# sick/injured black kuhli loach



## inuudo (Sep 23, 2012)

A short while ago I noticed that one of my loaches was writhing around in a manner distinctly different from the "happy kuhli dance." It then draped itself passively a few places in the tank, panting heavily, and was fairly easy to catch when I removed it.

It has a whitish-grey area on its side -- more on the right side than the other, and it looks like a circular spot on its back where the paler spot spreads out from. It's belly seems swollen and there seemed to be some substance peeling off from its underside (although I don't see that now). I'm wondering if that circular spot is a bite mark. The tank has been a bit more aggressive in the last two days as the new female GBRs settle in. This loach was hanging out in the upper greenery where two of the new fish were hiding.

If it's not injury, then likely it's a parasite or bacterial infection of some sort. I have maracyn, maracyn 2, and maracide available. The loach is in an unheated/unfiltered container beside me on the desk right now. I can get a 5 gallon hospital tank set up fairly quickly with a filter and heater. Which of the meds should I use? Do I cut the dosage for loaches or is that just when treating with salt?

Sorry for the poor photo quality. I'll try to get another now that he's out of the tank.


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## inuudo (Sep 23, 2012)

I should add some details about the tank.

It's planted with a sand substrate. There are river rocks and driftwood but no other decor.

I did a 50% water change last night. The water parameters are currently: pH 6.6, ammonia 0, no2 0, no3 5, 80F. There was a bump in the ammonia to 0.25 or a bit higher prior to the water change. I added three female German Blue Rams on Friday last week.

It's a 25 gallon tank with two filters: Aquaclear 50 and Aquaclear 20; the 20 was added to the tank setup with new media when I added the three new fish, so it's been running only a few days. The tank has been cycled with the 50 since mid-November.

There are two pearl gouramis, four GBRs and seven (now six) kuhli loaches.


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## inuudo (Sep 23, 2012)

The loach died. I've been trying to inspect all the remaining ones in the tank, but have only been able to see three so far. One of them has very red gills and is red around the anus area.



















I have the hospital tank set up with heater and filter but have not put any meds in yet.

I'd appreciate any advice you have to offer.


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## inuudo (Sep 23, 2012)

Sorry if I seem to be talking to myself here. Just trying to figure things out. :-(

Here's a video of two of the other loaches. Their gills look much redder than normal. Is this ammonia poisoning perhaps? I just did another water test and the parameters are the same as this morning: 0/0/5 with a pH of 6.6.


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## inuudo (Sep 23, 2012)

I keep bumping my own thread. :-( I really hope that someone has some insights about what's going on.

Here's a video I took this morning during a water change. Three of the remaining four black kuhli loaches are in the video. One of them has a distinct swelling and discolouration around the anus. The others do not have this. I haven't seen the two striped kuhlis clearly yet; they came out of the plants for a quick breakfast and are now lounging with just their snouts visible.


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