Emergency - dojo loach found on floor in another room!

[Wanda]

I just woke up today to find my dojo loach in our computer room - in all the years I've had two of these loaches they have never escaped. I picked him up and put him back in the tank but he doesn't look too good - he is alive and is breathing heavily but one of his eyes looks a little pop-eyed and he is not acting normally. Has anyone had this experience. I know they do form a protective slim coat but how long can they last outside of water. Not sure how long he was on the floor for. I'm suprised my dogs didn't get him - he did have to make it past one of my dog's bed to get to the computer room. I have added extra air - don't know if there is more I can do - maybe he is just exhausted and will recover slowly or maybe he will not survive.

Wanda.

[daspricey]

i'm afriad that weather loaches are known 2 do that. the weather was prod changing. they go crazy when it changes.
i don't know how go about this as it has never happened 2 me.
hope all goes well.

[Wanda]

Yes, they have always been more active during a rain storm - it did actually start to rain in the night here. He must have gotten out around where my filter flows in but I never thought he would ever manage to get out there. I have heard stories about them doing that but I have had two dojos for so long and have never had a problem.

He actually looks a little better now. At first he was just floating on the surface and would thrash around now and again. Now he is actually at the bottom in a normal position. His one eye still looks like it is protruding out a little more than the other one.

When I picked him up off the floor he had quite a substantial slim coat developed but he felt pretty dry so I wasn't sure if he'd recover.

My husband was the one that found him - first thing in the morning when his eyes were still blurry - he thought it was a piece of dog poo and he bent down to examine it and it suddenly moved and really startled him.

[Wanda]

Thank you for the reply. Sadly, he is not looking very well today.

[daspricey]

oh no.
i am relly srry. i don't know what i would have done....
gd luck

[TammyLiz]

Maybe adding a half dose of melafix would help him. It can help them heal when they have injuries. It might be worth a try, especially if you already have some. I've heard its actually pretty effective for healing.