Sick Pleco?

Question
I just set up my tank (it is a 29gal.) yesterday and put the 6" pleco, small turtle , and 4 mystery snails in the tank today. I just got the fish yesterday(with the tank)from an individual and the fish was doing just fine.   the pH is 7-7.2 right now.
Problem: The pleco was just kind of floating on the bottom sideways, and doesn't look to be breathing, but it's right side up again. Is this normal or is it going to die?

Answer
Hi Jacque,
I think the problem right here could be water quality related... Since you setup your tank and immediately added the pleco, turtle and snails the tank didn't have a chance to cycle and you could be in for it with terrible water quality problems. Ammonia has probably already spiked and is probably making your pleco and other animals suffer.

The best thing you can do is to get test kits and test your water everyday for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Likely the ammonia will have spiked and this will be a very dangerous situation for your fish. The most effective thing you can do is to start doing 50% or larger (75% won't hurt) to keep the water safe for your fish. But keep in mind the turtle, snails and pleco are all very dirty fish and they will pollute a tank very quickly.

I would try to change at least 75% of the water and use a water conditioner that neutralizes ammonia and nitrite like Amquel+ or Prime to help them along. You will likely have to repeat these water changes everyday until the tank starts to develop some kind of bacteria population. If you have access to other healthy established tanks, take some of that tank's gravel and filter media and put it in your own tank, this will help seed your tank to get the cycle going better. But even then, the tank will still need to cycle and will take from 4-6 weeks to cycle. Stocking the tank too soon may mean that you could lose some of your critters. That's always a risk. But I hope not.

The best you can do is to change the water everyday and try to get test kits if at all possible. Test the water everyday so you can know where your tank's at in cycling and if your fish need their water changed.

Best of luck and I hope the poor pleco recovers and everyone makes it through fine.

Happy fishkeeping!
Karen~