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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Lost all of them :( Well they are all gone  they were really thin and really tiny(1/2 to 3/4 inch) Never could get them to eat. That should have been my first clue something was wrong because loaches eat even when their sick usually 
I am so sad  I started finding them one or two at a time Tuesday. Started with the smallest first which is logical to indicate starvation.
Many fish that are caught in the wild are fasted for shipping and the bacteria in their stomach that helps digest food dies so they never start back to eat or can't digest what they do eat. I know this and know better than to buy such small fish but I couldn't resist.
All water parameters checked out good( ammonia-0, Nitrites-0, Nitrates barely visible), cycled quarantine tank that runs all the time, frequent water changes, lots of floating plants 
Carol |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Addict | I know some species of Panaque need the symbiotic bacteria in their gut, but never heard that about loaches. I've seen clown loaches that size a few times that seem to have the same problem. For some reason the larger they are the better their chances of survival. I learned that years ago trying to get a group of clown loaches that lived more than a week or so. It's also better to buy fish that have been at the shop for some time than new arrivals. You may not get the fish before they're sold, but at least you know they're doing alright before you take them home. Sometimes soaking their food in garlic juice will help, sometimes nothing does. |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Addict | I'm sorry to hear you lost them all.
I will keep a look out for some for you up here, i saw some 4" ones in a pet shop around here, i will grab some for you next time and ship them down to you
Anna |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Todd just about any fish caught in the wild(very few loaches are bred in captivity) have this problem unfortunately.
I soaked shrimp pellets,Omega one flakes, and freeze dried bloodworms in garlic with no luck.
Anna- That is so sweet  I guess I'm just not used to having problems with loaches but they were just so sweet.
Carol Last edited by Butterfly; October 17th, 2009 at 11:57 AM.
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper | Oh, is that octoliptis are so hard to keep alive sometimes? |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Quote:
Originally Posted by Gouramiguy17 Oh, is that octoliptis are so hard to keep alive sometimes? |  sorry I don't understand 
Carol |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper | Sry I forgot how to spell their name, the tiny 1-2 inch catfish that looks somewhat like a CAE |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Quote:
Originally Posted by Gouramiguy17 Sry I forgot how to spell their name, the tiny 1-2 inch catfish that looks somewhat like a cae | I understand now  Otocinclus (Otos)
Yes that is exactly the reason many of them don't survive.
Carol |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper | I'm so sorry you lost them, Carol =( It's such a shame that they are treated that way during transport. I wish fish were only available for shipping in small amounts at a time, so people could watch over them better. |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Quote:
Originally Posted by Je55*e I'm so sorry you lost them, Carol =( It's such a shame that they are treated that way during transport. I wish fish were only available for shipping in small amounts at a time, so people could watch over them better. | Thanks
They are fasted before shipping to keep them from pooing in their container and to keep ammonia down so there is a reason for doing this but small and tiny specimen don't have a chance.
Carol |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper | ^Ah. That does make sense. I thought they were fasted too long during shipping (but it does take a day to ship them, probably).
Will you be looking for more Skunk Loaches? |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Quote:
Originally Posted by Je55*e ^Ah. That does make sense. I thought they were fasted too long during shipping (but it does take a day to ship them, probably).
Will you be looking for more Skunk Loaches? | If they are caught wild they go through several different hands before they wind up at the pet store so no telling what the little fellas had been through.
I will definitely keep my eyes open for more skunk loaches. I'm always on the look out for loaches I don't have 
Carol |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Keeper | Which Loaches do you have? I love them! I have Striped Kuhli Loaches, and they are my first Loaches. |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Quote:
Originally Posted by Je55*e Which Loaches do you have? I love them! I have Striped Kuhli Loaches, and they are my first Loaches. | Right now I have striped Kuhlis and clown Loaches.
I have kept skunk, striata, hillstreams , yoyos and angelicus,and black kuhli loaches.
Carol |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator |  oh no carol..im so sorry for your loss...I know you were so excited...I Hope you can find some more bigger ones at some point! |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Fish Mentor | Carol, I'm so sorry you lost them  . I hope you find more soon  . They'd have a wonderful life with you. |
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October 17th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Quote:
Originally Posted by bolivianbaby Carol, I'm so sorry you lost them  . I hope you find more soon  . They'd have a wonderful life with you. | Thanks BB. I was already preparing a larger tank when they came out of the "Q" tank.
Carol |
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October 18th, 2009
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| | Moderator | Hello Carol  Oh no!!!!!! It really is sad what some fish have to go through before we can get our hands on them. So sorry for your loss. As you well know sometimes there is just nothing we can do.
Best wishes!
Ken |
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