sick loaches??

[echo_cypher]

I think my 2 new pangio kuhli's have something but no idea what. I've looked around but can't find anything that describes what i'm seeing.

I first noticed it a couple days ago and thought it might be ick
but now i'm not so sure because now it looks like they have swam through halloween cotton spiderweb stuff and have it all the way down their back. only problem i have nothing like that in my tank. I'm not sure if any other symptoms are there because i work nights, and so far haven't been able to see them active, just the usual laying around looking bored. none of the other fish in my tank are sick and all are very active. Thanks in advance for any help.

[Diana]

Can you post the water conditions?
How long have you had them?

[echo_cypher]

nitrate = around 10ppm
nitrite = 0
ammonia = 0
chlorine = 0
hardness = 75ppm
alkalinity = around 80 to 100 ppm
ph = 7.2
water temp = 82

I've had them 6 days now.
could it be they're slime coat coming off?

I finally got home early enough this morning to see them swimming around and playing in the bubbles. Still have not seen them eat yet, but they don't appear to be losing any weight.

[helen nightingale]

its good that you saw them playing in the bubbles, and that they are not losing weight. hopefully they are eating when you cant see them.

best of luck with them, and sorry i cant offer any advise

[shari2]

It sort of sounds like excess slime coat production. Does it slough off and change appearance or is it always the same?
What kind of substrate do you have and do you see them trying to get under it?

[echo_cypher]

right now i have small round pea gravel. they nose around on it, but can't move it. I have a stacked rock formation that they have been hiding under, it has many places for them to get in and under, plus java moss they have been laying on and under ( saw all this today, the 4" one has been out of hiding all day but sort of lazing around out in the open, the little 3" one went back in hiding about an hour after i turned on the lights. the whatever it was is mostly gone now, with just a little bit left, it does look like excess slime now that its been brought to my attention. the big one has a small spot on his back thats a little discolored like its a scratch or something. could that be causing excess slime?

I'm going today to hopefully get 4 more kuhli's to go with those 2, and maybe a few more dither fish which has been suggested.

for the substrate can i move some of my gravel over and place sand there for them to dig and play in? maybe a 4" by 8" sandbox kind of thing?