Worried about my loach...

[mr white]

hey everyone,
just wondering if some loachologist can give me some help here... one of my weather loaches has been acting weird and I'm wondering what it could be. I've only noticed it today.
He keeps looking like he's coughing, as in his whole body jerks very harshly and he'll do it maybe 4 or 5 times in a row then go on his merry way. Also he'll freak out and fly around my tank right to the top for a bit. My pH was a bit high today so I got it back to 7.0, and I did a water change and made sure the ammonia and nitrites were fine... I noticed this behaviour after I noticed the pH change however. Since my water has returned to normal I've still seen him do it. Any suggestions? Ideas? if anyone needs more info, just let me know, thanks in advance!

[brett_fishman]

1. how large is your tank and what fish do you have?

2. how fast did you change the ph? if it was too fast, that causes stress to the fish..

3. what temperature is the tank at? the weather loach is a cool-water fish, not 'tropical'

4. the only way that ammonia and nitrite can be 'fine' is when they are both at ZERO...are they?

i dont know about the jerking, but im sure somone can help you on that, just try to answer these questions..

-brett.

[shari2]

weather loaches are named because they seem to react to barometric changes in the atmosphere. Had a recent storm, or is there one coming? Sudden change in the weather will get them dashing all over the tank.

As for the coughing, they will do that sometimes. So will other loaches and some other fish as well. What size is your substrate? Is it possible he inhaled/ingested a piece that has gotten stuck? Has he been eating normally?

I would also be concerned about a rapid pH swing. Does bad things to fish. Maybe one of the more scientific types can chime in on what exactly those kinds of changes in chemistry can do to fish...