Yoyo loaches changing color

[lelover]

Anyone with yoyo loaches seen this before? They look great one minute (shiny silver and dark black) and the next the look sickly (all washed out and drab gray). My nitrates were really high for a week or so, but they're about 30-40 now. I recently lost a couple of otos. I can only guess it was due to the nitrates.

Does anybody know what could be wrong?

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Hi,

I've got two of these cool Yo-Yo's myself. The ones I've got are pretty tough.

I think I know what you mean about the colour change. With mine, I've noticed this only happens when I'm cleaning out the tank/water change. They also get stressed if they've nowhere to hide, poor water quality, or are approached by an aggressive fish (but this hardly ever happens).

Have you checked your water quality's within acceptable levels? Have they somewhere to hide? When did you last do your water change?

 

[lelover]

I think they are stressed, but I don't know why. They do have driftwood and rocks to hide in. They like foraging around quite a bit. They are very entertaining to watch.
I changed the water several times last week to get my nitrates down. I wonder if they're still suffering from the effects of the high nitrates. I was mostly worried about my SA cichlids. I need to change the water again, but all other parameters are in check.
I haven't seen them being picked on by anybody.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

I don't know whether its true high nitrates damage fish, because this is basically plant food rather than toxic animal/veg waste (nitrites). I'm sure some'll correct me on this.

If truth be said, my tank has 0 nitrites, and (slightly) higher nitrates, but the Yo-Yo's and the other fishes aren't affected in any way. (They're positively beaming!)

If their colour has only just changed, ie only today, then I wouldn't worry because they're tough little rogues, their dark colouration will return.

Give it a day, without disturbance, and see what they're like tomorrow.

 

[lelover]

While nitrates are not nearly as toxic as nitrites exposure to high levels can cause gill damage even to hardy species. They have been turning gray rather often over the last few days. The first time I noticed it one of them was being picked on, but now all three are turning gray with no apparent fighting.

What other fish do you have kribinvcrib? Kribs I'm guessing?

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

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