please explain dwarf botia behaviour

[mrsleny]

I'm not sure if two of my sids are playing, fighting or flirting. I'm a new loachaholic and would great appreciate insight from experts in this forum.

I apologize for the quality. The video was taken with my iPod Touch.

[starsplitter7]

That looks like typical Sid behavior to me. If they are not drawing blood, ripping fins, I wouldn't worry about it. They are a little rambuncious/ nippy. How many are there? The more there are, the more this behavior is spread out and will less likely stress another fish.

[mrsleny]

Unfortunately I only have four of the original six. Two were "killed" by the CAE. I'd love to get more but as mentioned in another post, the current batch at my LFS are sooooo skinny. Is it a good idea to buy them in such a state?

Here's a quick video I took. Sorry about the video quality. It's pretty dark in there and iPod camera isn't the best.

[starsplitter7]

I wouldn't buy sick fish, unless I had a quarantine tank and I could get them cheap. I just got Kubs for $3.50. Usually they are $23, so I bought them even though they are small and thin. In a Q tank I treated them with Levamisole, and they are doing better. I lost one of the original 5. I will get more if there are any when I go back. I will do another dose, and if they start gaining weight, I will put them in the main tank in about 8 weeks. They deserve a chance. They are great fish. I know I can take care of them, and locally there aren't a lot of loach keepers.

I have bought all sorts of beat up, skinny, blind, injured fish. I take them home, put them in quarantine, feed them well, . . . keep them clean. I will ask for the fish to be free or reduced if it is hurt or sick. It costs money to rehab them. It is worth the effort, if I keep them safe and my other fish safe.

Then the quarantine tank is cleaned and sanitized for my next batch of fish.

I can't find Sids at all. I would take a picture of a fat, healthy Sid to the store. Ask to speak to a manager, explain about the parasite load and ask for a reduced price, since you will need to take the fish home and treat them. Have the tank ready and lavemisole on hand.

[mrsleny]

The sids were already marked down from $12.99 to $8.99. I doubt I will pick any up. I don't have a quarantine tank nor am I experienced enough to nurse them back to health. I do applaud your dedication.

Thanks for the info. I sent an email to the LFS but never got any reply. I'm not surprised as this particular chain is more interested in profit than health of their fish.

[starsplitter7]

If I am unable to take home sick fish, I usually will talk to the manager and explain skinny disease and that they need to use Levamisole to treat it. Sometimes they will listen.

Never bring home an ill fish if you don't have a quarantine tank. And investing in a 10 gallon quarantine tank is the best thing you can ever do for your fish.

[NancyD]

I bought some sids that were very small & thin. They were the first I'd seen in over 20 years of looking I waited over a month to buy them but couldn't resist any longer. 5 years later all 6 are healthy & happy with a few additions thanks to advice here at LOL. More are always better but the sparring isn't anything to worry about if you don't want to add any new ones now.

I agree a 10g QT is an important bit of equipment, you don't have to leave it set up all the time.

[mrsleny]

Thanks for all the great advice. I think a proper QT is my next project. What type of substrate should I be using? Should it be glass or will acrylic do?

Right now I have an extra 10g with one assassin snail and 2 amano shrimp as well as a bunch of plants and sand substrate. It could be turned into a QT if there is an emergency. I was hoping to keep it as a planted invert tank. One ghost shrimp spawned in their but the babies didn't survive.

I am really hoping to get at least two more sids. As mentioned, the ones at one lfs are quite small and skinny. I'm going to check out a couple of other stores.

[NancyD]

The problem with inverts in a QT is they can't handle some of the meds you may want to use & especially with loaches, they might become food,same for some plants. Any fish & you may cross contaminate between old & new.

I have both QT & hospital tanks. QT has a thin layer of pool filter sand, rocks, wood, filter & plants I wouldn't mind throwing out if there's a disease problem. I QT for 8 weeks or even longer if there are problems, I want it "homey". Hospital tank is bare bottom, just a heater maybe some pvc pipe for a hiding place, maybe a couple plastic or disposable plants. This is for sick fish that will probably need meds of some type & I want to be able to bleach everything after use. I have a basement to store old equipment, not everyone does.

[Diana]

Q-tank:
10 gallon is usually just fine, and many meds are dosed based on 10 gallons, so the math is easy.
Bare bottom, so you can vacuum away the fallen worms and Ich and keep it really clean.
A few stones for hiding places, they can be boiled or baked to sterilize if needed.
A few cheap plastic plants or trimmings from live plants. Can be thrown away if needed. Plastic plants can go through the dishwasher, cool dry. Trimmings from live plants are great, they are also biological filtration.
Small filter. Keep a little sponge or floss off bio media in your main filter. When you need the 10 gallon there will be enough nitrifying bacteria on that sponge to get the 10 gallon going. If the 10 gets something nasty then toss this media, buy new. If the fish in the 10 sail though quarantine, then you might sterilize the media or not, and put it back on the main tank to grow a new colony of bacteria.
Keep a little activated carbon on hand. It is the most common thing used to remove medicines from the water.
Heater, cover, light, thermometer...

[mrsleny]

Many thanks to all!