Loaches Online Forum

I have 2 blue botia in my tank. Both are around 11 years old.
One of the fish I think might be sick but I am not sure, as they have always been healthy. The fish I thought was just pudgy, but now I am thinking his tummy is bloated. Besides that he seems to have like a white "scrape" for lack of a better way of discribing it, from about where his tail begins to maybe a 1/4" up his back. It seems that he is breathing rapidly and he also is out in the open much more then he used to be.

The other one seems ok, but it hides and the only part i see is its eye. LOL

My tank is a "community" tank and none of the other fish are ill.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what might be wrong with him?

Thank you!
BKF

Can you post some photos?
11-years, how big are they?
As a mature fish it might be gravid, and fighting in the nights with the other one as dominance changes.
A

Bloating can also be constipation, if so you can try fasting them, feeding roughage such as peas and daphnia, or put the sick fish in a hospital tank and add Epsom salt to the water.