Pleco!

Question
QUESTION: Hey there, my pleco seems to have been beat up at night.  Some of his fins are torn and ragged looking.  Will they heal and form back or will he look beat up from now on? What can I do to help?

ANSWER: Hi Ryan.  You say you think he was beat up during the night.  Do you have any idea who might have done it?  Could he have gotten tangled in a decoration of some type?  You did not tell me how they were "torn and ragged".  Are there chunks out of them or just pieces torn off, etc.?  Any open wounds that you can see?  

If there are open wounds, and even with just the fin tears, you run the risk of secondary bacterial infections.  It doesn't happen always, but can.  I would make sure you keep an eye on it. If you see ANY "fuzzy, white, stringy" type of stuff growing on any areas of the wound, then you will have to treat for a bacterial infection.  I would use a broad-spectrum antibiotic for this.  It would be easiest to put him into a hospital tank to treat him if it comes to that because your other fish won't need any medication.

Depending on where and how bad the tears are, will determine if they will grow back or not.   I had a crayfish that tore a baby goldfish's tail off right down to it's body and it grew back fine.  I had another fish that a crab to to and only got a small part of his tail torn and this did not grow back.  Not knowing what your pleco looks like I cannot even venture a guess.  You'll just have to wait and see.

If you have aquarium salt and no fish that are sensitive to it (scaleless fish, tetras), I would add some to the tank at 1 tablespoon per 10 gallons.  If you write me back with what type of fish you have in the tank, and how bad the fins and where they are torn, I might be able to modify the amount of salt.  Reason being, salt has a lot of therapeutic benefits to fish.  It can actually help his wounds heal.

I will wait to see if I hear back from you with the answers to the questions I had.  I would be glad to help you from there.

Good luck.  ;o)

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

QUESTION: They are almost like a round shape had been torn out.  They are not ragged or jagged.  They are a smooth like half moon shape.  The tears are on the back fin and the side wings.  More so on the back.  I have African chiclids in the tank with him but no matter how much I watch them I see no attacks on them.  I have a 55 gallon tank.  I have 4 convicts, 3 Kenyi Blues, 2 electric yellows, and one Maingano.  And my Pleco. They all seem to get along quite well.  I hope I have said enough.  Thank you so much again.

Answer
Hi Ryan.  I'm sorry buddy, but I cannot help but think that your cichlids are nipping at him.  Maybe not when you are looking, but maybe when you are sleeping or not there (they're pretty coy, they probably know you're there!!).  And they have been known to get aggressive if someone comes "in their territory".  And you KNOW plecos are in EVERYONE'S territory!!  I would still watch for signs of secondary infection like I said before, AND if he keeps getting nipped you're going to have to move him out or he's going to wind up having a needless death.  Yes, most of these fish can live peacefully with a pleco, but all fish are different and plecos are really nocturnal, so one of these guys isn't liking him going on "their turf".  I can almost guarantee it!!  Just keep a close eye out like I said, and if he gets any more nips, get him out of there!! (I would!).  This is TOTALLY up to you though.

Please keep me posted as to how things are going.  ;o)