Loaches Online Forum

Hi i wonder if anyone can help me out . I have a ladder loach which has a really fat belly, i mean really fat. The rest of its body is normal. My local pet shop told me that its probably full of eggs and will either lay them or they will absorb into its skin. I have been changing the water every fortnight but my loach is still fat. Its been this way for about a month now. I had the same problem with the same species when i first got my tank and that one died. Does anyone have any ideas on what i should do. Thanks ps i have a photo of it but dont know how to put it in my message

I haven't heard the name ladder loach before. Could you have a look through here and try to get a species name? http://www.loaches.com/species-index Or perhaps post a photo?

You might want to consider doing water changes at least once a week rather than fortnightly.

The name ladder loach is usually used for Botia rostrata - http://www.loaches.com/species-index/botia-rostrata

Could you give us some more details please:

How many have you got?
What foods are you feeding?
Tank size, water parameters - ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate etc
What other fish are in the tank?

Is there any way you can provide a photo as this could help identify a problem.

Usually B. rostrata here in my area Dave, though
I've seen B. histrionica also labeled as "ladder loach".

Deano have a look at this thread,http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... ht=dropsey

Deano, to put a pic up join a site that allows it's free mate, most of us use photobucket once you have the pic on there, under the pic there will be a block saying img press on that then right click the mouse and press copy, then right click on your mouse and click on paste in your reply.
mate i'm a dummy on the pc and even i can do it.

mick

Hi everyone thanks for all your replys, i only have one of theses loach's, i have 2 clown loach's, 2 angel fish, 2 cat fish. a silver shark, a ram and a couple of cichlids. The ph, nitrates and ammonia are all to spec. The size of the tank is 3 foot. Im new to fish keeping so am not sure of the correct name i think its a Botia rostrata. I feed them tropical flakes, Algae discs and cichlid pellets.
I put a photo on but dont know if its come out or not. Sorry im a complete pc novice.

right mate, she isn't ill she's got a belly full of eggs.
the fish is a Botia almorhae or common name a yoyo loach.
eventually she will either reabsorb the eggs or expel them in the water but without a male the eggs will be infertile.

mick

Yeah like Mick said full of eggs, I have 3 that get exactly the same and it happens every 6 to 8 weeks and then after a couple of weeks they are normally gone.

Thanks mick and matt. I was a bit worried there.

This is a good site