Hello all,
I have a yoyo loach that I estimate to be about 5 years old - have owned him (her?) for a little over four years and he was already close to full grown when I purchased him. He has always been the most energetic member of the tank, eagerly swimming to the front of the tank whenever I approach and actively exploring otherwise.
Yesterday, out of the blue, he was in hiding almost all day. When he did venture out briefly, he laid on the substrate nearly the whole time. A couple times he did briefly swim to another part of the tank, but it was very quick compared to the amount of time spent laying around, then would return to hiding. Today is more of the same. He has shown no interest in eating during this time. While I know that yoyos will often rest on substrate and decorations, sometimes for fairly long periods, this is extreme for him, especially the hiding and the lack of interest in eating. His behavior began the day after I added some new fish to the aquarium - six rummy-nose tetras and a second yoyo. The new yoyo is a juvenile, half his size.
Other than the new behavior, his isn't showing any signs of illness that I am familiar with. He isn't breathing hard, his color looks great, there are no swollen or red gills, no signs of parasites or fin rot. All other fish in the tank are healthy and acting normally. Tank ammonia and nitrite are at zero, nitrate testing color shows somewhere between 0 and 5ppm. I'm aware that he is now in the low end of the expected lifespan for his species, but would old age affect him so quickly overnight?
I'll provide some more tank detail below, but I'm really just looking for any advice as to what may be the cause here. I've grown quite attached to him over the years and I'll be truly bummed when he goes to fishie heaven. If there is anything I can do to help him, I want to do it right away. Thanks for any advice!
Tank:
46 gallon bowfront
fake plants, but decorated with plenty of hiding spots
tank running since early 2015
Fish:
2 yoyo loaches (one adult, one juvenile)
1 zebra loach (adult)
1 red tail shark (2 inches in length)
2 platys (both female, one full grown, one juvenile)
6 rummy-nose tetras
1 bristlenose pleco (full grown at about 5")
I have a yoyo loach that I estimate to be about 5 years old - have owned him (her?) for a little over four years and he was already close to full grown when I purchased him. He has always been the most energetic member of the tank, eagerly swimming to the front of the tank whenever I approach and actively exploring otherwise.
Yesterday, out of the blue, he was in hiding almost all day. When he did venture out briefly, he laid on the substrate nearly the whole time. A couple times he did briefly swim to another part of the tank, but it was very quick compared to the amount of time spent laying around, then would return to hiding. Today is more of the same. He has shown no interest in eating during this time. While I know that yoyos will often rest on substrate and decorations, sometimes for fairly long periods, this is extreme for him, especially the hiding and the lack of interest in eating. His behavior began the day after I added some new fish to the aquarium - six rummy-nose tetras and a second yoyo. The new yoyo is a juvenile, half his size.
Other than the new behavior, his isn't showing any signs of illness that I am familiar with. He isn't breathing hard, his color looks great, there are no swollen or red gills, no signs of parasites or fin rot. All other fish in the tank are healthy and acting normally. Tank ammonia and nitrite are at zero, nitrate testing color shows somewhere between 0 and 5ppm. I'm aware that he is now in the low end of the expected lifespan for his species, but would old age affect him so quickly overnight?
I'll provide some more tank detail below, but I'm really just looking for any advice as to what may be the cause here. I've grown quite attached to him over the years and I'll be truly bummed when he goes to fishie heaven. If there is anything I can do to help him, I want to do it right away. Thanks for any advice!
Tank:
46 gallon bowfront
fake plants, but decorated with plenty of hiding spots
tank running since early 2015
Fish:
2 yoyo loaches (one adult, one juvenile)
1 zebra loach (adult)
1 red tail shark (2 inches in length)
2 platys (both female, one full grown, one juvenile)
6 rummy-nose tetras
1 bristlenose pleco (full grown at about 5")
