sick pleco

[p2kmon]

I have a sick pleco. It has the growth on the mouth, above and below. What is it, what do I use.  I thought it might be cotton mouth and used tc for the 5 days, and it did nothing.  Please give me a hand, this is a new one to me.

 

[p2kmon]

Heres the picture, couldn't figure out how to get it up here, if you click on the link, it will bring it up.

thanks, p2kmon

http://p2kmon.50megs.com/photo.html

 

[catfishmike]

wow that's ugly.have you tried melafix pleco's can be sensitve to some stronger treatments.how big is your tank?perhaps he's growing too big,too fast or the filter can't take the waste.i have to change my filter very often.do you have a test kit,there real helpful.  

 

[p2kmon]

I've never heard of melafix.  I have two filters on the tank, its a 55, with only a single oscar in the tank with him. The oscar is not sick, I've got the tests, but the oscar is not sick and tank is fine.

I do water changes on a weekly, bi-weekly time. Was fine for the longest time, and just suddenly started getting the growth on the top of the lip, and now getting it on the bottom of his lips.

 

[colesea]

Oooo poor pleco. I don't think Melafix is going to solve that, it looks like some serious tissue damage and possibly a tumor.

What has that plec been sucking on? If he was sucking on the heater, he could've burnt himself and the wound gotten infected. If he was sucking on the filter intakes, he could've gotten some of his lip caught in the strainer basket, wounded himself, and it got infected. If there are rough edged decorations in the tank, he could've cut himself on them.

Remove the poor pleco to a quaratine tank, perfer at least 10 gallon. Give him a half-cut flower pot as the only decoration (or any other smooth surfaced rounded edged decor he could use as a little retreat cave) and set the tank up very simply with basic filter (whisper 10s are pretty cheap) and heater to stablize temp. Then I would try to use Maracide, it's pretty strong stuff and good against bacterial infections. You could also try the Maracyn I and Maracyn II tablets. Ten gallons is a whole lot easier, and cheaper, to treat than 55. Feed your pleco softened algae wafers, and some squash or cucumber rounds.

Good luck.
~~Colesea

 

[p2kmon]

I'll give that a try. I don't have the filter intakes on, both of the fish if they get near the intake would have no problems getting away. The heater is thing is possible.

I give him a diet of the hard wafers, and he loves them. Your right the 10 gallon is a lot cheaper to treat than a 55, I know....  

I'll have to give that a try, hope to get to the pet store on sunday, hopefully he will be ok.

thanks.