Corydora and Loaches flashing?

[Stacey W.]

Occasionally I see my loaches and corydora flashing. H2O perimeters are normal, they are eating and alert, and no ich seen. Anyone out there have any suggestions?


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[absolutangel04]

Flashing can indicate several ailments like gill flukes or similar parasites, ich, or an issue witrh your water parameters.
Somethign to be aware of with ich, your fish can have it without your seeing it. It will live in the gills and healthy fish do not necessarily all show the white spots. That is why you can buy fish from a pet store, not see a but of ich, but get them home and have it erupt. In my experience, ich is usually the most common reason for flashing. Just, something to be on the lookout for.
On to other other options, flashing specifically aiming at itching the gills can indicate gill flukes. Though, gill flukes usually have other symptoms as well like gasping for breath.
Fish can will also flash in response to the water parameters. You said they were normal. It still helps us out to hear the numbers you got while testing as well as your pwc schedule, just to make sure.

 

[Stacey W.]

Thanks absolutangel104, I am well versed in all the potential parasites. I was out of town for 10 days due to a family emergency and checked my perameters before I left. Just checked them a moment ago and my nitrates were 80ppm ahhh! My husband was feeding them way too much. I just did an emergency water change (50%). He feels awful. That's why I didn't understand why they were flashing.

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[absolutangel04]

I hate to be the lady who cried ich, but just keep in mind that if you happen to have ich hiding out in the tank (quite common) then fish are more susceptible to it when the params go awry. So, as you get the nitrates back down again, just keep an eye out for spots or any other indicator. Hopefully it was just a reaction to you high nitrates though and everything goes back to normal for you.

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[Stacey W.]

Ohh I know the dreaded ich too well. I was lucky that it did kill any of the fish and my loach I had in my previous tank.

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