Kuhli loaches struggling please help

[Iluvbloodyparrots]

Can you tell us about this filter? What is your water source, is it city water, or are you on a well? And we must know about any softener. I'm wondering if this filter does something like that.

idk its not my house and i cant talk to my dad rn ik we get it from the city but we have a filterion system now my honeys are in the corner by the filter I dont know what to do im so worried

 

[Iluvbloodyparrots]

idk its not my house and i cant talk to my dad rn ik we get it from the city but we have a filterion system now my honeys are in the corner by the filter I dont know what to do im so worried

Could it just be stress from the first water change?

 

[TNG]

If it’s starting to affect other fish, I’m wondering if the bucket you used to change the water is contaminated. Is it only for aquarium use or someone else used it for other purpose like mixing fertiliser for houseplant watering?

 

[Iluvbloodyparrots]

If it’s starting to affect other fish, I’m wondering if the bucket you used to change the water is contaminated. Is it only for aquarium use or someone else used it for other purpose like mixing fertiliser for houseplant watering?

Ive only used it for fish

 

[Iluvbloodyparrots]

Ive only used it for fish

I did another water change right before on another tank and my betta and the otoclinus are fine

 

[TNG]

If the other tank is big enough, I'd be tempted to move the affected fish to that tank temporarily until I figure out what the problem is - assuming you can catch them.

 

[Iluvbloodyparrots]

If the other tank is big enough, I'd be tempted to move the affected fish to that tank temporarily until I figure out what the problem is - assuming you can catch them.

I have two other 20 gallons but the on3 thats rlly understocked is a tall idk what to doo

 

[jaylach]

While I may be wrong I still, from what has been said, think it is likely chlorine poisoning. One would think that such would affect all fish the same but that is just not true. Most fish have a scale armor that helps protect from water conditions but these loach do not except for soft scales around their head. This means that they are more prone to water condition issues than many other fish.

Unfortunately I had a similar experience quite a while back with Panda Garra. I was just dumb and forgot to condition the new water on a water change. Pandas, like this loach, are with almost no scales leaving their skin more susceptible to irritants. I lost my Pandas but my cichlids and rope fish made it as they are fully scaled and better protected.

I still have not gotten any description, unless I missed, on this filter that is supposed to remove chlorine and don't believe that such exists. What I suspect is that the filter has a carbon pack compartment that is advertised to remove any and all bad stuff. If this is the case it is just not true and new water still MUST be treated to remove chlorine/chloramides. As an aside such water conditioners should NOT contain aloe vera which remains free floating in the water and will restrict gill function.

If I'm right about a chlorine issue, and the critters are still alive, they will likely make it but it will take a while before they return to normal as their skin is most likely burnt. If I'm right don't be surprised if the beasties start to develop a white fuzzy coating on their bodies as this would be a mucus excretion naturally put out to help protect injured body areas.

 

[Iluvbloodyparrots]

thank you so much it means sm should i put prime in to help with the chlorine but what’s really weird is I did a water change like right before they got in the tank and they’ve been perfectly fine idk tho

 

[jaylach]

thank you so much it means sm should i put prime in to help with the chlorine but what’s really weird is I did a water change like right before they got in the tank and they’ve been perfectly fine idk tho

Chlorine is actually sort of a gas suspended in the water. This will normally dissipate from the water in 24 or so hours. If you did the initial water change a day or so before the addition of the loach population the chlorine was probably gone. Now you then did a water change without conditioning the added water so the chlorine was present and able to affect the critters. By now the chlorine would probably be gone but the affects on the critters would continue until their skin heals from the possible chlorine burns.

In an aquarium ALWAYS condition the new water before adding. Both API and Prime have good products for conditioning but make sure that the product is just for chlorine and chloramine removal with no other additives such as aloe vera. Personally I use API Tap Water Conditioner.

