Dead And Strange Looking Kuhli Loach

[PDSimon]

I have a fluval 125 tank with 2 bolivian rams and 8 kuhli loach. The other day I saw one of the kuhlis and he looked a bit unfamiliar and was very skinny with whiteish/pale sides over the colouring. Looked a bit worn so I tried to feed him but he swam off so I was unsure if he was eating properly. Today I found what I think was the same loach dead... With no signs of illness or disease

I also noticed afterwards one of the bigger kuhlis (~2 inches) looking swollen/fat on the sides (very suddenly) and the gills were moving open and closed very quickly as well as staying pretty much in the same spot for a few hours now.

Whats going on? all the other kuhlis (that I can see..) are doing great, swimming around, sifting through sand etc. The water stats are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and 10 nitrate.

I added them 11 days ago after completing a fishless cycle.

 

[Big_eyes]

Strange!

I've found kuhli's quite a hardy fish where newly cycled tanks are concerned so I wouldn't put it down to that. Have you noticed any bullying from the rams? I've had to throw a lonely kuhli into my cichlid tank a few weeks ago and after a peck from one of my rams it shot off. Funnily enough I haven't seen it since! this has just reminded me that he is in there!

 

[PDSimon]

My male ram likes to tease them but its never anything physical from what I've seen. They're only young the rams too, he just gives them a little poke, they swim 5-10cm and he might poke them again so it doesn't really bother them... they eat around him when they're all feeding so I don't think it would be the ram. I even have 5 small amanos in there and he hasn't killed any of those.

I think the bigger one may have died it went behind some slate and just looks dead and not breathing...i'll check soon once the others have finished eating.

I think I've had them 11 days now so seems a bit strange... if you notice on the pic, especially at the end/tail of the fish its a bit whiter rather than bold black, (and no I don't mean the white underneath!) it seems that one and the dead one were a bit tatty like that, maybe they just weren't in good shape and havn't settled in well? no idea to be honest. You can sort of compare the fat one to a healthy looking one in the pic, to the right of the unhealthy kuhli. Bit overshadowed though.

Thanks for your reply

 

[PDSimon]

Other one died. After closer examination the bottom end, it looked very pink by its anal fin. So along with bloating/swollen underbelly some how has killed it? not sure why the small one died too. Seems really odd...

 

[JoshuaA]

Phone up waterworld and ask them, try get the same person you bought them from.

Tip avoid talking to someone called "Len" he's the boss and extremely tight arsed. They won't refund you but they might cough up with what might of been wrong with them.

If you can ask for Greg, Simon or Mike in that order on the phone. Greg is usually the best and I believe the most avid fish keeper out of everyone in the store.

 

[PDSimon]

Cheers josh.

After a bit of research I found that the other one died of 'skinny disease/chronic wasting disease' which basically means parasites

The fat one will also have had parasites probably why its died I think.

Not great. Happened quite quickly, especially the fat one.

 

[JoshuaA]

Cheers josh.

After a bit of research I found that the other one died of 'skinny disease/chronic wasting disease' which basically means parasites

The fat one will also have had parasites probably why its died I think.

Not great. Happened quite quickly, especially the fat one.

Not going well for us is it, I thought after the fishless cycle and first stocking we'd be golden. We lost a platy and you've lost some Kuhlis

 

[PDSimon]

I know and caz doesn't even know whats going on..!

What annoys me is that you can't really relax when you look into the tank anymore until you know its gone.

So I bought a plant to cheer me up