Yo-yo loach sick: scratching, flashing and lythargic !!!...

[Opalie]

We really need some advice for one of our 3 Yo-yo loaches.

1- Some days ago, we noticed that it began to scratch against the gravel between scavaging for food. Now, it is almost always hiding, rarely eats and scratches even more, mostly on one side and on the middle of its body. No other signs like white spots or anything else visible.

2- Ph:7,5 / Nitrite and ammonia:0 / nitrate:10 mg (we have no other tests)

3- Tank:30 gal / set up: 1 month

4- Internal box filter with 300 gph

5- 7 fish: 1 opaline gourami (2,5 inches), 2 dwarf gouramis (2 and 1,5 inches), 3 Yo-yo loaches (1,5 inches each), 1 pleco (2,5 inches)

6- Last water change: 3 days ago / water changes: once a week - 25%

7- We got the fish 10 days ago - we acclimated it gradually for 30 min while adding aquarium water and netted it into the fish tank

8- We haven't added anything new

We have started yesterday with SERA Costapur treatment for ich and other parasites as indicated by the manufacturer. A 100 ml of SERA Costapur contains: potassium iodide 2,5 mg, malachite green oxalate 105 mg, aqua purificata ad 100 ml.

Please, we need some advice....

 

[Menagerie]

I would do a PWC and put the carbon back in your filter. There is a natural way to treat ich. Exposing all your fish to ich meds is harsh. Go to the articles section and read about FW ich then begin raising the temp to 86 degrees. Get some Aquarium salt from the LFS and add 1 tablespoon per gallon. Double check that gouramis can handle it--I believe they can. Then watch the pleco. Some plecos cannot tolerate salts. I had treated common plecos and rubber lips with salt, and they showed no ill effects.

I just reread you post--since that med treats for other parasites too, keep it on hand if treating with salt and heat do not work.

Did you buy all these fish together from the same LFS?

 

[Opalie]

Firstly thank you for the extra quick response...!

As we woke up this Saturday morning on the third day of treatment, we noticed that our little sick yo yo was doing better... He is scratching a lot less and was schooling with the other 2 loaches. We bought the 3 yo yo loaches from the same LFS. (By the way the most equipped and more professional looking LFS in Athens)

We have read the threads concerning salt water treatment for Ich. The problem being that we have seen what Ich looks like and really the fish doesn't have any what so ever visible signs of Ich. Also we have 3 anubias in the tank (most expensive things in the fish tank apart from the bogwood!) so we are skeptical about using salt treatment...

Our concern being that we can't really identify the disease...
We had forgotten to mention that the middle out of the three pairs of fins on the bottom of the yo yo were contracted (Today a bit less)

Since SERA Costapur treats other parasites other than Ich we don't know if we should suddenly discontinue the treatment.

But is it really a parasite disease?

Thank you in advance
A couple of aquarophiles praying for the recovery of our beloved yo yo loach

 

[Menagerie]

But is it really a parasite disease?

That's the big question! I do not know. The clamped fins is a concern, but clamped fins and flashing could be alot of things. If it is an internal parasite, it could be a number of things, including ich only on the gills.
How long have you been treating with SERA Costapur? How long is the recommended treatment?
Since the loach is doing better, continue with the treatment for now. Are all the fish being treated?

Here are a few sites that list fish illnesses, look through these sites and see if anything jumps out at you:
http://www.aquatronicsonline.com/hobbyist/hobbyist3.htm
http://www.aqualink.com/disease/sdisease.html#ich
http://fish.mongabay.com/diseases.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/AqBizSubWebIndex/fishdisho.htm

 

[pkremer]

I am curious to find out whatever happened to this loach!

Unfortunately, yo-yo loaches are extremely susceptible to ich, and will probably be among the first to get it in an infected tank.

Paul