# FAO pleco specialists....help IDing and health problem



## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

long story BUUUUT, a friend of my boyfrineds friend asked if we'd take on his fish as his children has lost interested and there not getting the care they deserve. so we said yes and they were delivered yesterday. i didnt get to speak to the guy but what my boyfriend found out was they've have the tank for about a year, there was loads of marbled mollies but they all died save for one (one that i have now) and also this pleco. he said theve not had a light in the tank for months and have been in a dark corner of a room. also he said the molly was black and white when he got him and now hes totally black and still only 1 inch long....the molly seems find so i guess he'll grow now with proper food and light and good water quality.

now for the pleco (the problem); ive got pictures of him as im totally confused as to what he is. the guy said he was the colour of our albino when he got him but now hes orange with darkers patches here and there, his eyes are black (he keeps moving his eyes as well, never seen any of my plecos do it so much). his belly is really weird, like hes got a white film over it and under that is the pattern of a sailfin. all his fins are tatty but i guess they'll heal in no time. he also cant hold his own body weight by his mouth and i have a close up picture of it coz it looks really thin. but can any one tell me if this poor guy is ill or just suffering from lack of light + bogwood and will get better? and an ID would be great. 
thanks


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

i got a little snap happy!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Its hard to tell what species he is, but he is in pretty poor shape. I hope you qt'd them as I wouldn't put them in your main tank till they are better. Make sure they get plenty to eat, and plenty of water changes and they may come around to what they should look like.
They look like they haven't been feeding them much and left in poor water for a long time.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

unfortunalty our QT tank got a massive crack in it so him and the molly had to go in what i now call my refugee tank. it was originally going to be a guppy tank but now is home to 10 rescued fish as well as my betta and medusa bristle nose! were picking up a full set up tank this weekend so i can get that cycled and start using for my QT tank. i think the measurments are 1 foot by 2 foot so not the biggest but not big enought to make frequent water changes a pain. im going to do a 50% tonight and hopefully tempt him with some courgett. he wasnt interested in the wafers i put in and ive not seen him on the wood yet. fingers crossed this guy pulls through. only wish i had got him sooner 

if i can ill get a picture of his belly. looks really weird.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

update:

i done a 60% water change yesterday and he seems a lot more lively, was eating lots of algae wafer and courgette. so, so far so good


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Hope the poor guy makes it!


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

Poor guy! Glad to hear he's starting to do better


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

have you tried some veggies like zucchini? my pleco goes crazy on the stuff... won't even let anyone else near it haha


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

Manafel said:


> have you tried some veggies like zucchini? my pleco goes crazy on the stuff... won't even let anyone else near it haha


I think zucchini is the same thing as cougarette.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Kehy said:


> I think zucchini is the same thing as cougarette.


yeh, it is.


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

never heard of cougarette before lol. my bad.


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## katanamasako (Jun 29, 2012)

poor baby, he looks like the light really bothers him due to being in the dark so long. I'm glad he's doing better ^^


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

Haha its what we call it Here. I cut up a whole half n put it next to him. When I woke up he had eaten almost all of it! He was snacking on an algae wafer too so he's eating now witch is fantastic and he's getting more lively now.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

English people say courgette.


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

what a difference a week (or two) makes!! the pleco is looking amazing! got his colours back and is really lively (as lively as plecos are) i cant up load a pic of him at the mo but ive found a picture on a website of what he looks like. as soon as i can ill upload a pic of him 

July 2011 • Cat-eLog • PlanetCatfish


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

Glad he's picked up. Well done!


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

Forgot to say, I spoke to the guy who I got it from.....not happy! He didmt have a filter n when I asked what his water change schedule was he said well I just changed the water when it turned green!!! Its amazing they survived!


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

036082df.jpg picture by zero112011 - Photobucket

036082df.jpg picture by zero112011 - Photobucket

488e4688.jpg picture by zero112011 - Photobucket


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

what a difference!!! this is the pleco now


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

Great job you've done with this guy. Now with those markings prominent, he doesn't appear to be the same as the picture you pulled off that website. Have you found anything closer?


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## zero (Mar 27, 2012)

thanks  hes really bulked out and is so active!! hes now in the big tank with another pleco thats identical to him, just his markings are wider apart.....it was going well then when the lights went out the smaller of the two was chasing the bigger one round the tank.

me thinks hes either a common or a sail fin, need susans superior knowledge to tell me which tho


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## zero112011 (Jun 24, 2013)

Just a little update on my lil guy, he is looking great now and has grown quite a bit! Think he might even be making moves on my albino!


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Looks to be a sailfin. He sure does look a lot better than when you first got him. Your doing a great job on him.


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## SueD (Aug 4, 2012)

What a transformation from those first pics you posted. He's a beauty.


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## zero112011 (Jun 24, 2013)

Thanks guys! Who would of thought something could look so different with just good water, food and space! A nice reminder to all who don't think regular water changes are needed!


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