Loaches Online Forum

I just woke up today to find my dojo loach in our computer room - in all the years I've had two of these loaches they have never escaped. I picked him up and put him back in the tank but he doesn't look too good - he is alive and is breathing heavily but one of his eyes looks a little pop-eyed and he is not acting normally. Has anyone had this experience. I know they do form a protective slim coat but how long can they last outside of water. Not sure how long he was on the floor for. I'm suprised my dogs didn't get him - he did have to make it past one of my dog's bed to get to the computer room. I have added extra air - don't know if there is more I can do - maybe he is just exhausted and will recover slowly or maybe he will not survive.

Wanda.

i'm afriad that weather loaches are known 2 do that. the weather was prod changing. they go crazy when it changes.
i don't know how go about this as it has never happened 2 me.
hope all goes well.

Yes, they have always been more active during a rain storm - it did actually start to rain in the night here. He must have gotten out around where my filter flows in but I never thought he would ever manage to get out there. I have heard stories about them doing that but I have had two dojos for so long and have never had a problem.

He actually looks a little better now. At first he was just floating on the surface and would thrash around now and again. Now he is actually at the bottom in a normal position. His one eye still looks like it is protruding out a little more than the other one.

When I picked him up off the floor he had quite a substantial slim coat developed but he felt pretty dry so I wasn't sure if he'd recover.

My husband was the one that found him - first thing in the morning when his eyes were still blurry - he thought it was a piece of dog poo and he bent down to examine it and it suddenly moved and really startled him.

Thank you for the reply. Sadly, he is not looking very well today.

oh no.
i am relly srry. i don't know what i would have done....
gd luck

Maybe adding a half dose of melafix would help him. It can help them heal when they have injuries. It might be worth a try, especially if you already have some. I've heard its actually pretty effective for healing.