possibly sick yoyo

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:25 pm

hey, i was watching my fish (my measley 3 fish..) for maybe 35 minutes, then one yoyo just went balistic..it started darting all over the place, slamming into the glass...

i dont know what happened, but about a minute later it just stopped and went to the surface behind the heater (tight fit) and started gasping for air!!

i did a water change this morning, around 3 hours earlier..everything seemed fine...i just did a test and everything looked good..although i dont have a nitrate tester..the pH is 6.2, ammonia and nitrite are both 0...

im worried for the little guy..i lost a swordtail this way, he just kept slamming into the glass...

i looked all over it, i couldnt see any parasites or spots, but he also greyed-out for around 5 minutes behind the heater...

thanks for any replies,
brett.

shari2 · Post by **shari2** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:32 pm

Could something have caused him to panic? Sounds like a flight response to some kind of stimuli. Doesn't necessarily have to be something in the water, though it could be...

Did you scare him? Did he bump into something that pricked him? Did another fish scare him? Dunno really, what the issue could be. Is he breathing normally now?

rich · Post by **rich** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:09 pm

Is it possible, that you bring in copperor lead with the new water ( new tubes in the house or old lead tubes)?

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:22 pm

no new plumbing in the house, and its just well water, i always do water changes with it...no new filters/chemicals in the water line either..

and no i didnt scare him or bump into the desk (that kinda thing makes the fish jump, shakes the tank a bit) and they werent even chasing eachother...

i dont have anything sharp in the tank...and i dont see an scratches or marks on him at all...

hes come out from behind the heater, but now hes in a little cave i have..i've never seen either loach in there before...

but hes breathing pretty heavy..not fast..but deep, and his gills arent red..

hope hes ok,
brett.

mikev · Post by **mikev** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:37 pm

shari2 wrote:Could something have caused him to panic? Sounds like a flight response to some kind of stimuli....

The typical panic reaction of my yoyo's is a quick run to the nearest hiding place. .....so one has to ask: are there any hiding places in the tank?

There are many possibilities, but another one that comes to mind is a large external parasite, like fish lice. If so, you probably should see some flashing too.

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:46 pm

nope, no flashing at all (as long as 'flashing' is when the fish scratches on something)

and yes i do have a small cave (2 small holes to get in and out) but its quite big and dark inside..the odd acting one (the one we're talking about) is just sitting in there, but hes not breathing as deep now..but still more than the 'normal' one...then i also have a pvc T-joint and a little terra cotta pot they like to roll around in *giggles* its so cute

heres a little 8-second clip of the tank just to give you the idea: CLICK HERE

the one smaller cave is in the dark, and the right side is dark due to there not being a light, due to the tank being too bright (video doesnt do justice to the brightness of the left side)

-brett.

PS: im going to rumage through the garage for some clean PVC pipe fittings...my dad deals with piping alot (pipe layer) so we have alot of fittings here...

mikev · Post by **mikev** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:55 pm

I never succeeded in making yoyo's use PVC's. What most of my loaches (Clowns, Yoyo's, Zippers, Kubs,..) do like are false logs made for reptiles.

You know, it also may be the limitations of a 10g tank. The fish that tries to run away hits the glass right away...

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:47 pm

yea, i know about it being a 10...im trying to get my mom to let me set up a 55...but the reason why it'd be 'running away' from..what??

they've swam through the pvc, both of them, but they never seem to stay in it..but they look pretty happy right now in the cave..the odd one is lying on top of the other

-brett.

Emma Turner · Post by **Emma Turner** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:53 pm

Hi Brett,

It is possible that this loach was trying to 'run' from the other one. It is quite common for Botia to squabble when only kept in pairs - five should be the absolute minimum, but I realise you have space restraints at the moment. Given more space and more of their own kind to socialise with, these sort of arguments are usually spread amongst the group with no one fish bearing the brunt of the aggression. The heavy breathing, while it could mean several things, is typical of what you'd expect to see after two fish were 'engaging in battle'.

Good luck with getting the new tank.

Emma

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:57 pm

The heavy breathing, while it could mean several things, is typical of what you'd expect to see after two fish were 'engaging in battle'.

its been hours though!!

anywho, he is starting to swim around the tank more, he nibbled on a shrimp pellet... (thats all they ever do as the pellet is too big to fit in their mouths)

i'm sure he'll be alright, but im just worried..

-brett.

Emma Turner · Post by **Emma Turner** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 7:59 pm

Do you have a decent amount of filtration and oxygenation going on in the tank? The water's surface looks a bit too still for my liking in the video clip.

Emma

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:11 pm

i have an aquaclear mini on it (100 gph) and its making alot of bubbles..but i dont have a powerhead or airstones in there or anything..

thats the reason why the water isnt up to the top, if it is, there arent any bubbles from the filter (the 'waterfall' output)

neither one of the 2 other fish are having any trouble, they are breathing fine..the temperature is fine too (no oxygen depletion)

hmmm..i wonder why hes having so much trouble here...

-brett.

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:24 pm

well, i just checked in on the fish for 30 minutes, both of the loaches were out playing, but the one stopped and sat in one place for a couple seconds once in a while, but hes definately better!!

he hasnt eaten since i first posted this, but now he is..hes pretty thin, i think he'll make a complete recovery

im so happy, thanks to everyone for all the help!
pics to come!!

-brett.

brett_fishman · Post by **brett_fishman** » Mon Jan 01, 2007 11:49 pm

pictures:

You can see the top one is thinner
The hidey hole i was speaking of - Size reference
Hes still pretty thin, even after wolfing down a shrimp pellet
Silly little guy
Lucky Bamboo. I put it in the tank yesterday..and hes all better today..pretty lucky stuff! - In tank pic

-brett.

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