Shrinking bn pleco & loss of eyeballs!

[litchic]

When I checked on the tank this morning I was very surprised to see a new 1" bn pleco munching on my new driftwood- but it has no eyes! 

At first I thought my sailfin pleco & 3" bn pleco had a blind baby without my noticing. BUT on after searching through all the tank (even moving plants & caves) I couldn't find my normal 3" bn. So I conclude he must have shrunk overnight, and in the process lost his eyeballs!

Has anyone ever heard of this happening? Granted, I've done a few new things since the auction on Sunday. In addition to new driftwood & plants, I've added some FlourishPride (followed directions), added 1 Root Tab with Iron to my new plants, and fed a new type of algae wafers.

I'll test the water when I get home tonight, but any input would be appreciated. All other fish seem well, including my sailfin &  group of cories, so I hope it wasn't the new wafers. 

[Laura]

Your pleco would not have shrunk. You mention that you got new driftwood - was the wood damp and in a bag? Could the new pleco have been hiding in a crevice and you just inherited it?

They will get themselves in tight spots and hold on.

If he is your original pleco and has lost his eyes, then you need to work out why.

You mention in your other thread that you also have a new sailfin. Regular plecos get very large - I would recommend you either think about a larger tank, or rehoming him.

[litchic]

Thanks Laura! After talking it over with a coworker he agrees that my 3" bn could not have shrunk. So hopefully I'll find him tonight! I think you're right- the driftwood was dry but I got a few bags of java fern so the little guy could have been hiding in there and made it throught the auction to my tank.

I have a 90g- is that still too small for a sailfin?

[drboeing]

Cant wait to read what you discover!  Hopefully he was a stowaway from the auction, but no eyes???

[Nerine]

they can get big! my pl*co was just shy 20" when he died... 90 would be a good place for him! but they do enjoy moving about (just use it as an excuse to go bigger than 90?!)

[apuppet]

wow,

what are the odds, i also know a coworker that also found a pleco with a missing eye!
i bet the coworker that gave you that advise must be so smart.  hehehe