# Red lips on pleco



## pandesol (Feb 6, 2012)

Just had my albino bristlenose pleco check out last night. Mine had very similar symptoms but also had some red coloration right where its pectoral fins connected to its body. The symptoms appeared quite suddenly and all other tank inhabitants are fine....well except for a horned nerite that died just previously to discovering the symptoms on the pleco.
Anyway, I did quite a bit of reading up on different conditions and I stumbled across an article about high nitrates affecting their vascular system which in turn causes the red lips and scales. Ultimately it compromises their immune system and their skin will deteriorate. My parameters were fine, except my nitrates were high at around 80ppm. So, I think that was the cause. I have since started daily water changes to get my nitrates back down to 10 - 20 ppm range. All other parameters were fine....which I found weird.


----------



## ngrubich (Nov 29, 2011)

Oh that's weird! Yea, mine have the "red veins" at their pelvic/pectoral fins as well. I dose nitrates and I have been testing it for a couple days and it was showing less than 10ppm. But then again, the colors from 10 - 80 ppm look really close.


----------



## ngrubich (Nov 29, 2011)

Does anyone else have any ideas?


----------

