Injured Pleco....

Question
Hi Chris, I am glad that i found this site. I have just moved into a new apartment. The previous tenant left behind many tanks and equipment, as well as a 50 gallon or more tank with fish,plants,everything in it, it was without power for almost 2 months,inside are two black and white striped lenthway's little fish, one discus, one 6-7 inch long pleco, and a tiger striped bottom feeder with wiskers on his mouth.I have since got the tank up and running again, but now that i can see through the water, i noticed a large wound on the underbelly of the pleco.and he is having dificulty moving around. I have had a few tanks over the years,but nothing this large, and never had to deal with a pleco.My question(s) are, should i put the pleco into a isolation tank to recover from the injuries,if so, what should i use to treat or speed healing? What should i feed him? do you know what the other fish i have decribed are?  I really appreciate your time, and i really hope that he makes it, he is an amazing looking fish. I would hate to lose him.

Answer
Hi Darren;

Those fish are certainly lucky to have you. It's a miracle they survived at all.

Your instincts are right, the pleco should be isolated. Put him in a bare tank with no gravel so you can keep the bottom of it very clean and he won't be irritated further. It should also have no filter, only a heater and an air pump with an air stone, or just a filter with the cartridges removed. It will provide water circulation for oxygen without a filter on there removing the medication.

He may improve and heal on his own but I would treat him with tetracycline if it were my fish. Make a partial water change in his isolation tank every day. Replace 25% every day right before you add new medication for that day.

Good luck and I hope they all have a good, long and healthy life from now on....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins