Loaches Online Forum

Hi all,

Long time no post from me, but I've been prompted back onto LOL by one of my hillstream loaches.

The details (apologies in advance for length!):

I have had an interest in attempting to breed Gastromyzon ocellatus for a couple of years now, and have slowly gathered a small group of them. They haven't seemed interested in frozen foods, and I don't think any live foods are available in NZ, so in order to boost their condition I had placed them all in a 180L tropical community tank (kept at 26C, with plenty of aeration). It was a busy tank with lots of light, lots of fish and therefore a plentiful supply of algae and tasty ole' slime on the glass. They seemed to be doing really well, so I moved a female and 2 males into a 30L (kept at room temp, which lately has been around 26-28C). Following the few reports of Gastromyzon breeding in the past, I'm running heavy aeration but no filter in there.

Within a few days of putting the trio into this tank, the female has changed shape. She began to look bloated - at first I thought it just my hopeful imagination but now there's no denying she looks like a swimming balloon, her body literally bulged behind her head. She is still active, and does interact with the males - though I can't tell if it is flirting behaviour or just the usual territorial dances. I have just noticed that all along her sides she has developed either small tubercles or colourless cysts. Almost like a clear ich, but only along her sides.

What are the general thoughts? Sick, parasite, is it possible she IS gravid? Has anybody had a similar change in their own hillstreams, or heard of tubercles along the sides of a fish?

I have a couple of photos of her but am not sure how to post them, could anybody advise please?

Thanks in advance

Hi Elka. I can't help with your main query but you can upload pictures if you first upload them to a free online picture account like photobucket.com. Once you upload your pictures there. Click on Library on the top left, find the picture you just uploaded there and click on it to open the picture in full size. On the right hand side of the picture there will be several links you can copy. Copy the one that says "direct".

Then when typeing here, paste the link in between these two [img]direct%20link%20of%20picture[/img]

Hi Elka,

Let's see the photos but your description makes me think of dropsy (kidney failure).

Yes, hillstream females can get very fat, I'm scared of the site of one p.fangi now.... but not gastros ime.

Hi Eika
I agree with Mike.
But it may be one more reason.
You should check the water in the tank for ammonia and nitrites. These toxic substances in high concentrations cause total vasodilation. Fluid exits from the bloodstream into the tissues. Edema occur.
I bought a female Sewellia in the store from the fresh shipment. Sewellia looked very stout and very gravid. 3 days later, in my tank, she has become very skinny and not gravid. She had a shock and edemas.

Thanks for the replies and help, I've been away for a few days so haven't been online to answer sorry.
Hopefully the photos should be showing now:



I have run out of test solutions so will go to buy more today and post the parameters. She is still active at this point and not so faded as the picture looks.

Thanks again!

No, this does not look right. The back protrudes...

mikev wrote:No, this does not look right. The back protrudes...

I Agree. I've seen this before. Don't know the cause.

Edema due to kidney failure I think .. the exact cause is hard to determine but likely would not be a transmissible disease.

Ah, sad to know I will just have to keep her as comfortable as possible in the meantime and maybe there's a glimmer of a chance she'll get better. If not then I'll continue with my attempts! Thank you for your advice everyone x