[/list]Unhealthy Loach? Help!
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basixsweet
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Unhealthy Loach? Help!
I have a weather loach and his name is jake. We had just put Jake into a new tank and he seemed to enjoy it for a while. But, the next day he was floating upside down or leaning up against the glass with his mouth towards the top. We put him back in his old tank and added melafix and anti-fungal stuff. (both appropriate for loaches) We then rechecked EVERYTHING. Nothing is out of place. The water is perfect in everyway. No nitrate/nitrite, ammonia, pH is fine, alkalinity is fine, temp is just as he has always had it. The tank had been sitting and letting the biological filter kick in for over a day and a half. Of course he is used to being dumped into a new tank full of tap water because that is what my dad used to do all the time. But, now I take the time to make sure his tank is perfect. But this time he does seem to be doing so well. He actually jumped out of the tank and fell onto the floor. We had to scoop him out and put him back in. His eyes are cloudy and it looks like his skin is gooey and coming off like he is shedding. But, he likes to tip back over and fall onto his back or onto his side. I don't know what is wrong with him. I've had him for about 5 years. I have some pictures also.
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[/list]In spite of the water tests showing no apparent problem, that is what it sounds like to me.
Floating and inability to swim properly when placed in new water is often caused by osmoregulatory issues. The TDS of the two waters is not the same. Often the new water is softer, less minerals than the old water. The fish looks slightly bloated, too, as if he has been taking in too much water, not able to get rid of it. This happens when the new water has less minerals than the water the fish was used to.
A fish attempting to jump out of the new water is another indication that there is something wrong with the new water. I have seen reports of this when there is a voltage leak in the tank, from a defective heater, for example, but more commonly the pH or other parameter is not to his liking.
Excess slime coat is common when there is ammonia or wrong pH (either extreme), or salt in the water. Loaches in general do produce more than average slime coat, and even a little more than this (as when the fish is stressed) can start shedding in the way you describe.
The biological filter is not mature in just a couple of days. The Nitrospiros and other bacteria are very slow growing, so unless you added one of the very few products with the correct species of bacteria then ammonia would build up in the tank.
These bacteria need ammonia to grow, so just running a filter for a couple of days and not feeding the bacteria will not grow these bacteria. Depending on the size of the fish and of the tank the ammonia can reach toxic levels in a very short time (a couple of hours in a small tank concentrates the ammonia), or build up more slowly (a couple of days in a larger tank, with more water to dilute it).
There should be no ammonia in a tank before you add fish, unless the tap water has ammonia. This is common when the water company uses chloramine to treat the water, or in agricultural areas where fertilizer and manure run-off contaminates the water.
Have a look here for the fishless cycle as one way to cycle a tank prior to adding fish.
Another way to move a fish to a new tank is to share some of the filter media from the established tank. The filter that has been supporting the fish has enough bacteria to handle the waste of that fish, so moving this filter (or at least the media) to the new tank will partially supply the new tank with some of the beneficial bacteria.
If there is any question that the water might have different levels of minerals, then do not do a 100% water change, or move the fish to a totally new set up. Do smaller, more frequent water changes that create smaller changes in the level of minerals so the fish can alter its body chemistry slowly to adapt to the different level of minerals.
If you are on a well, there may be no chlorine or chloramine, so dechlorinator might not be needed to condition the water, but the water chemistry can change as the ground water changes, with rains or snow melt that can carry more minerals into the water, or dilute the minerals in the water, and carry agricultural waste into the water table. Some dechlorinator can lock up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so would be useful in this case.
Floating and inability to swim properly when placed in new water is often caused by osmoregulatory issues. The TDS of the two waters is not the same. Often the new water is softer, less minerals than the old water. The fish looks slightly bloated, too, as if he has been taking in too much water, not able to get rid of it. This happens when the new water has less minerals than the water the fish was used to.
A fish attempting to jump out of the new water is another indication that there is something wrong with the new water. I have seen reports of this when there is a voltage leak in the tank, from a defective heater, for example, but more commonly the pH or other parameter is not to his liking.
Excess slime coat is common when there is ammonia or wrong pH (either extreme), or salt in the water. Loaches in general do produce more than average slime coat, and even a little more than this (as when the fish is stressed) can start shedding in the way you describe.
The biological filter is not mature in just a couple of days. The Nitrospiros and other bacteria are very slow growing, so unless you added one of the very few products with the correct species of bacteria then ammonia would build up in the tank.
These bacteria need ammonia to grow, so just running a filter for a couple of days and not feeding the bacteria will not grow these bacteria. Depending on the size of the fish and of the tank the ammonia can reach toxic levels in a very short time (a couple of hours in a small tank concentrates the ammonia), or build up more slowly (a couple of days in a larger tank, with more water to dilute it).
There should be no ammonia in a tank before you add fish, unless the tap water has ammonia. This is common when the water company uses chloramine to treat the water, or in agricultural areas where fertilizer and manure run-off contaminates the water.
Have a look here for the fishless cycle as one way to cycle a tank prior to adding fish.
Another way to move a fish to a new tank is to share some of the filter media from the established tank. The filter that has been supporting the fish has enough bacteria to handle the waste of that fish, so moving this filter (or at least the media) to the new tank will partially supply the new tank with some of the beneficial bacteria.
If there is any question that the water might have different levels of minerals, then do not do a 100% water change, or move the fish to a totally new set up. Do smaller, more frequent water changes that create smaller changes in the level of minerals so the fish can alter its body chemistry slowly to adapt to the different level of minerals.
If you are on a well, there may be no chlorine or chloramine, so dechlorinator might not be needed to condition the water, but the water chemistry can change as the ground water changes, with rains or snow melt that can carry more minerals into the water, or dilute the minerals in the water, and carry agricultural waste into the water table. Some dechlorinator can lock up ammonia, nitrite and nitrate so would be useful in this case.
38 tanks, 2 ponds over 4000 liters of water to keep clean and fresh.
Happy fish keeping!
Happy fish keeping!
how small of a tank is he in? from the pictures, it looks like some kind of medium sized fish bowl...
the excess slime coat, and general hazy quality of the skin and eyes lead me to believe it is an issue with a water parameter as well as mild fungus or bacteria.
i would do medium to moderate size water changes every day, gravel vac as much excess food and biological matter out of the tank (especially anything that falls off the fish itself, like all of the extra slime coat its rubbing all over), and start low doses of something. If you have access to levamisole or something similar, start it immediately. also consider an anti bacterial or anti fungal; low doses are key with a weak fish, especially when you're unsure of what it is sick with.
the excess slime coat, and general hazy quality of the skin and eyes lead me to believe it is an issue with a water parameter as well as mild fungus or bacteria.
i would do medium to moderate size water changes every day, gravel vac as much excess food and biological matter out of the tank (especially anything that falls off the fish itself, like all of the extra slime coat its rubbing all over), and start low doses of something. If you have access to levamisole or something similar, start it immediately. also consider an anti bacterial or anti fungal; low doses are key with a weak fish, especially when you're unsure of what it is sick with.
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