New Mango Pleco - Looking for advice

J2FcM · 12-20-2007, 11:53 PM

Hello,

My GF bought a Mango pleco about 3 days ago. We set him up in a 6 gallon QT tank with a filter that has a mini biowheel (eclipse 6 tank?), all of it uncycled, I tossed in a biowheel from our 90 gallon into the 6 gallon for a bacteria boost. The bio wheel just floats around.

Temperature at 78°

Hasn't taken any food yet - but we haven't left food over night for fear of ammonia build up.

Also, I noticed a scratch or something on his nose today (see picture) which my GF says; looks better than yesterday... we figure he ran into a rock decoration???

Finally, my GF has voiced that his eyes look bronzed over... before they were black rimmed with a bronze center, and now she says they are "all bronze". So the eye color has gotten wierd?

Anyways, she is on Pleco Fanatics, and I've run into questionable advice from there. So I run it through here of course

and I am no pleco expert....

tell me what you think! (please!

)

GhostKnife · 12-21-2007, 01:45 AM

Pretty pleco!

OrionGirl · 12-21-2007, 07:50 AM

I'd give him a day or two to settle in. I don't really see the scratch, and like mammals, fish eyes can and do change with the light around them. Keeping testing the water, do frequent small changes, and I'd probably give him a bit more cover. Keep the lights off, as well--he'll be more relaxed that way.

RTR · 12-21-2007, 08:57 AM

Agree w/OG - give the fish more cover and/or cut/reduce the light. Pleco's "Omega eye" serves the same light control function as our iris in our eyes. Your fish appears at full expansion, fighting the light - which can be stressful for plecos - give the fish light/dark options at least.

HTH

TwoTankAmin · 12-21-2007, 10:13 AM

One other suggestion. I would look to the Planet Catfish Forum for better and more reliable pleco information than the site you went to.

J2FcM · 12-21-2007, 10:46 AM

Thanks for the input everyone!

The Pleco does have cover... just not in the pictures... he has a very enclosed 2 entrance cave he hides in, I just had to... motivate him to do a photo shoot by lifting it up.
We keep the lights off almost the entire day, but I turn them on at least once a day to check up on him.
And I do 1 gallon water changes 3x a day... which is about 16% per change.

How long is it ok to let food sit in with him? I am tempted to go to bed and set an alarm to make sure he's eaten it at night - and not let it pollute the tank (it is only 6 gallons).

also FYI - the scratch is visible in the 1st two pictures, in front of his eye... like wolverine took a slice at em!

I'll recommend Planet Catfish to my GF - she may be on it already but all i know it the other site has given incorrect info before about bacteria and cycling.

This will be day 4 for him, hopefully he'll eat some wafer action - or I'll try blood worms this evening.

12-20-2007, 11:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
J2FcM Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 289	New Mango Pleco - Looking for advice Hello, My GF bought a Mango pleco about 3 days ago. We set him up in a 6 gallon QT tank with a filter that has a mini biowheel (eclipse 6 tank?), all of it uncycled, I tossed in a biowheel from our 90 gallon into the 6 gallon for a bacteria boost. The bio wheel just floats around. Temperature at 78° Hasn't taken any food yet - but we haven't left food over night for fear of ammonia build up. Also, I noticed a scratch or something on his nose today (see picture) which my GF says; looks better than yesterday... we figure he ran into a rock decoration??? Finally, my GF has voiced that his eyes look bronzed over... before they were black rimmed with a bronze center, and now she says they are "all bronze". So the eye color has gotten wierd? Anyways, she is on Pleco Fanatics, and I've run into questionable advice from there. So I run it through here of course and I am no pleco expert.... tell me what you think! (please! )

12-21-2007, 07:50 AM	#3 (permalink)
OrionGirl Miss you, Old Man Join Date: May 2006 Location: California coastline Posts: 6,722	I'd give him a day or two to settle in. I don't really see the scratch, and like mammals, fish eyes can and do change with the light around them. Keeping testing the water, do frequent small changes, and I'd probably give him a bit more cover. Keep the lights off, as well--he'll be more relaxed that way. __________________ ~Sheila tempus edax rerum Ideas do not have to be correct in order to be good; its only necessary that, if they do fail, they do so in an interesting way. ~Robert Rosen

12-21-2007, 08:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
RTR RTR Join Date: May 2006 Location: Exurban MD, USA Posts: 849	Agree w/OG - give the fish more cover and/or cut/reduce the light. Pleco's "Omega eye" serves the same light control function as our iris in our eyes. Your fish appears at full expansion, fighting the light - which can be stressful for plecos - give the fish light/dark options at least. HTH __________________ Where's the fish? - Neptune

12-21-2007, 10:13 AM	#5 (permalink)
TwoTankAmin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Westchester Co., NY Posts: 724	One other suggestion. I would look to the Planet Catfish Forum for better and more reliable pleco information than the site you went to. __________________ Te audire non possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.

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12-21-2007, 01:45 AM	#2 (permalink)
GhostKnife Banned Join Date: May 2006 Location: I live in my own little world Posts: 950	Pretty pleco!

12-21-2007, 10:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
J2FcM Registered User Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 289	Thanks for the input everyone! The Pleco does have cover... just not in the pictures... he has a very enclosed 2 entrance cave he hides in, I just had to... motivate him to do a photo shoot by lifting it up. We keep the lights off almost the entire day, but I turn them on at least once a day to check up on him. And I do 1 gallon water changes 3x a day... which is about 16% per change. How long is it ok to let food sit in with him? I am tempted to go to bed and set an alarm to make sure he's eaten it at night - and not let it pollute the tank (it is only 6 gallons). also FYI - the scratch is visible in the 1st two pictures, in front of his eye... like wolverine took a slice at em! I'll recommend Planet Catfish to my GF - she may be on it already but all i know it the other site has given incorrect info before about bacteria and cycling. This will be day 4 for him, hopefully he'll eat some wafer action - or I'll try blood worms this evening.

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