Hey all,

In order to better help people with helping assess issues with fish and tank as well and ensuring people have all the information the Mods team have decided to suggest a template for the pleco hospital.

THIS TEMPLATE IS NOT REQUIRED LIKE THE 'FOR SALE' TEMPLATE

However, by using this template you will give us all the information that we need to help get your fishies back on the right track and will save lots of time ping-ponging back and forward til we hit the right bit of infomation, by which time, quite often its too late for the fish or fishes involved

As such when you are posting about an issue or illness in "The Pleco Hospital' if you could please use this template it would be a great help to us in helping you and it could ensure we have all the information we need to save the little fish in time

So, please copy and paste this into your thread and fill it in


[b]Tank size and setup:[/b]

[b]Substrate:[/b]

[b]filtration (Internal, external, flow rate, last cleaned and what it was cleaned in):[/b]

[b]Airstone/sponge filter etc:[/b]

[b]Inhabitance:[/b]

[b]Fish affected by issue (all/bottom dwellers, all bristlenose or a single fish etc):[/b]

[b]Feeding system (what, how much, how often):[/b]

[b]current water change system (before illness appeared):[/b]

[b]water changes made since illness appeared:[/b]

[b]As many levels as you know (pH, Ammonia, nitrate, nitirite, KH, GH, TDS, aanything you can find out, your local fish shop should be able to help with this):[/b]

[b]any chemicals used (including carbon/chemical fitration inside the filter):[/b]

[b]water source and treatment:[/b]

[b]Major changes in the last 3 weeks (new fish, new plants, new anything or changes):[/b]

[b]Symptoms (gasping, not moving, bloated, spots, wounds, stressed colours etc):[/b]

[b]Pictures:[/b]




We hope that this will make things easier for all involved, if you dont know a section, just leave it blank, we will work around the gaps in information

Here is an example

Not this is made up just to show how the templates are used.

Tank size and setup: 200ltr, 4ft tank, few plants, breeding cave and a bit of driftwood. mostly open space so i can see the fish.

Substrate: propagating sand overlaid with thick layer of silica sand

filtration (Internal, external, flow rate, last cleaned and what it was cleaned in): 2x eheim 2217 canisters (660 l/h each) and a air corner filter

Airstone/sponge filter etc: corner filter

Inhabitance: 5 discus, 3 rams, 2 L201s, trio of peppermint bristlenose, lots of shrimp

Fish affected by issue (all/bottom dwellers, all bristlenose or a single fish etc): smaller female peppermint

Feeding system (what, how much, how often): pinch of flake food in the morning, 3 cubes of bloodworms and 3 algae wafers in the evening, cucumber every other day

current water change system (before illness appeared): 20% every 2/3 days

water changes made since illness appeared: 30% yesterday

As many levels as you know (pH, Ammonia, nitrate, nitirite, KH, GH, TDS, aanything you can find out, your local fish shop should be able to help with this):

pH:6.5
ammonia: 0
Nitrite:0
nitrate <5
GH 2
KH 2
phosphate: 3


any chemicals used (including carbon/chemical fitration inside the filter): Melafix and Pimafix added after water change at recommended dose

water source and treatment: 1:5 mix HMA water : RO water, not treated further

Major changes in the last 3 weeks (new fish, new plants, new anything or changes): Added the second female peppermint 2 weeks ago

Symptoms (gasping, not moving, bloated, spots, wounds, stressed colours etc): scratches and redness down one side of her body, looks like a bad scratch or wound

Pictures: she wont stay still long enough





Based on the above information it is obvious that the tank is well filtered and that the levels are all within healthy limits so its not going to be any of that. However, the tank seems to be a bit low on hiding plances and as such the bottom dwellers will be fighting for space. The best action would be to add in more hiding places, remove the injured fish to a Q-tank and continue to treat with pimafix and melafix until she is better. when she goes back into the main tank there will be more hiding places and less chance there will be a fight leading to injury.

Excellent idea Doug, shame to hear about the little pep girl tho. hope she comes good for ya

Good to hear then, had me worried there :roll: