If you dont already have some in your tank, consider putting in some real. Cloudy eye is caused by bacteria and if your pleco is under stress, has had an injury, or lower immune system it can come up. Just when we think we've lost him, he wriggles away to explore something new. Today, I found him lying on his back on the floor of the tank but he is still alive. If there is no reaction, then the fish is truly dead. If your plecos seem to be losing color rapidly, then its a sign that theyre dying or getting very sick. Fixing constipation issues will be easy. There are some cases where the pleco might have been injured by another pet in the tank, but most of the time they will recover on their own. The water might be dirty or the parameters could be way off of what they should be. Its a sign that something is wrong, and you might need to make some changes. Many enthusiasts say that plecos will play dead sometimes. Adding an oxygen source also helps. A fish that doesnt react to being touched is probably dead. My drop checker had pretty much all of the air OUT of the "exchainge" area, in it's place was water. For a limited time, download my pleco catfish ebook below on how to care for these beautiful animals. Another potential problem involves the oxygen levels in the tank being too low. Can I do something to help? Moving forward, it should be easier to look out for problems with the fish. It might need a bit more time to get used to its new environment. When a pleco fish dies in the fish tank, itll stop moving and itll float. If the fish is unable to move, you'll need to be its gills for a while. It frustrates me that when you look up information about plecos, people speak about plecos as one species. There are over 100 species of plecos, so it is essential to do your research to learn the best source of nutrition for your pleco species. They do generaly but if it is stunted then I would say I lived to its maximum potential given the circumstances. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. If you have a nitrite spike in your aquarium, it will make the fishes red blood cells unable to carry oxygen, leading to it suffocating. Its also possible that plecos will lose color when experiencing significant stress. Nighttime is when these fish can take their time exploring their tank to find food, which they often do by keeping their skin touching the substrate (or other objects in the tank). My pleco just pretty much hangs out in the same spot almost all day, as Gee mentioned they're nocturnal. I have never seen any fish go through as much as this guy did for about 10 years and live. Pleco upside down and breathing but not moving. Ill go over how to tell if your pleco is dying, the underlying causes of those symptoms, and how to prevent them from dying in the future. Just keep an eye on him. Also, does he have any places to hide? I have seen this behavior once before and today, its happening again. Pleco Not Moving but Breathing. An oxygen deficit is caused by one of the following reasons: A lack of oxygen should be reacted to immediately with a big water change and the addition of an airstone. Resting on the bottom of the tank or hiding in plants or other objects. How To Know whether your pleco is dying, and the solutions for it. Issues with water quality can stress the fish and make them sick.