Loaches Online Forum

So, I read the thread about ich, since I saw some of my botias and barbs "flashing", they suddenly turn on their sides and make a burst against a mangrove or the gravel. I only see it occasionally, and not often at all. Should I higher the temperature and wait and see, or should I medicate instantly?

As I said, I'm not sure about this at all, and I haven't seen it too many times, 2-3 maybe since the loaches was introduced which was some month ago.

I recently had internal parasites that struck my barbs pretty hard, medicated with sera flagellol during three days, if it has anything to do with it.

Regards
Johan

Did you run the tank with charcoal in the filter to remove the meds completely before adding the loaches? Most (maybe all) loaches are sensitive to medications and that could be bothering them...could you post your tank parameters for the experts on the site so they can better define any problem?
Ammonia, ph, nitrite, nitrate and water change schedule? Also, how long has the tank been set up and how big is it? Everybody on this site is really helpful so the more info, the better the answers.

I would do a water change (30-40%) for starters and wait for the experts to chime in. If in doubt, I always start with a good water change

Tammy

i'm not sure what it is with fish but after a waterchange mine do a lot of flashing and my mates do as well but it's not every WC.
and i use a purifier before the water reaches my tank as well as sometimes they get RO water yet some fish still do the itching.
as to why they do it. who knows?


mick

fish_frenzy wrote:Did you run the tank with charcoal in the filter to remove the meds completely before adding the loaches? Most (maybe all) loaches are sensitive to medications and that could be bothering them...could you post your tank parameters for the experts on the site so they can better define any problem?
Ammonia, ph, nitrite, nitrate and water change schedule? Also, how long has the tank been set up and how big is it? Everybody on this site is really helpful so the more info, the better the answers.

I would do a water change (30-40%) for starters and wait for the experts to chime in. If in doubt, I always start with a good water change

Tammy

No charcoal used, no. I underdosed the meds as I know some loaches are sensitive to it, and the clerk in the store recommended me to underdose, for one to save the bacteria in my filter and because of my loaches. I dosed about 2/3 of the recommended dose, and then did a 50% water change. It didn't seem to bother the loaches at all, and it's not just after this threatment i've witnessed this behaviour. Maybe it's just random like mick says?

Anyways, some parameters:

PH: around 7
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10-20
KH(Hardness): 5-6

Don't have a test kit for ammonia, might have to get one. The tank has been up for about 3 months and a week soon. I change 30% each week, and I've never skipped a water change. I might go up to 2x 30% or 2x 20% water changes each week. It's a 93 gallon tank (350Litres).

Inhabitans:

3 botia kubotai (I was planning to get more, but we'll see.. I originally though of only getting around 8 of these and no other loaches)
8 botia almorhae
1 botia histrionica (this was a mistake on the stores side, I never saw this botia until I got home )

My filter cannister is a fluval 405.

The loaches are healthy and are getting plumper, not all that plump since they're quite new in the tank. I've only seen a few of the loaches flashing, and they're not doing it often. The cirkulation on the surface is really good.

Hope this information helped

Regards

Johan

Also mick:

We have very good water here in sweden, so I just pour it straight down into the tank and always have done, it's never affected any of my fishes negative. I think the majority of serious fish keepers do this in sweden. I don't even use any water preparing stuff either.

Johanski wrote:Also mick:

We have very good water here in sweden, so I just pour it straight down into the tank and always have done, it's never affected any of my fishes negative. I think the majority of serious fish keepers do this in sweden. I don't even use any water preparing stuff either.

Does your water supplier add any sort of treatment at the plant? Most notable additives would be chlorine and/or chloramine. If either of these is added then it's not advisable to add un-treated water to the tank. In the case of chlorine you could aerate the water for 24hrs and that would drive off the chlorine but, if chloramine is present then a chemical treatment would be necessary to neutralise it.

That aside, I have seen my loaches "flash" and it appears to be a signal amongst themselves, almost like a marking of territory.

My Kubs flash on occasion and I've come to the conclusion that it's a sign of annoyance. When the big alpha striata chases them away from some food they'll often flash once or twice. Same when they're having a little spat amongst themselves.

I'll go out on a limb and say that all town, city water supplies have crap added to the water to keep it safe.
BUT not safe for fish...
use prime for a W.C.
fish flash once in a blue moon.
not all the time.

Mine does it sometimes too. I have a suspicion that it might be stirred up detritus that might cause them to flash. They settle down when the water settles ... Just a guess.