akamel

not sure where to post this but I was checking on fish b/c of ICH-did head count and a loach was missing ! So I start looking all over tank-still dont see him-- so i pick up decor chip to see if its in there hiding and noticed that it was stuck on underside of ship. tried to gentley shake him out--didnt help ! so my husband gently manually removed him ! It's been a couple of hours and he seems fine but man !! I was scared !!!

Tony G.

whew! close call!
if he got stuck in the deco, i wouldnt put it back in

iloveengl

oh my gosh! That's so scary! I'm glad your husband was able to schooch him loose. I agree with Tony. I've also heard members using some kind of aquarium-safe stuff to glue a fake plant or a flat rock over the hole so that they can use the decor without worry.

mathas

Most loaches love tight hiding spaces, and may or may not have actually been stuck. Loaches.com says:

Butterfly

So true Mine have scared me more times than you can believe.
That is an excellent article even has a food recipe!
Carol

peacemaker92

That's cool! I wanna see a picture of one

aquarist48

Hello akamel. I know it's scary when a fish seems stuck. Been there and don't care to go back I had a Bloody Parrot 8.5x6" to get stuck in a castle. I actually had to push him out. Too he was stuck up side down! He was a bit scratched up but he's still alive today. Best of luck for your loach. It will probably be fine.
Ken

akamel

thanks all ! and good info..I didnt know that was true of loaches. He is fine and that darn ship is not going back in !! He is fine, just swimming around fine. now that I read that post about them loving tight spots, my husband said when he was trying to get him out he seemed to resist so maybe he wasnt stuck ! Sure scared me tho !!

peacemaker92

You don't have to take out the ship, otherwise it'd be a waste. You can follow what iloveengl said about putting fake plants or something to close up the hole so that nothing can go in and get stuck

akamel

It got stuck on the under side of the ship !! I dont know--maybe i could use some type of fish friendly silicone to seal up the "hole"

peacemaker92

Wow! Okay. You can do that Keep us posted.

Butterfly

Loaches need lots of caves to sleep/hide in and they will hunt until they find it sometimes sleeping where we don't want them to.
Carol

Lifesabeach

I've got 4 loaches, and I'm finally used to seeing a tail popping out sideways out of a cave I'd think too small for a fish half their size, or a couple missing for hours tucked away somewhere.
I do worry as they get bigger, where I think one day, they'll get into a spot where they can't get out! They do keep you guessing!