# Plecos dying from dead plants in tank?!



## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

So I'm on vacation right now and my dad is taking care of my tanks for me. He decided to get a small pleco for my 10 gal guppy tank, which is stocked with 7 females and 1 male. Also has cabomba, wisteria, and some anacharis. The anacharis is supposedly dead or very close to it. Anyways he brought home a pleco, the next day it was dead, got another, 3 days later that one died. He took in some water to the LFS and the guy said to do a 15% water change and take out the anacharis. I dont know what the specs were on the water, but the guy said that the plants are killing the plecos and will probably kill the guppies very soon. Has anyone had fish die from decaying/dead plants????


----------



## Pigeonfish (Jun 23, 2011)

A Pleco in a ten gallon tank never survive for long. Whether it's the small size of the tank or starvation. I learned that the hard way 

For the plants, I'm not exactly sure. I don't think the Pleco eats decayed plants. you should probably remove the decayed parts from the tank in case it does affect your Guppies, they are pretty hardy though.


----------



## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

The plecos are just babies, about 2 inches from head to tail. So they should survive in a 10 gal for atleast a couple months. I have a 35 hexagon my dad was planning on setting up and putting the pleco in it then. The pleco's arent going to stay in the 10 for a long time at all. I had the anacharis in my molly tank, and they all died within 3 weeks of getting them, I left the dead plants in there and none of the fish died. I took out all the dead plants tho the next week and did a good vacuum taking out about 40% of the water.


----------



## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Dead and dying plants will cause a lot of water problems and that is what kills the fish. Dead and dying plants should be removed completely as soon as they are seen to keep things up to par.


----------



## GuppyNGoldfish (Mar 28, 2011)

I guess dead plants will store nitrogen or release nitrogen, which kills off the fish very easily, which I guess was starting to happen in my tank.


----------



## inkmaker (Jun 10, 2009)

Decaying dead plants produces lots of Ammonia and Nitrites. The pH is affected, it usually drops exposing sensitive fish to Nitrous Acid and damages their gills. Fungus on fish is next and if left in the tank until all rotted, would probably kill the rest of the fish as well.

Change the water! Get the dead stuff out of the tank. Clean the filter and clear the water.
Remember - the glass cage is the septic tank you have confined the little animals in.

Charles H


----------



## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

Something poisonous in your tank is killing your Plecos. I would suspect Nitrate, Hardness, ph or temperature shock. Fish dying quickly after you get them home from your dealer indicates that the water quality parameters are much different in your tank, compared to those in your dealer's.


----------

