

*No Progress Yet!*

Well I have been treating for almost a week with Melafix, Pimafix and Maroxy in 10 Gallon hospital tank. 50% water changes every 4 days. No progress to date. Today I have done a water change and am now trying Jungle Labs Fungus Eliminator. As soon as I can find some anti-bacterial food I will try it also. Anyone with further ideas?

What temperature should I be running the tank at during treatment? I see plecos like from around 72 degrees to 80 degrees. It would seem rationale that higher temperature would cause bacterial infections to become more active. Tank is currently 76 degrees.


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## jmlampert23 (Oct 21, 2009)

seems like that tank is a little over stocks.


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