Loaches Online Forum

I got 3 kubotai's all about 1.5-2" in length about 3 weeks ago. After hearing about how they are wild caught and may have worms, I decided to preventatively medicate them. I purchased Maracide, Maracyn I&II. I am on day 4 and the loaches seem to have gotten worse. They now exhibit signs that they are itchy, they will "skip" and "hop" off the substrate, the piece of slate, anything. They hit it on their side, bounce up, hit it again, bounce off, hit it again... etc. Is the medicine causing this? Should I complete the medicine cycle or cease it? I also did a 35% water change right before day 4's Maracyn doses.

The skipping/hopping they are doing is called 'flashing'. Fish will do it to scratch themselves, or if they have an irritated spot, or sometimes spontaneously.

Is it the maracide? That I don't know. Answer a few questions if you would:

Water parameters, temp, pH, nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, hardness etc.
What inhabitants are in the tank, what size is it?

What exactly are you adding treatment wize to their tank, and are there spots on the fish, or a shiny golden powder? Any rapid breathing? Or any other symptoms than flashing?