I'm not sure if this is tragic or comic...
Last Wednesday, my little yo-yo loach was going berserk after a feeding. I poked a couple flakes under the sand to see if he could find them, which he did. Apparently it was quite exciting for him, and he felt the need to do several victory laps and various acrobatic maneuvers around the tank. The next day, however, I couldn't find him. I moved around all the decor in the tank, and looked on the floor around the tank... no sign of him. Having heard of loaches finding their way into HOB filters, I looked the filter--didn't see him there, either. Well, not until later when in desperation I took off the piece that covers the bio-wheel. There he was, or at least the empty shell that remains when a fish moves on to that big aquarium in the sky. Around and around and around he went... apparently he felt the need to explore the bio-wheel, and wedged his snout into one of the pleats. His little spines held him there pretty securely; it was not easy remove the body. Not sure whether it was stress or whapping that killed him. I just hope it was a fun ride while it lasted, a fitting final adventure for such an inquisitive creature.
Any thoughts as to how I might block future loaches from entering the filter, or should I call this a freak of nature and not worry about it?
Last Wednesday, my little yo-yo loach was going berserk after a feeding. I poked a couple flakes under the sand to see if he could find them, which he did. Apparently it was quite exciting for him, and he felt the need to do several victory laps and various acrobatic maneuvers around the tank. The next day, however, I couldn't find him. I moved around all the decor in the tank, and looked on the floor around the tank... no sign of him. Having heard of loaches finding their way into HOB filters, I looked the filter--didn't see him there, either. Well, not until later when in desperation I took off the piece that covers the bio-wheel. There he was, or at least the empty shell that remains when a fish moves on to that big aquarium in the sky. Around and around and around he went... apparently he felt the need to explore the bio-wheel, and wedged his snout into one of the pleats. His little spines held him there pretty securely; it was not easy remove the body. Not sure whether it was stress or whapping that killed him. I just hope it was a fun ride while it lasted, a fitting final adventure for such an inquisitive creature.
Any thoughts as to how I might block future loaches from entering the filter, or should I call this a freak of nature and not worry about it?