Warning Graphic Images: Kuhli Loach Illness

Hello All,

Here is my problem....
A while back (5 months ago) I bought 4 black kuhli loaches and all was well for about month before I noticed that one of my kuhli's had a white dot (nothing like an ich/ick dot) on his face. I wasn't concerned at first thinking that maybe he came with it and it was just color variation on him, but then about a week later I noticed that part of his face was missing where the dot had been and the kuhli had also began to convulse so I decided to euthanize him. A couple months pasted before I noticed that another one of my kuhli had what appeared to be a red dot on his stomach which concerned me instantly. Unfortunately before I could do anything the kuhli died (about a day after I noticed the dot). I do have pictures of the died kuhli and the area where the spot had been (see below). Then today about month after the 2nd kuhli's death I noticed one of my remaining kuhli's had a half moon shaped thin red line on his stomach. Currently this kuhli is still alive and not showing any signs of stress or illness besides the line.

I'm quite concerned and confused about what is happening with my kuhli's and I have posted on other fish forums but no one really could give me a reason for whats been happening. None of the tetra's have died or shown no signs of illness (still pigs ) which leads me to believe that its not contagious at least for the tetra's. So if anyone could shed some light on what has been happening that would be great!!



Details:

• Tank size: 16 gallon bowlfront tank (Just about a year old)
• pH: 7.6
• ammonia: 0ppm
• nitrite: Under 5ppm (but I have a planted tank)
• nitrate: 0ppm
• tank temp: 80F
• Volume and Frequency of water changes: Once a week about 30 - 20%
• Tank inhabitants: 6 Neon Tetra's and 6 Glowlight Tetra's plus random snails
• Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): None
• Exposure to chemicals: None

talk about graphic

Sorry about that....I didn't realize they would so large.
But I thought it might be helpful to figuring out what happened.

achase said:

Sorry about that....I didn't realize they would so large.
But I thought it might be helpful to figuring out what happened.

Click to expand...

I can`t help I`m afraid but I just wanted to say, don`t apologize, it always helps to see photos so that the more experienced members can get a better idea of the problems people are facing with their fish and at least others can then benefit from the help given too.

what kind of substrate do you have? sharpish gravel may abrade the bellies and lead to bacterial infection. sand is best. even jagged decor could do the same thing.
likely bacterial, especially given the redness and the "white patch" you described on one of the loaches.
keep the substarte clean clean clean.
cheers

I have eco-complete which I use for my puffer because I thought it would be safe on soft skin. Would that be too rough?
The white patch on the first kuhli looked more like a growth than an abrasion.

Any sort of skin injury will cause damage to a black kuhli like that. Since kuhlis don't have scales, their skin sloughs off like snake-skin instead and turns that milky white shade when damaged. I've had a kuhli with wounds close to that from when it got caught in a lettuce clip. (It survived and still has scars two year later, and I no longer use the clips.) That wound also looks exactly like the wounds from when a giant cana snail decided to go hunting my live kuhlis. Lost four kuhlis before I actually caught the snail in the act - she was holding down the live kuhli and eating away at it. Never thought a snail could cause that much harm to a fast and agile kuhli, but it can happen!

I think you should definitely check the tank for places they could be getting wedged into or anything sharp they could cut themselves on!

have any gone unusually skinny or bloated

Good to know....so the gravel could have been the problem. How would I treat a wound like that before it got out of hand?
No one ever looked bloated or skinny all the kuhli's were acting totally normal until about the time they died and I'm not just saying that.
That's why I was so confused when they died. One day everything is good, the next they had a mark and a few hours later they were dead.

These are pictures from the other kuhli it's less severe because I don't think the snails had a chance to chew on the dead kuhli like the other one.

did they all have the same "injury" when they died? and is the area right around their anus (difficult to tell in the pics). could be internal parasites, bacterial infection. difficult to say really. did they eat ok? did the "injury" start as a single mark or spot and spread, or just appear as shown in the pics?
poor guys. i love loaches!
cheers

doesn't look like it was beaten up...

They are were all eating good before they died and seemed ok since they continued to do what I could call the "kuhli dance" (swimming all around the tank, playing in the current and with each other). Ummmm....I believe on the first one it started as a dot on face, second and third one was somewhat of red line that developed into you see in the pictures.

I know I love loaches too which why I'm so concerned because I have never had this problem before with them. I can't imagine that they were getting beaten up because I only have tetra's with them.