Best way to treat a sick Angelicus Botia?

[AngelicusBotiaFan]

I have three Kubotai Botias. I just got them this weekend. The larger one that also has fuller fins is very lethargic. It mostly hangs around at the heater fairly motionless although he does swim around a bit every once in a while. The other two are super active and it appears as if my Dwarf Gourami does the dance with the other two. He is swimming and twirling around with them. (yes, I put the loaches in my main tank without quarantining them) The reason I did not quarantine them is because the lfs owner told me it stresses them out more to do so. That advice coupled with my research indicating they get stressed out in bare tanks without other fish I decided to just put directly into the tank after acclimation. Anyway, my tank is a 60 gallon long. I have an AC110 and an AC70 for filtration. I have a medium school of neon tetras, some otocinclus, a Dwarf Gourami, three guppies and now the three Angelicus Botia loaches.

My question is would there be any type of preemptive treatment for loaches to combat any possible issues and that might help them settle in a little better? Is it ok to add some salt? Or is that even worth bothering with/more detrimental than good etc.? My Ammonia level is 0, Nitrite 0, nitrate 20 (I have plants and driftwood) PH is 7.6. Currently I have my heater set to maintain 80 degrees F.

Again, the only sign of illness is lethargy. No visible signs otherwise. Also, does anyone else have any experience with loaches and dwarf gourami's hanging out together and the Dwarf Gourami basically acting exactly as the loaches. They swim up and down together, twirl around each other etc. The two active loaches do this, but they also do it with the Gourami quite frequently as well. Any insight on this? I actually like the behavior, but want to make sure it is really a sign of playfulness and not stress.

To reiterate, I have three loaches, two of which seem very happy and active. The other is more lethargic, choosing to hover around the heater mostly.

[AngelicusBotiaFan]

I have three Kubotai Botias. I just got them this weekend. The larger one that also has fuller fins is very lethargic. It mostly hangs around at the heater fairly motionless although he does swim around a bit every once in a while. The other two are super active and it appears as if my Dwarf Gourami does the dance with the other two. He is swimming and twirling around with them. (yes, I put the loaches in my main tank without quarantining them) The reason I did not quarantine them is because the lfs owner told me it stresses them out more to do so. That advice coupled with my research indicating they get stressed out in bare tanks without other fish I decided to just put directly into the tank after acclimation. Anyway, my tank is a 60 gallon long. I have an AC110 and an AC70 for filtration. I have a medium school of neon tetras, some otocinclus, a Dwarf Gourami, three guppies and now the three Angelicus Botia loaches.

My question is would there be any type of preemptive treatment for loaches to combat any possible issues and that might help them settle in a little better? Is it ok to add some salt? Or is that even worth bothering with/more detrimental than good etc.? My Ammonia level is 0, Nitrite 0, nitrate 20 (I have plants and driftwood) PH is 7.6. Currently I have my heater set to maintain 80 degrees F.

Again, the only sign of illness is lethargy. No visible signs otherwise. Also, does anyone else have any experience with loaches and dwarf gourami's hanging out together and the Dwarf Gourami basically acting exactly as the loaches. They swim up and down together, twirl around each other etc. The two active loaches do this, but they also do it with the Gourami quite frequently as well. Any insight on this? I actually like the behavior, but want to make sure it is really a sign of playfulness and not stress.

To reiterate, I have three loaches, two of which seem very happy and active. The other is more lethargic, choosing to hover around the heater mostly.

Still need help! Anyone?

[Ardillakilla]

Is it eating? How is its respiratory rate? When my loaches were sick they would find a spot in the tank where they could glide in the currents with minimal effort. I suspect the increased flow provided them with a bit more oxygen.

Also, where are you located? Some areas have much better options for obtaining veterinary care.

[AngelicusBotiaFan]

Is it eating? How is its respiratory rate? When my loaches were sick they would find a spot in the tank where they could glide in the currents with minimal effort. I suspect the increased flow provided them with a bit more oxygen.

Also, where are you located? Some areas have much better options for obtaining veterinary care.

I do not believe it is eating. If it is he is doing it at night when all lights are out. During the day he does not move from his spot around the heater. Only time he moves is when one of the others gives him a nudge.

