wisecrackerz

I wanted a traditionally colored weather loach to keep my two golden dojos company. I went to my local LFS, and the loaches were in horrible condition. mostly eaten, fin and tail rot, and goodness knows what else. terrorized. there were three that had even a chance of making it, the rest weren't going to make it. i took all three (yes, i know how big they are, and if i can't upgrade my tank when i need to, i have friends who are willing to take them and give them happy loachey homes), i couldn't just leave them there to be chowed by the cichlids they were being housed with. 2 were about 2 inches each, one was about 2.5. all scary thin. this was saturday. they're in a 2.5 hospital tank (yes, i know that's too small, it's just for a couple of weeks, long enough for anything else they have to present before i throw them in with everybody else). one died yesterday, the smallest, thinnest, least active. they have an airstone, a 5g filter, doing 50% daily water changes, and i'm treating them with melafix (i was told that this is easier on loaches, as they dont have scales, and regular antibiotics are too harsh for them). the biggest one has taken one bite of one algae wafer, and the other nibbled goldfish flake once, but otherwise, they won't eat (i've offered sinking carnivore disks, goldfish flake, tropical flake, and peas). i know fin healing takes time, but they seem worse rather than better. any treatment/food suggestions would be more than welcome.

platy ben

Food wise, live bloodworm or brine shrimp I think would do the trick
Good luck with your loaches

Butterfly

Bloodworms, brine shrimp and shrimp pellets are staples for my Dojo loaches. Try not to overwhelm them with food. A little goes a long way The fresh, clean, highly oxygenated water will do more for them than any meds They need hiding/sleeping places to feel secure. If you can't afford a larger hospital tank a plastic tote from the dollar store or walmarts make great hospital tanks. Keep us posted we really are interested in how they are.
Carol

wisecrackerz

the other small one died this evening i dont know what to do for the big guy

Butterfly

Lots of clean water and room to swim but you can only do what you can do. sometimes they die no matter what you do. Don't beat yourself up.
Carol

platy ben

, I can't understand how your loaches are so weak other than the fact you bought them when they were a bit worse for wear

If dojo loaches are the same things as weather loaches, I have one in my outdoor pond, it can survive temperatures of below freezing! and its probably about 12" long :O

wisecrackerz

the weather loaches i picked up were imported for asia, where they are a food fish, and only the ones that are too small and sickly are exported to pet stores. they are treated HORRIBLY because they are generally so tough (survive days out of the water, etc.) and because they aren't super popular fish (many people go for the golden variety), pet stores don't invest a whole lot in their care. it's sad, because they're such incredible fish, smart, sociable, the least agressive species i've ever seen (they don't pick on much smaller fish at all), curious, attention loving... i could go on for pages. here's hoping for the big guy, i'm going to pick up some bloodworms tomorrow (thanks for the tip guys)

Butterfly

All the ones I see in the stores are in bad condition also. The last ones I got were in tanks with salt and were just about dead. Two out of the last three I bought made it. Now I have four all together.
Once they are well they are almost indestructible.
Carol

wisecrackerz

the big guy ate again last night! half an algae pellet and a few flake shreds. yay!

Butterfly

Wahoo!! Sounds like progress Now he needs some thawed frozen bloodworms to give him some strenth
Carol

wisecrackerz

Well, to end the story, the big one, now Franky, made it. I moved him into my big tank, with the two dojos, and they are all much happier (i think). They spoon (sickeningly cute), and all sort of writhe around the tank as a group. They have kicked my comets out of 1st place for the rowdiest fish ever. Now, the only problems I have with him are that he thinks my rubberlip should play with him, and that he kicks the other loaches out of the prime top-heater-sucker real estate. thanks for all your help!

fishfinnnatic

yay!!!! im happy he made it!!! i just love these fish. they each have a unique pesonality

Butterfly

Great news!! Thanks for letting us know.
Carol