[Echoma]

Hey Im new to the forum, I keep having this issue with my PN plecos. I've been searching everywhere trying to figure this out and can not find any info on how to treat it. Im worried that this is going to harm my other fish. this is the third pleco to have this similar issue.

I have a 100 gallon tank and do weekly 30% water changes. I keep the temperatures at 81-82 degrees.
I do not have a testing kit so i can not tell you what the levels are how ever once a month I bring a water sample to the local pet store and each time they just say its with-in normal ranges.

any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

 

[Sakura8]

Hi Echoma and welcome to the forum. From the pics, it looks like your bristlenose pleco has a huge open sore on his back?

Can you describe the symptoms and any kind of treatments you have used?
Also, what kind of tankmates does he have?

Unless you are keeping discus, you may want to turn the temp down to 76 F or so, as the temp is pretty high even for tropical fish. At that temp, the oxygen levels in the water diminish and the fish have trouble breathing.

 

[willow]

hi there.
just a thought....have you got a cover on your heater ?
i know from past experiences that my bristle noses ...and larger plecs
would sometimes sit behind the heater,thankfully my one has a cover.
keep your water as clean as you can.

 

[mcompagno]

I know exactly what it is...do you have driftwood in the tank? The Bristlenose Plecos require driftwood in their diets, both nutrionally and to help them diegest their food. He looks malnurished.

 

[jaysee]

I know exactly what it is...do you have driftwood in the tank? The Bristlenose Plecos require driftwood in their diets, both nutrionally and to help them diegest their food. He looks malnurished.

I didn't have driftwood with mine for the first 4 years I had it. I obviously disagree that it is "required", and that that would be the result of not having driftwood in the tank.

 

[Sakura8]

The lack of driftwood would not cause the open sore I see in the pic. If anything, the driftwood would be likely to CAUSE the sore if the pleco became caught under it.

I agree with Willow that there is an excellent chance it was burned by the heater. Other causes would be severe bacterial or parasite infestations.