TyTheHistoryGuy
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- Jul 30, 2018
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Okay, so I have had a Java Loach for the past 8 years, and he is somehow still alive. I can say for a fact he has had more life threating situations thrown at him than I ever thought possible, and I wish to know why. Are Java Loachs just that hardy? To start with, my parents bought him for me when I was 11, to put in my tropical 55 gallon. I had no idea he was coming, and had no clue on how to care for a Java Loach.
A year after this, I had a major Ick infestation in my tank. Three fish died, despite treatment, but the Loach lived (he didnāt even get sick).
About three years later, I had another Ick pandemic. This time five fish died, again with treatment, but the Loach wasnāt even infected.
Four years later, this every fish but the Loach and a singular cave tetra died. Each and every fish died due to old age or (in the case of one fish) literally jumping into the filter when I opened the top of the tank and filter to check on the tank, but turned my back for literally two minutes to get supplies.
Now, around this time the Loach disappeared. I figured he was old, he died, and the Cave Tetra (Pepper) ate him. Pepper was know to do this, for some reason.
Then, Pepper died of old age three months ago while I was at college, about a month after the rest of his tankmates died and two weeks after the Loach died. Since there was nobody in the tank my mother turned the filter off.
Now, this tank was too big for her to empty on her own. So, she waited three months to clean the stale water out. Thereās no fish in there, it didnāt smell, what was the big deal, right?
Well, last night we tackled the death water. And found the Loach alive. We were in shock. He should be dead, if not from old age then from the death water (and the lack of feedings due to the tank being thought of as empty!).
So, again, how is this possible? Are Java Loaches that invincible or do I simply have the most subborn loach in history?
He is now happily swimming in a five gallon with my betta, as I had nowhere else to put him. They seem to be getting on okay, so Iām leaving that be.
A year after this, I had a major Ick infestation in my tank. Three fish died, despite treatment, but the Loach lived (he didnāt even get sick).
About three years later, I had another Ick pandemic. This time five fish died, again with treatment, but the Loach wasnāt even infected.
Four years later, this every fish but the Loach and a singular cave tetra died. Each and every fish died due to old age or (in the case of one fish) literally jumping into the filter when I opened the top of the tank and filter to check on the tank, but turned my back for literally two minutes to get supplies.
Now, around this time the Loach disappeared. I figured he was old, he died, and the Cave Tetra (Pepper) ate him. Pepper was know to do this, for some reason.
Then, Pepper died of old age three months ago while I was at college, about a month after the rest of his tankmates died and two weeks after the Loach died. Since there was nobody in the tank my mother turned the filter off.
Now, this tank was too big for her to empty on her own. So, she waited three months to clean the stale water out. Thereās no fish in there, it didnāt smell, what was the big deal, right?
Well, last night we tackled the death water. And found the Loach alive. We were in shock. He should be dead, if not from old age then from the death water (and the lack of feedings due to the tank being thought of as empty!).
So, again, how is this possible? Are Java Loaches that invincible or do I simply have the most subborn loach in history?
He is now happily swimming in a five gallon with my betta, as I had nowhere else to put him. They seem to be getting on okay, so Iām leaving that be.
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