fish care

Question
QUESTION: hi im really worried about my pleco his name is Dragon.anyways he got a cut on his cheek so i have been paying close attention to it an i notest that the cut turnd pail white.and Dragon i not moving as mutch as he used to not even at night pleas help im worried for him.

ANSWER: Hi Cheyenne,
Sorry to hear about poor Dragon. Fortunately, the pale white appearance usually means that a fish is healing and trying to regrow tissue. Just watch it close for any tufts of material or fungal looking material. And pay attention that there are no red areas on the wound. Extra clean water will help fish heal better. I'd recommend a few extra water changes in addition to his usual water change regimen. If the wound area looks like it could be getting infected I would use either melafix or pimafix medication. Both are natural and quite safe antibiotics.

See if a few extra 30-50% water changes perk up the poor guy. Toss him a zucchini slice too for good measure.

I hope this helps!
Best of luck,
Susan~

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi i was wondering why plecos are so skittesh?

Answer
Hi there,
Plecos are cautious simply for the very same reasons other aquarium fish are. Though it seems the larger Plecos grow, the less skittish they will be. They tend to not like bright lights on the tank as this makes them feel very vulnerable. And that's why plecs prefer coming out at night. Make sure to provide plenty of hiding places (like driftwood especially) to help your Pleco feel more secure.

I hope this helps!
Susan~