There is an enormous, deep sore on Fluffy the ryukin's back. Her dorsal fin is nothing but spines practially. It happened overnight. I suspect that the pleco is eating her alive. Is it possible?

I couldn't even deal with it when I saw what had happened to her. DH transferred her to QT and dosed her w/ Melafix. He's bringing home antibiotics tonight. What else should we do? Salt?

I'm so scared I'm going to lose her, but I can't even bear to look at her.

If it is a common pleco it is very possible that he has taken a liking to your goldfish. I have sworn off most plecos because of this. Usually I would find them sucking on a flat side of my goldfish.

Also is there anything else in the tank that Fluffy could have been hurt on? A rock, ornament, etc.

These are some things to look for. I'll step back now and let someone else with more experience help you.

It is possible for the pleco to be doing this. But how are the water params?

I would get the pleco out or her into a iso tank and let her calm down.

Let us know how the rest of everything is and hopfully we can narrow it down more for you.

Should I give her antibiotics? I'm wondering if it will do her more harm than good.

It's an albino pleco.

Water quality is good in that tank, and none of the other fish are showing signs of stress. She's stressed because the moor is in love with her, but that shouldn't create the wound. There are no rocks capable of giving her a wound like that, and even then, it wouldn't explain the dorsal fin.

Well,Hope your fish feels alot better

OMG, i'm so sorry for you. i have never had this happen personally, but with what i have read, the pleco could very well be to blame.

i don't know much about medicating, but just wanted to say that my thoughts are with you and your fishy.


ps- i had a common pleco and when i realized the damage he could do i removed him from the tank and put him in his very own tank. although i am still not sure what to do with him when he gets bigger.

I'm so mad because he's not a common pleco. I went out of my way to avoid them. I still think it's him, though, the little @#$%! But anywho, I can give the pleco to my dad, who has a tank in his science classroom. I just need to figure out what to do w/ the antibiotics. Someone, PLEASE clarify so I can (or don't) dose her in the AM.

this is concerning, seeing that plectos eat gold fish...i had a snail once eat a gold fish..that wasn't good. luckly my fish are bigger than the plecto and terrify it...still makes me worry about what i will come home to...

Had similar problem with one of my ryukins - she had an open wound caused by another of my (re-housed) fish. Put her in QT and salted 0.3% to stop any bacteria. AFter 2 weekd in QT with perfect water conditions, she recovered well. Amazing when the wound she received was nasty.

I agree that making sure the quality of the water is perfect and do a 0.3% salt sol. Keep the tank quiet and let it heal. I think this will do the trick. If you don't see any improvment in a few days then we'll go from there.

Okay, I've got a blanket over the QT and the heat turned up. I'll add salt tonight and wait on the antibiotics. Keep using the Melafix?

No offense to the manufacturers but melafix has never really helped me although I know it has helped some. I didn't need to use any antibiotics (which I'd rather not do unless necessary) and just kept water condition perfect and had the qt salted for 2 weeks.

Dahnuh, if you mean Medigold or Metromed as the antibiotics you are waiting for, then go for it.
The truth about plecos, common or not, is that most of them eventually do harm to your fish. I bought 2 chinese golden algae eater a few weeks back thinking that they are harmless to my goldfish. Until Toothie filled me in on exactly how "harmless" they are. They get more aggressive with age, and I have seen the one that is in with my 3 telescopes in the 55 gl chasing after one of the telis constantly. It took me a good 45 minutes to get that sucker out, they are darn fast. The other one is in a tropicals tank, and so far behaves. And the aggressive one isn't even a big pleco yet!
Somewhere in the disease section is a thread about a fish who lost an enormous amount of scales overnight because of a pleco. I like plecos, at least the nuggets and snowdrops, but if I ever get one of those, they will have a tank to themselves, or with something like an oscar.
I hope your Fluffy is going to be okay, which he should with perfect water and the pleco out of there!...

How is the fish today?
If it looks any worse then it could be bacterial finrot, but hoping that she is looking better now if you have quarantined her.

Anything on Fluffy?

Hey guys, Fluffy gets a bit better every day. She seems to feel fine in spite of the hole in her back. Her dorsal still looks awful, but it will heal in time. I couldn't even look at her until yesterday. It just made me so sad.

Anyone want an albino pleco?

Maybe you can sell it to somebody. I always thought of getting a pelco, but not after reading this thread

call around to some of your local fish/pet stores. Some of them may take your pleco.

I have one here that, because I do regular business, they gave me a store credit when I took in my 4 chinese algea eaters.