Hypostomus Plecos Keep Dying (Want Cause & Advice Help)

A few weeks ago I purchased another plecotomus for my 55 gallon tank, he was about 4 inches long and appeared to be very healthy. I also bought 3 other smaller ones for my other tanks at the same time. Well, last night I went to turn out the lights on the tank and he was in the back of the tank dead. This is the 3rd or 4th one I have had in this tank in the last year or so and they all live about 2-3 weeks and then die. Prior to this I had one that lived several years and was about 12 inches when he died. I haven't had any trouble with any of the other fish in this tank and they all appear to be thriving. Is there something special that I need to do to care for the pleco's that I am unaware of?

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

ohh.. and the 3 smaller ones that I bought are all doing fine. One is in with the cichlids and the other 2 are in guppy tanks.

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

What kind of fish are in the tank with these plecos and how big are they if its the african tank?

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

It is the tank with the 4 angels, 2 tetras, weather loach, cory cat, 4 black neons and I added the guppies a few days ago to make more room in my smaller tanks.

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

hmmm, water parameters? Also, what kind of pleco are we talking about?

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

I tested a few days ago and the ph was 6.4 amonia 0 and nitrie 0 temp 78, the parameters in this tank have always been very stable. It was the dark grey brown pleco, I am not sure of the exact scientific name (i'll go try to find a pic on google) but it is the common one you see in most tanks at pet stores.

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

Hypostomus plecostomus appears to be the actual name.

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

Yes there is a piece of drift wood in the tank and he was on it quite a bit, he also stayed on my live sword and java fern a lot. I have never heard of feeding a pleco.. what should I be feeding him? If I starved him to death I am going to feel awful.

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

algae wafers, I even catch mine grabbing floating pellets and sinking pellets depending the fish is at feeding time!

 

Re: What am I doing wrong?

ohh crap. Now I feel awful. I have had several of them over the years and they have always done fine and lived for long periods of time. It has only been this last year with them in the 55...