 

[Colin_T]

The fish were poisoned by something in the new water. It could be chlorine/ chloramine (as mentioned by Jaylach) or something else. But any time the fish act unusually or breath heavily straight after a water change, indicates a problem with the new water.

Add a full dose of dechlorinater asap. Use enough to treat the entire tank.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen level in the water and to help drive out any remaining chlorine.

You need to contact your water supply company (by phone or website) and find out if they add chlorine or chloramine to the water. They are treated slightly differently in aquariums. You can also ask them if they have done any work in the area in the last few days. When they do work on the pipes, they add a lot of chlorine/ chloramine to the water to make sure everything is dead. They don't have to tell you they are doing work or increasing the chlorine/ chloramine levels, and this can happen anytime if there's a burst pipe or something else that has happened to the water supply.

Carbon filters can remove chlorine and chloramine if the carbon isn't full. Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia, and it stays active for a lot longer (months) than chlorine, which comes out of water in a few days. The problem with carbon filters is they can fill up quickly and one day they stop removing chemicals from the water. Then you do a water change and poison the fish because the carbon is spent (full) and no longer capable of removing anything from the water. Carbon filters should be replaced monthly or you should test the water for chlorine or chloramine after it has gone through the filter.

 

[jaylach]

The fish were poisoned by something in the new water. It could be chlorine/ chloramine (as mentioned by Jaylach) or something else. But any time the fish act unusually or breath heavily straight after a water change, indicates a problem with the new water.

Add a full dose of dechlorinater asap. Use enough to treat the entire tank.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen level in the water and to help drive out any remaining chlorine.

You need to contact your water supply company (by phone or website) and find out if they add chlorine or chloramine to the water. They are treated slightly differently in aquariums. You can also ask them if they have done any work in the area in the last few days. When they do work on the pipes, they add a lot of chlorine/ chloramine to the water to make sure everything is dead. They don't have to tell you they are doing work or increasing the chlorine/ chloramine levels, and this can happen anytime if there's a burst pipe or something else that has happened to the water supply.

Carbon filters can remove chlorine and chloramine if the carbon isn't full. Chloramine is a combination of chlorine and ammonia, and it stays active for a lot longer (months) than chlorine, which comes out of water in a few days. The problem with carbon filters is they can fill up quickly and one day they stop removing chemicals from the water. Then you do a water change and poison the fish because the carbon is spent (full) and no longer capable of removing anything from the water. Carbon filters should be replaced monthly or you should test the water for chlorine or chloramine after it has gone through the filter.

Interesting point on your observation about possible city work on water lines. If such were the case it would make it quite possible for heavy metals to infiltrate the water supply. While the levels could still be safe for humans it may not be so for fish. Still..... just a gut feeling ....but I still think chlorine. Might not be a bad idea to throw a couple of carbon packs in the filtration if possible.

Oh, and I was not aware that carbon would remove chlorine. Doing a quick search I find that it seems to do so but too slow to have the chlorine not possibly affect fish. I just don't see any real benefit with carbon. Even though I rely mostly on under gravel in my tank for filtration it also has a built in three stage filtration that is supposed to include carbon. (sponge, ceramic and carbon, pump chamber) I got rid of the carbon and added more ceramics for bacteria growth. Just seems to me that the added bacteria surface is more beneficial than anything that carbon will do. Don't get me wrong as I know that carbon can have its purpose. If I added wood with a high tannin level or was done with a proven medication I would throw a few carbon packs in the built in filtration to clean things up but I just don't see a real advantage with using carbon in a healthy established tank. Still, in this case, a few carbon packs in the filtration may be a good idea.

 

[Essjay]

Besides contamination by the bucket being used by someone else for non-fish things, your hands are also a possible source of contamination. Did you have any hand cream, perfumed products etc on your hands?
We had a member who lost a lot of fish during Covid because she and her child had been shopping and were required to use sanitisers at every shop. When they got back the child put his hand in the tank without washing it first and the sanitiser residue killed the fish.