First timer here, possible poorly Weatherfish/Dojo Loach...

[soul-hugger]

Glad to hear everything is going better.

I have one Dojo who has the "floating" problem as well. She seems to have been damaged at some point on her back end. The scales on this area seem irregular and scarred as though they have healed imperfectly. Although I have several Weather Loaches, they are all individuals and I can tell them apart. Lemony is the one with the wayward backside, and I can always tell her from a distance because when she comes to rest, her back end floats up. At some times it is worse than others, and she has also figured out to use the help of decor in the tank to keep her back end where it should be. Sometimes she seems unable to stay still because of this problem, but is otherwise in good health. I'm not sure if this is what was happening with Kit, but fish can get constipated too. A change from whatever it was eating before to the Goldfish Flakes could have contributed. Weather Loaches are air breathers, so when they take a breath, they need to get rid of excess air. Consequently they may appear to have a case of gas, "farting" bubbles into the water. Kit's ability to breathe air enabled him to survive in the tank where almost any other fish would have died. Dojos are designed to live in oxygen-poor waters, and in their natural habitat, will even burrow into damp mud when their pools dry up to await the next wet season. Loaches also may react very strongly to weather changes.

I have been able to observe some very interesting behaviours when a severe weather change is close at hand. Living in Canada, there are often serious shifts of weather. Twice the temperature has changed about 30 degrees overnight, once going from 0 to 30 below and once the other direction. One time one of my Dojos went berzerk, swimming in tight circles as though chasing his tail, then coming to rest upside down on a log. I thought he was surely going to die, but half an hour after resting like this, he went back to swimming normally and was fine. I have even seen the "question mark" position you mentioned, especially when one rests with its top half on a plant and the bottom end hanging down.

If you are having trouble affording food (I have these times too), your Dojo will appreciate many of the things you eat. He will eat fruit, vegetables, beans with skins removed, raw seafood, and even grains of rice for a treat.

The Goldfish will make excellent comanions for your little big guy, but nothing can beat the company of his own species. If you have a chance, pick up at least one more Dojo Loach, size and colour (there are Golds and Albinos as well) doesn't matter.

Weather Loaches are very interesting, and quickly became one of my favourite fish when I started in fishkeeping.

Best Wishes,
soul-hugger

[JamieNI]

Hello Soul, thanks for the post

I hope Lemony is ok and recovers well, how long has she been back-end floating for ? Is it a common problem do you know or..?
Now that I think of it I've never really noticed any erratic behaviour when the weather is changing, Kit just gets alot more active and likes to do laps of the tank hehe but I've never observed any tail chasing or rock-lounging (probably leaves it until when I'm not looking lol)
Constipation, I never even thought of that until you mentioned, and Kit did have a big feed of brine shrimp a half hour or so before the incident happened, you could be onto a winner there Soul.

As for the food theres no problems now, just that all I had at the time was some Goldfish flakes and I hadn't the slightest idea what Loaches ate. Now he's feeding regularly on Tetra Tabimin pellets, Goldfish flakes and brine shrimp (which the Goldfish seem to go crazy for also, it's not a pretty sight in there at feeding time lemme tell ya!!) and like you say, if there's pea's being prepared for dinner I snatch a few and feed them to Kit. Thanks for the food info though.

I would love to get another Dojo buddy for Kit, but in all the visits I've payed to local pet and fish stores, I cant remember ever seeing Dojo Loach for sale, although in saying that I never even knew they existed up until I found Kit! Do you know if there are any laws prohibiting the sale of Dojo's in the United Kingdom, or better yet, Northern Ireland.

[cider]

oh , that is cool , good to hear he is doing well . He is very lucky.
You seem to have gotten alot of great info on how to take care of him so just as Diana suggested, keep checking the ammonia and nitrite levels while the filter bacteria catch up to the new bioload and it should be fine.
You definitely found the right place for loach info and people who love them. I too have gotten great advice here for my loaches by caring people.
I hope Kit keeps you facinated for many years to come , and btw, welcome to ''LOL''
Cider