I currently reside in Oklahoma. Not sure if there is any vet options for aquarium fish, but what can be done for him as a home remedy or store bought product? All three of them came from different places. These guys are rare around here and if you find any they are usually alone. I just wonder if he has been alone so long he has given up and is beyond help? I read where loaches get very stressed when alone. Whatever it is I need to do something. Any advice is appreciated and needed.

thanks.

[Ardillakilla]

Check his respiratory rate relative to the others and in absolute terms. Many common problems (bacterial gill disease, ich, improper acclimation, ammonia, nitrite, etc.) will have respiratory symptoms.

Is it actually spending a lot of time hovering in place, supported by nothing but water currents and swimming motions or is it resting on something? Is the area around the heater likely to have increased oxygen or water flow due to a filter outflow? It isn't always obvious where the currents are in a tank. For example, I have a Vortech pump in the dead center of the right side of the tank so there's an obvious right-to-left center current. However, the water has to come back to the pump eventually so there's a current in the left-to-right along the sides, bottom, and top of the tank. When my loaches were sick they would find a location where there was good flow but the currents allowed them to hover in one spot with minimal effort. They did this almost 24 hours a day and did not eat.

Do any of the fish have frayed fins or any other general signs of illness? Lethargy and hovering near the heater aren't much to go on. You might be tempted to purchase some "cure-all" OTC medication but what you really need to do is try to get to some kind of diagnosis.

If I had to guess, the one fish was exposed to ammonia or improperly acclimated (very possibly by someone other than you). But you need to look carefully for signs of ammonia toxicity or improper acclimation (osmotic shock).

I highly doubt this is a psychological issue. Physical illness on the other hand is extremely common in pet fish.

There's a database of fish vets here:

http://www.aquavetmed.info/index.cfm?PID=6

Check the box for ornamental aquatic animals and select your state and any neighboring states you may live near.

[AngelicusBotiaFan]

Check his respiratory rate relative to the others and in absolute terms. Many common problems (bacterial gill disease, ich, improper acclimation, ammonia, nitrite, etc.) will have respiratory symptoms.

Is it actually spending a lot of time hovering in place, supported by nothing but water currents and swimming motions or is it resting on something? Is the area around the heater likely to have increased oxygen or water flow due to a filter outflow? It isn't always obvious where the currents are in a tank. For example, I have a Vortech pump in the dead center of the right side of the tank so there's an obvious right-to-left center current. However, the water has to come back to the pump eventually so there's a current in the left-to-right along the sides, bottom, and top of the tank. When my loaches were sick they would find a location where there was good flow but the currents allowed them to hover in one spot with minimal effort. They did this almost 24 hours a day and did not eat.

Do any of the fish have frayed fins or any other general signs of illness? Lethargy and hovering near the heater aren't much to go on. You might be tempted to purchase some "cure-all" OTC medication but what you really need to do is try to get to some kind of diagnosis.

If I had to guess, the one fish was exposed to ammonia or improperly acclimated (very possibly by someone other than you). But you need to look carefully for signs of ammonia toxicity or improper acclimation (osmotic shock).

I highly doubt this is a psychological issue. Physical illness on the other hand is extremely common in pet fish.

There's a database of fish vets here:

http://www.aquavetmed.info/index.cfm?PID=6

Check the box for ornamental aquatic animals and select your state and any neighboring states you may live near.

He hangs out on the heater facing downward like he is swimming downward into the bubble curtain that comes up right below the heater. When the others hang out with him they do the same.

I tried to check his gill movement. It is not noticeable. I cannot see their gills moving on any of the loaches, but the other two seem fine. I mean they also hang out with the "sick" one at the heater, but they also frequently move about the rest of the tank and the bottom as if searching for food. I feed with super color color flakes by omega one, plus I drop in algae wafers and shrimp pellets every three days or so. Plus there are snails in the tank I understand they feed on when they get the notion. I mainly got these guys because of how neat and cool they are, but I did like the fact that they (based on what I have read) keep the snail population at bay. Even so, I do provide alternative food sources for them just in case they are not getting enough from snails. So the food is readily available in pellets, flakes and algae wafers. I also feed a small amount of tubifex worms every Tuesday. I have reached out to one of those doctors from that link. Will wait and see if they return contact. If anyone on this forum has any insight or recommendation I am all ears.