2 L187b Plecos in QT, help

[JayZero911]

So the other day I found a store with L187b plecos, I went home and looked them up to make sure there a good size for the tank I want them in. Few hours later I went back (after setting up my QT tank) and bought 2. There was nothing but about 6 of these plecos in the tank, 2 dead and 6 live and some snails.

I read these guys are really prone to Ich and have been watching them closely. They where both really pail when I got them. One has darkened up and is starting to look like a healthy L187b with just a few pail spots left (mostly on fins) The other guy has me worried, He hides really well so I took a few things out of the tank so I can really look at him. He is turning black and I'm not sure why. He is almost completely black now with a few pail green spots along his spine. The only thing I can find about fish turning black was about ammonia burns and the black was them healing (almost like a scab) witch makes sense too me after remembering the tank they came from. They where really pail and I thought they mite have Ich but they don't look "salted" just pail.... what should I be keeping an eye out for?

[homemadepopcorn]

Sounds like typical stress from being brought home. Just make sure they are eating over the next couple of days and the water parameters are perfect...

I'm assuming your QT is cycled..?

[Trillianne]

I find the rubbernoses do tend to color change a bit naturally based on their environment as well. It may also just be stress making them pale. Do they have hidey places? Is the light off?

The thing to really look at is their bellies. Make sure they are not sunken or alternatively bloated.

[JayZero911]

Sorry to completely abandon this topic like that. The tank is not cycled but watched vary closely, I figured they where better off with me instead of the store. I really didn't like the condition of there tanks, and how long I knew there where dead kept in the tank. Few days ago I returned to the shop and they didn't have any but still had the sign up. I asked if they all sold and the guys there said only a few sold (probably the 2 I picked up) and the rest died in a few days. So I felt better about keeping them.

Here is the problem. A few hours ago I noticed the blackened one looked really light. He had been getting greener little by little but this was noticeable. Looking on to him with hope he is going to make it and notice a bunch of black stuff on the tank bottom neer him. It looked like he rubbed the black off, so I was then on the fence about whether or not he was ok.... Not 10 minutes ago I noticed he was completely black flaring all his fins and not moving.... he was dead and was removed from the tank.

Now I fear that it was a parasite or that the other bulldog bullied the other to death.... Any incite would be helpful as the other pleco looks fine...

[JayZero911]

The more and more I read it looks like it was ammonia burns that killed the other pleco. I can at least say (for now anyway) that I did manage to save one out of that poor doomed tank at the store. Just going to keep up the 3g daily WCs and keep and eye on this other one. I completely cleaned out the tank and refilled it after the death fearing it was a pest.

[Boxerwing]

Your surviving pleco is so very lucky to have a new owner like you I hope s/he continues to thrive under your care, and live a long and happy life!

[Gogi]

Make sure you provide lots of hiding place that will keep the stress down and improve its abilty to recover.

[JayZero911]

Nothing different in his behavior or color, but he did manage to start hallowing out a zucchini that I dropped in after last nights clean out. Its so cool, he didn't take a lot but theirs and obvious bowl/pit in it from him now Still looking good.

[JayZero911]

In fact right after I hit send on the last message my roommate yells that hes on the zucchini again.... snapped a poor pic... really have to invest in a better camera.

[JayZero911]

Now I don't know if I should be worried or not. He is darkening up now, not quite like the first one but getting darker. It looks like a healthy darkening but I don't want to just dismiss it and find him dead. I really hope its just because he hasn't really left that zucchini alone, its almost hallow now