Horseface Loach - eating snails...

J

Jaywinch

Registered Member
Jul 27, 2006
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Hi All
Up until recently, I had two horsefaced loaches - one of them died yesterday, and the second doesn't look good.

I assume that what's happened is the Loaches have been eating snails whole, and causing them to bloat up and die.

Is there anything I can do for the little guy, or is he pretty much a goner?

thanks
J.
 
hmm, i have two golden dojo loaches with mouths very similar to your horseface loaches. they eat snails, too, but usually just suck the flesh out and leave the shell totally intact. are you finding broken bits of shell? i would think that the shell particles would just pass through as roughage, although i suppose it's possible that the sharp edges tore up its insides. are your loaches showing signs of a bloating, other than death?

more likely, i'm guessing that you may have water quality issues. how large is your tank? how long has it been set up? how often do you do water changes and tank cleanings? do you know ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels in your water?
 
too late.....

Hi, guys
thank you both for your replies, unfortunately the second horseface loach died, too
Yeah, I didn't think they would have trouble eating snails, because my clown loach gobbles them up with no problems - I was speaking with someone else who told me they might have some trouble with them...

I have a 33 gallon tank - I have a clown loach, 2 dwarf gouramis, 2 neon tetras and a Pleco. - I HAD 2 horsefaced loaches, but, well....
Also getting started with live plants - various kinds - hence the snails...

The pH and Ammonia levels are great, but I dont have the testing kits for anything else (I'm just on my way out to spend lots of money at the aquarium store, they're at the top of the list...)

I clean fairly regularly - 1/3 water change every 10-14 days, occaisonal big water changes - 75% or so...

I just did a major water change about a week ago - and my aunt, who has a number of tanks, has recently lost a few fish after water changes...I wonder if the city is putting something new in the water?

Anyway, this post is big enough for now...

Thanks again!

J
 
Jaywinch,
I'm sorry for your loss. You need to step up the changes, especially with your bioload. The clown loach and pleco (assuming it is a common pleco) will outgrow your tank fairly quickly and will die of problems associated with stunting. Basically, the internal organs do not develop properly and the fish will die prematurely. You should look into rehoming these creatures. In the meantime though, plecos are pretty messy creatures and produce alot of waste, and you're not changing water enough for them especially.

You should be able to find out if your municipality is doing anything differently with the water. Check online or call the water department. Use a dechlor. Prime removes both chlorine and chloramine, not all of them do. Try to change at least 30% of your water weekly. I know it's alot of work, but definitely worth it. I have a 55 gallon, 29 gallon, two 5 gallons, and a 20 gallon newt tank and I give them all about a 40% change weekly the old fashioned way... With a 5 gallon bucket... :) And a couple of times a month I give them an extra treat of a mid-week water change. The little guys just love it.

Anyhow, let us know how it goes. And I'm glad you're getting the test kit. It's always a good idea to test everything when you have sick fish in your tank or have had fish deaths.
Take care,
Mary.
 
it sounds like a case of your tank water having conditions different from tap, but probably due to the bioload. with that many fish, you can develop "old tank syndrome" in a matter of 14 days. that essentially means that you have so much nitrate buildup, as well as hormones, proteins, dissolved organics, etc. that the shock of clean water is distressing the fish.

as mary said, the solution is more frequent and larger water changes. I have an overstocked tank, too (I just like the way it looks) and do 50% water changes TWICE A WEEK, or about every 3 days, to keep up with the waste production.
 
Jaywinch said:
I have a 33 gallon tank - I have a clown loach, 2 dwarf gouramis, 2 neon tetras and a Pleco. - I HAD 2 horsefaced loaches, but, well....
Also getting started with live plants - various kinds - hence the snails...

The pH and Ammonia levels are great, but I dont have the testing kits for anything else (I'm just on my way out to spend lots of money at the aquarium store, they're at the top of the list...)

I clean fairly regularly - 1/3 water change every 10-14 days, occaisonal big water changes - 75% or so...
Click to expand...

Hi guys, I stocked my tank without researching fish, don't test my water, and do not do the recommended water changes.

Now I am having problems, could someone please tell me why?

:shark:
 
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