Gold Nugget Pleco :(

[Victorp]

So upset now I lost my gold nugget pleco which I've only had for 3 weeks. I was doing my regular water change except this time I was also cleaning my sump's filter floss and the over flows pre filter. This time I was adding the tap water into the sump and putting dechlor in there instead of what I normally do which is put tap water into the tank and add dechlorinator. I think what happened is the flow from the hose stirred up all the poop and when I turned the pump back on it spewed out all the poop. My tank was filthy but in 5-7 minutes it was crystal clear thanks to the fx5. My trophs are doing just fine and nothing else died just the poor little gold nugget.

[barberking12]

So upset now I lost my gold nugget pleco which I've only had for 3 weeks. I was doing my regular water change except this time I was also cleaning my sump's filter floss and the over flows pre filter. This time I was adding the tap water into the sump and putting dechlor in there instead of what I normally do which is put tap water into the tank and add dechlorinator. I think what happened is the flow from the hose stirred up all the poop and when I turned the pump back on it spewed out all the poop. My tank was filthy but in 5-7 minutes it was crystal clear thanks to the fx5. My trophs are doing just fine and nothing else died just the poor little gold nugget.

dang bro that suck to hear. gold nuggets are one of my favorite plecos too.

[crazy42bmx]

Sad story man.....no offense but i see bad things always happening when people change what they normally do, and for some reason alter something. Not that its a wrong way , just that it switches ur normal routine out of order an something gets missed. I say stick with what u knoe is working for you ( may not for others ) but we all have our ways and methods......

[allysangels]

sorry to hear.. that sux.

[New_Cichlid11]

I don't think it was the debris in the sump that kill the pleco. Keep in mind that most plecos live in the river banks in very dirty muddy water. I've had this happen to both of my l199 when I drained the water very low. What I think what happen is that the trophs got aggresive with the water being so low, or such a big wc killed my pleco. Your story is very similar to what happen to me so that's why I said it wasn't the debris from the sump

[Ballinxalex]

Sorry for the loss wish I had a golden nugget tho but new cichlids statement ^ kinda makes sense

[Geral]

The colony of Duboisi. I use to have they kill due stress and bothering him a very nice golden nugget I use to have
My petros don't care but my trophs sometimes they get them.

[Victorp]

Could be from the trophs but I suspect it might have been from such a large water change I did a 60% change but I guess the pleco wasn't used to it yet, but then again ever since I first got him he was really pale and looked kind of sick. When I threw him in the tank he would only hang out at his 2 hiding spots and never move. I also have never seen him graze on the driftwood or the rocks he would only lie on the sand.

[troy tucker]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

You maybe right. The pleco may have been sick. Where did you get him from?

Water change would not kill him. there are some that do 90% and never have a prob.

[Victorp]

I picked him up from city pets and I suspect that it was from a recent shipment? so he was not well acclimated? when I chose him he was the largest however I didn't notice his paleness until on the ride home.

[allysangels]

sounds like this tragedy wasn't your fault.

[Victorp]

sounds like this tragedy wasn't your fault.

thanks I hope it wasn't, however I probably won't be getting a gold nugget pleco anytime soon

[rmalford]

Here's my experience - I've had a gold nugget for a while. It's about 4.5" now. After the first week of having it I did a routine water change of about 90% and it was teetering on a piece of drift. Later on it was fine. Ever since then I have only done 50% changes and he has been doing well. IMO it is sensitive to big water param changes. I also have to mention this was done using cold water in the winter time.