I found one of my weather (dojo) loaches lying on its side between a plant the the glass, i poked him to see if he was alive, and he burst into full speed circles all over the tank, just doing loops, no co-ordingnation, just super fast loops, then hell stop and lay on a plant,or sink to the bottom. I put him in my 10 gallon to keep close watch on him, and every time i poke him, he takes off doing circles and almost flies out of the tank...... then hell just lay on the bottom..... whats wrong with him
Dying loach..... please help
- Thread starter kukerdan
- Start date
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Felf
Aquarium Advice FINatic
loaches have been known to lie on their sides and appear to be dead when they're actually resting/sleeping so you could be waking it up everytime it you poke it 
its sleeping on its back, breathing rather fast, and burting out eradically swimming in tight circles, kinda like if u were in a wheel chair and pushing one wheel only, its not behavior like normal, or like any of the other loaches..... it seems like its spine is broken
Felf
Aquarium Advice FINatic
doubt it's this...
"Whirling Disease?
I have a school of shiners from Mississippi River in my 10 gallon tank. Two of the fish started to show signs of spinal deformations and they twist and whirl when swimming.
<Yikes.... Not a good sign, at all. Use strong caution, here - do *not* return any of these fish to the wild - if they have a contagious disease (and it sounds like they do), it could impact other wild fish very negatively. As you describe this, the first thing that pops into mind is "whirling disease". This illness is caused by a myxosporidian parasite known as Myxobolus cerebralis. It's usually seen in salmonids (like salmon and trout), but has been seen in other fish as well, even goldfish and livebearers. The parasites infect the tissues around the inner ear and the cartilage of the skull. It causes the fish to swim in circles, sometimes frantically, or to swim nose-down tail-up, spinning like a top. It is usually fatal, though some fish will survive and thereafter always have spinal/skeletal deformities. It is also untreatable, I'm sorry to say. If this is what your fish are exhibiting, I would strongly recommend euthanizing the sick fish..."
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/minnowfaqs.htm
this sounds more likely if he's been eating well
"Here are some more observations about weather loaches:
They occasionally dart to the surface for a gulp of air.
They swim in erract circles when the barometric pressure or temperature changes sharply.
They will jump out of your tank if you have no cover.
One of mine got out and fell onto shag carpet and wasn't found for three days. He survived the ordeal by secrecting a thick mucous that kept him moist."
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/wloach.html
i saw some other articles which stated that fish in general will swim in circles if they have some of the more common diseases like popeye and ich but they also wont eat. i dont know much since i'm a newb but i do know that if you ever have a question, google it.
"Whirling Disease?
I have a school of shiners from Mississippi River in my 10 gallon tank. Two of the fish started to show signs of spinal deformations and they twist and whirl when swimming.
<Yikes.... Not a good sign, at all. Use strong caution, here - do *not* return any of these fish to the wild - if they have a contagious disease (and it sounds like they do), it could impact other wild fish very negatively. As you describe this, the first thing that pops into mind is "whirling disease". This illness is caused by a myxosporidian parasite known as Myxobolus cerebralis. It's usually seen in salmonids (like salmon and trout), but has been seen in other fish as well, even goldfish and livebearers. The parasites infect the tissues around the inner ear and the cartilage of the skull. It causes the fish to swim in circles, sometimes frantically, or to swim nose-down tail-up, spinning like a top. It is usually fatal, though some fish will survive and thereafter always have spinal/skeletal deformities. It is also untreatable, I'm sorry to say. If this is what your fish are exhibiting, I would strongly recommend euthanizing the sick fish..."
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/minnowfaqs.htm
this sounds more likely if he's been eating well
"Here are some more observations about weather loaches:
They occasionally dart to the surface for a gulp of air.
They swim in erract circles when the barometric pressure or temperature changes sharply.
They will jump out of your tank if you have no cover.
