jadednightdragon

Hi!

My clown loach lays on his side on the bottom of my tank. He's breathing doesn't look labored. But if I watch him, he just gets up and swims happly away. Is this normal?

welshalien

yes! loaches are known for this -- my yoyos do it all the time. First time it happened, I was heartbroken because I thought the little guy was dead but when I came near him with the net, he got up and swam off....looking at me like I was the silly one!!

Kelly

Alessa

yes, it is a loachy thing... I've heard stories of loaches doing that and the owners getting freaked out!

jadednightdragon

ok good. My dojo loach sometimes scares me by doing this too. I just want to make sure it's normal.

Butterfly

Yes this is typical loach behaviour, I imagine them laughing as they swim away
I had a pair that would do that and when I freaked out and approached the tank they would go to the end of the tank where I always fed them. They were such pigs and would do anything for an extra bite of food.
Carol

sirdarksol

As has been said above, clown loaches are known to give their owners heart attacks by playing dead. My kuhlis don't lay on their sides, but they have been known to hold very still for long enough that I'll start freaking out.