YoYo Loach: Sick or just Full? ** Update w/Video Clip!

[GouramiFanatic]

Wednesday night I left a slice of zucchini in the tank overnight for Pleco. When I went to bed almost all of the fish including the YoYos were picking at it. Well I woke up late yesterday and didn't have time to check everyone out as I normally do I just grabbed the zucchini and went on my way. Then last night when I came one of the YoYos was looking very bloated and was breathing heavily. It was laying on the gravel as if it were balancing on it's belly (which was huge!). I tried scooping him up with the net to get a better look, but he was pretty good at avoiding me! None of the other fish seemed to have anything wrong with them.

I tested the water and here are the parameters: Ph = 8.0, Ammonia = 0ppm, Nitrite = 0ppm, Nitrate = 20ppm. The last PWC I did was on Tuesday and it was only about 15-20%. No new fish were recently added other than my Pleco who came from my work tank the previous Tuesday - I know this fish wasn't sick so I didn't QT him before putting him in the 75 gallon.

This morning while he still looks bloated, he wasn't as bloated and his breathing seems to have slowed down some. Is it possible that he just ate way to much of the zucchini and his body just needs time to get rid of it? Or is there some kind of a disease that he may have which would require me to QT him?

 

[Devilishturtles]

Sounds to me like he just overate possibly. Keep an eye on things, but if he looks better already, then my guess is it's not an infection. Those tend to get worse, and quickly too.

 

[Zagz]

I've had yoyo's overeat. They can be such glutton's! I would do as DT suggests and keep an eye on him but I bet he overate.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

My yoyo's overeat and bet fat like that, it's quite common. They are just pigs, and the same goes with my skunk loaches, lol.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Thanks for the info. Here's an update on his conditiong. His belly size is almost back to normal and he's still breathing kind of heavy. All of the other loaches are very active, but this one goes from one hiding spot to another. He's rarely out like the others. I think there may be something else wrong with him, but what could it be? As I said I hadn't added any new fish and I've had the loaches for at least a month before this happened.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Well, not much has changed since my last post. This loach is still fat and breathing kind of heavily. It's not very active like the others and I haven't seen it eat lately. Although, I don't understand why it would be so large if it hadn't eaten yet. Any ideas on what's wrong?

I made a video clip so you can see for yourself how he looks. This is basically all that I've seen him do in terms of swimming around. He just kind of goes from one spot to another and sits there. The clip is a little large, sorry!

http://www.whalesightings.com/videos/loach.mpg

 

[joannde]

Hi - I can't seem to get the video to work

 

[imrandome1]

Same, it downloads but then nothing?

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Very weird! It works on my computer. Let me try again. I'll post it again in a few minutes.

** EDIT **
I just uploaded 2 more clips. One is in mpg format and the other is mov format (Quicktime). Hopefully one of them will work for you.

http://www.whalesightings.com/videos/loach6.mov
http://www.whalesightings.com/videos/loach_01.mpg


There's still no visible change on it's condition. I'm really starting to worry now! It was an infectin or something wouldn't he be much worst off now than a few days ago? I'm so confused....

 

[imrandome1]

Sorry nothing.... try going to www.youtube.com and uploading it there, im don't now what other ways there are....

 

[GouramiFanatic]

This is so weird. I've tried downloading all of these clips on my computer and my father's all of them loaded fine. I'll give You Tube a shot. Until then, here's a picture of my loach anyway. You can't really see his breathing, but is there anything visible that shows what might be wrong with him? None of the other fish are ill, just this one who's acting very weird.

http://www.whalesightings.com/fish/loach.jpg

** EDIT **
Here's the video link on YouTube. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[imrandome1]

Here's the video link on YouTube. Thanks for the suggestion!

Glad it worked, np

As for the fish, to start of it a very nice looking fish, as for the illness, it kinda looks like it has a internal infection, the way it swimming, its not happy, try using some Pimafix asap, its stressed by the look of it? HTH

Another opinion would be good for GouramiFanatic, someone?

 

[fish_4_all]

All I have seen is the picture shows some seriously red gills. Could be a parasite or an infection. Would definatley treat with something to at least treat infection, I have only used Melafix so that is what I can recommend. Hopefully someone else will see if the gills look redder than they should or not.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Thanks for the input. Just my luck... I can't find the medication that I have. The only thing I've been able to find is Quick Cure (which I bought a long time ago) and the Maracyn-Two (which doesn't sound like the right meds for this situation). I know my other box is here somewhere, but where I just don't know! I recently moved and I'm not completely unpacked yet. Will keep digging for it.

 

[joannde]

Hope everything works out great for you ! all the best

 

[JustOneMore20]

How big are the loaches?

I have 4 in my 55g and one of them is alot bigger than the others...I think she's a girl. She didn't get this big until she got about 4 inches though.

Your loach does look more bloated though instead of fat (has more of a little bulge then all over fatness ). Mine swim around like that. They will be active for awhile and then stop and kind of flop over...then swim around more. Yours looks a little distressed though.

Is it active at all? Does is swim around and then just kind of sit there? If its still active, it may be ok. You may want to try something for internal parasites. I'd try Jungle Parasite Clear. It works pretty well.

Maracyn II can be used to treat internal infections...but I'd personally get something with Metronidazole in it (Parasite clear has this).

 

[GouramiFanatic]

Nope, this poor thing just sits. Every now and then it'll move like it does in the video clip, but for the most part it just sits. I have QT'd it and begun treatment. Luckily I found my other box of fish supplies so we're on our way now. I hope this fish can pull through. I feel guilty that I've waiting so long.

Oh, and I have one loach who is about 4" (not the sick one) and he is definitely the leader. The others are about 3".

 

[fish_4_all]

This is just a side thought but I was wondering. When you fed them the zucchini, did you remove the seeds? You loach might have one stuck that just needs to be digested. Just a thought.

 

[GouramiFanatic]

No, actually I didn't take the seeds out (although, I think I'll start now!).

As of right now, I've moved this Loach to the 10 gallon which I'm using as a QT tank. I'm treating him w/Pimafix. So far he still hasn't eaten anything that I've seen. He spends most of his time hiding. I think he's miserable in the 10 gallon after having so much space in the 75. His stomach seems to have gone down considerably, but I still think there's a problem. Hopefully, it'll get better soon!

Should I treat my 75 gallon or just let it go? None of the fish are showing any signs illness, but if it parasites or something than they're still in the tank.

 

[JustOneMore20]

I wouldn't treat the 75g unless you see signs of illness. Save the meds.