Pleco killer - Cucumber spoilt water?

[sengwoon]

How long should i leave the cucumber in the water?
Just bought 10pcs of L600 babies but all dead.

I left a 50cent coin size cucumber tank and ask my wife to take out 2.5hrs later. Just check when I was back from work, all dead...
pH was 6.8 before work and 5.0 when measure now.

No luck with pleco... L190, L191, L134, L91... and other all killed by me.
Only surviving is those normal pleco and L95.

Feeling very guilty for causing their death...

[tch225]

Rip to your fish. Did you boil the cucumber or remove the skin before you feed it to your pleco?

[sengwoon]

Just slice and put it in, with skin... like those slice for chicken rice.
Didn't know that boiling is needed, and i just heard cucumber is for hypan and not for pseuda.

Sad not because of money but i feel guilty of killing these lovable creatures...

Saw those nice L46. but i don't know much about pleco. Maybe should get bigger size...

[Tustar]

bro i dont think it will spoil the water that fast, considering its jus a small slice.

did anythink before feeding?


btw those 191 look sunken

[luigi545]

Preservatives or pesticide on cucumber might be the culprit.. my guess.

[AGV]

Hi Bro ... cucumber in the water wouldnt kill your pleco.

Did you add coral chip in your filter. Coral chip work best at location where water flow.

Even you dun add cucumber the water pH will drop faster than you expect.

Personal experience, pleco other than L001 most are very sensitive to anything below pH 6 ... 5 is deadly ....

If you intend to try again, please take very good care of your pH level. Maintain it at around 6.5 to 7.5 will be ok..

[boxedfish]

rip to your pleco.. cucumber not for hypans also.. for panaques... i do not think is the cucumber.. they can be feed raw and with skin..

[sengwoon]

before cucumber, small amount of blood worms... less than 10pcs which no fish eats... not sure if they suck, i scooped out before putting cucumber.

[Khufu]

Raw cucumber should be ok imo, I just remove the skin and seeds as they don't eat those

[WiNd.feNg]

Originally Posted by AGV

Hi Bro ... cucumber in the water wouldnt kill your pleco.

Did you add coral chip in your filter. Coral chip work best at location where water flow.

Even you dun add cucumber the water pH will drop faster than you expect.

Personal experience, pleco other than L001 most are very sensitive to anything below pH 6 ... 5 is deadly ....

If you intend to try again, please take very good care of your pH level. Maintain it at around 6.5 to 7.5 will be ok..

I disagree with the pH issue.

All plecos come from South America and can tolerate low pH. Planetcatfish gives anywhere btwn pH 5-7.

I know bros who keep their plecos in pH as low as 4 (black water biotope), and no problems.



I doubt cucumber is the problem cos i do throw washed vegetables into my tank once in awhile to feed my whiptails.

Either unlucky because that batch of cucumber a lot of pesticide? or maybe its due to not properly cycled tank?

my overall experience with plecos are that they are not difficult to care for, as long as the tank is cycled properly, they will be happy.