One of mine got out and fell onto shag carpet and wasn't found for three days. He survived the ordeal by secrecting a thick mucous that kept him moist."
http://www.loaches.com/species_pages/wloach.html
i saw some other articles which stated that fish in general will swim in circles if they have some of the more common diseases like popeye and ich but they also wont eat. i dont know much since i'm a newb but i do know that if you ever have a question, google it.
Wizzard~Of~Ozz
Aquarium Advice Addict
I had a clown loach that did that, my wife pointed it out when he was spiraling all over the tank, he found a nice resting spot and within a couple of days he was fine.
It looked like he was sleeping and somethin in the tank grabbed his tail (spooked him and there was slight damage to his tail), just make sure there are places for him to hide and relax.
Does it look like he's hyperventalating? (mine did)
It looked like he was sleeping and somethin in the tank grabbed his tail (spooked him and there was slight damage to his tail), just make sure there are places for him to hide and relax.
Does it look like he's hyperventalating? (mine did)
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Some of these Qs are repeative, but we need more info to know what's going on.
Answer these Qs to ensure we have as much information as possible about your ailing fish and its environment:
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the beset of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values. (from main tank and QT tank)
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up? (before you moved it to QT)
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are there current sizes?
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
Answer these Qs to ensure we have as much information as possible about your ailing fish and its environment:
1~What type of fish is afflicted? In addition, please describe what is wrong with the fish to the beset of your ability (i.e. cotton like growth, bloated, etc.).
2~What are your tank parameters (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, temp, pH)? Please give exact values. (from main tank and QT tank)
3~ How large is the tank? How long has the tank been set up? (before you moved it to QT)
4~What type of filtration are you using? Please give the name and number (i.e. Fluval 304) and amount of gph if known.
5~How many fish are in the tank? What kinds of fish are they and what are there current sizes?
6~When is the last time you did a water change and vacuum the gravel? How often do you do this? How much water do you remove at a time?
7~How long have you had the fish? If the fish is new, how did you acclimate it/them?
8~Have you added anything new to the tank--decor, new dechlorinator, new substrate, etc.?
1. .... weatherloach (dojo loach) already stated this
the fish is lying around like its dead... the head seems to be angled down a bit, and when i try and stimulate the fish, it goes beserk swimming in tight circles.
there is no fin damge to the fish, there is no visible infections
2. Tank paremeters are fine, water is 6.9 ph.
3. The main tank is a 90 gallon.... it has been set up for 8 months, i have never lost a fish to disease or water parameters
4. Im using a fluval 404...... 340 or so GPH
5. The fish are listed
6. I changed 30% water a 2 week ago, and vacumed the graval one week ago, i do it whenever the water needs it.
7. Ive had the fish, along with 4 other of them, for about a month now
8. I aded a bunch of new decor recently... including two plant mats... that these fish immediatly claimed as their own, they live in it, and come out at feeding time
the fish is lying around like its dead... the head seems to be angled down a bit, and when i try and stimulate the fish, it goes beserk swimming in tight circles.
there is no fin damge to the fish, there is no visible infections
2. Tank paremeters are fine, water is 6.9 ph.
3. The main tank is a 90 gallon.... it has been set up for 8 months, i have never lost a fish to disease or water parameters
4. Im using a fluval 404...... 340 or so GPH
5. The fish are listed
6. I changed 30% water a 2 week ago, and vacumed the graval one week ago, i do it whenever the water needs it.
7. Ive had the fish, along with 4 other of them, for about a month now
8. I aded a bunch of new decor recently... including two plant mats... that these fish immediatly claimed as their own, they live in it, and come out at feeding time
Hello I've just signed up to these forums because my golden weather loach has exactly the same symptoms as yours. It's got a lump just under the back of it's head and when it swims it's erratic in tight circles with very little coordination. It also leans to one side when searching for food at the bottom of the aquarium. I was wondering what happened to your loach kukerdan? and if anyone knew what this mysterious illness is?
