Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:13 pm
Glad to hear everything is going better.
I have one Dojo who has the "floating" problem as well. She seems to have been damaged at some point on her back end. The scales on this area seem irregular and scarred as though they have healed imperfectly. Although I have several Weather Loaches, they are all individuals and I can tell them apart. Lemony is the one with the wayward backside, and I can always tell her from a distance because when she comes to rest, her back end floats up. At some times it is worse than others, and she has also figured out to use the help of decor in the tank to keep her back end where it should be. Sometimes she seems unable to stay still because of this problem, but is otherwise in good health. I'm not sure if this is what was happening with Kit, but fish can get constipated too. A change from whatever it was eating before to the Goldfish Flakes could have contributed. Weather Loaches are air breathers, so when they take a breath, they need to get rid of excess air. Consequently they may appear to have a case of gas, "farting" bubbles into the water. Kit's ability to breathe air enabled him to survive in the tank where almost any other fish would have died. Dojos are designed to live in oxygen-poor waters, and in their natural habitat, will even burrow into damp mud when their pools dry up to await the next wet season. Loaches also may react very strongly to weather changes.
I have been able to observe some very interesting behaviours when a severe weather change is close at hand. Living in Canada, there are often serious shifts of weather. Twice the temperature has changed about 30 degrees overnight, once going from 0 to 30 below and once the other direction. One time one of my Dojos went berzerk, swimming in tight circles as though chasing his tail, then coming to rest upside down on a log. I thought he was surely going to die, but half an hour after resting like this, he went back to swimming normally and was fine. I have even seen the "question mark" position you mentioned, especially when one rests with its top half on a plant and the bottom end hanging down.
If you are having trouble affording food (I have these times too), your Dojo will appreciate many of the things you eat. He will eat fruit, vegetables, beans with skins removed, raw seafood, and even grains of rice for a treat.
The Goldfish will make excellent comanions for your little big guy, but nothing can beat the company of his own species. If you have a chance, pick up at least one more Dojo Loach, size and colour (there are Golds and Albinos as well) doesn't matter.
Weather Loaches are very interesting, and quickly became one of my favourite fish when I started in fishkeeping.
Best Wishes,
soul-hugger
I have one Dojo who has the "floating" problem as well. She seems to have been damaged at some point on her back end. The scales on this area seem irregular and scarred as though they have healed imperfectly. Although I have several Weather Loaches, they are all individuals and I can tell them apart. Lemony is the one with the wayward backside, and I can always tell her from a distance because when she comes to rest, her back end floats up. At some times it is worse than others, and she has also figured out to use the help of decor in the tank to keep her back end where it should be. Sometimes she seems unable to stay still because of this problem, but is otherwise in good health. I'm not sure if this is what was happening with Kit, but fish can get constipated too. A change from whatever it was eating before to the Goldfish Flakes could have contributed. Weather Loaches are air breathers, so when they take a breath, they need to get rid of excess air. Consequently they may appear to have a case of gas, "farting" bubbles into the water. Kit's ability to breathe air enabled him to survive in the tank where almost any other fish would have died. Dojos are designed to live in oxygen-poor waters, and in their natural habitat, will even burrow into damp mud when their pools dry up to await the next wet season. Loaches also may react very strongly to weather changes.
I have been able to observe some very interesting behaviours when a severe weather change is close at hand. Living in Canada, there are often serious shifts of weather. Twice the temperature has changed about 30 degrees overnight, once going from 0 to 30 below and once the other direction. One time one of my Dojos went berzerk, swimming in tight circles as though chasing his tail, then coming to rest upside down on a log. I thought he was surely going to die, but half an hour after resting like this, he went back to swimming normally and was fine. I have even seen the "question mark" position you mentioned, especially when one rests with its top half on a plant and the bottom end hanging down.
If you are having trouble affording food (I have these times too), your Dojo will appreciate many of the things you eat. He will eat fruit, vegetables, beans with skins removed, raw seafood, and even grains of rice for a treat.
The Goldfish will make excellent comanions for your little big guy, but nothing can beat the company of his own species. If you have a chance, pick up at least one more Dojo Loach, size and colour (there are Golds and Albinos as well) doesn't matter.
Weather Loaches are very interesting, and quickly became one of my favourite fish when I started in fishkeeping.
Best Wishes,
soul-hugger
. He is very lucky.