YoYo Loach - Red Gills, Anal Fin

[SkwidsLair]

I have a sick YoYo Loach. He's usually very playful and almost always comes out at feeding time. His colour was always quite vibrant as well.

Lately his colour has faded a bit, he's become lethargic and seems to sleep an awful lot. Today I noticed that he has got a reddish colour on is gills and his anal fin. His breathing seems to be quite rapid as well. He spends most of his time at the bottom of the tank...in fact, I can't remember the last time I saw him at the top (he used to spend quite a bit of time at the top).

I've looked through the sticky sites on this forum, but I haven't found anything that matches...unless I'm missing something.

 

[SkwidsLair]

I called my LFS. I'm going to need to do some water testing, but they told me that I should just do a really good gravel cleaning.

My mother (also an aquarist) seems to think it's a fungus, and I should get something to treat it.

I mentioned that to my LFS, and they said they don't really have anything that would treat Loaches.

I'm going to do the testing...and the water change...but I'm really worried that I'm going to lose Raj, my YoYo Loach.

 

[Lotus]

I would advise you to check your water first. Red gills are often a sign of ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

It could possibly be gill flukes.

I highly doubt it's fungus, as that is not how symptoms of fungus would show.

If you do decide to treat the loach, make sure you add 1/4 dose every four hours of whatever med, and make sure you're there to do an emergency water change if he shows signs of stress.

Don't forget, botias should never be kept alone; you need a group of at least three.

 

[SkwidsLair]

I would advise you to check your water first. Red gills are often a sign of ammonia or nitrite poisoning.

It could possibly be gill flukes.

I highly doubt it's fungus, as that is not how symptoms of fungus would show.

If you do decide to treat the loach, make sure you add 1/4 dose every four hours of whatever med, and make sure you're there to do an emergency water change if he shows signs of stress.

Don't forget, botias should never be kept alone; you need a group of at least three.

dammit, I've been meaning to get him some friends. I had him and a khuuli, and I just added three more khuulis. Ever since then, he's been a little 'off'.

I just did a water change, however, and all fish are accounted for. Hopefully it's not ammonia. I thought with ammonia poisoning, the fish tend to gasp at the top for air?

 

[Igor The Cat]

yeah all loaches (not just botia) need companions (though like everything there may be exceptiongs) another good reason to do some preliminary reasearch, makes your fish happier lol

cheers

-Java

 

[SkwidsLair]

yeah all loaches (not just botia) need companions (though like everything there may be exceptiongs) another good reason to do some preliminary reasearch, makes your fish happier lol

cheers

-Java

I knew I needed more than one...but he took to my ID shark rather well. They hung out together constantly. I figured he was fine until I could get around to getting some more YoYos.

The last thing I ever thought is that he may be stressed. He's one of the most entertaining ones to watch.

 

[SkwidsLair]

I would just like everyone to know that I finally got my loach diagnosed with Fin Rot, and he's now on the road to recovery. He has no more redness, and his fins even appear to be growing back.

The medication I used is called PimaFix.