Lost 2 Yoyo Loaches

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Circus

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So I have a 55 gallon community tank that had 8 yoyo loaches, 12 Black Ruby Barbs, 12 Harlequin Rasboras, 2 BN Plecos, and a Blovian Ram.

The day before yesterday (when I got off of work, a double shift) I found 2 of the YoYos dead, with the stomachs blown out (I believe from other fish picking at them). It was the day after a 50% water change, and I immediately did another 80% change. I have been testing the water and have found no ammonia or nitrite and my nitrate was at 20 ppm before the 80%. It was around 15 ppm today.

No other fish have been dead since then sand I have been keeping a very sharp eye on them. All of the fish have been a bit riled up, and there has been a bit of scuffling between the loaches. The two that died were smaller than the rest, although they were most around the same size when I got them (only one was significantly larger). Should I get more, or let the remaining 6 settle? I can pick 3 up at the LFS and get them into QT right away.

I have seen no signs of sickness or upset in any of the other fish (lost 1 Bolivian ram a couple weeks ago to a fallen rock).
 
Don't add any new fish for at least a month. Probably don't add any more loaches after that because new loaches will be considered intruders in the tank and could be attacked.
 
Ok, thanks. I wasn't sure what to do about the numbers, so I am glad I could get some advice on that. I knew they should be kept in large groups, and wasn't sure if the now lower number would be worse than adding more.
 
I agree, a group of six (or even five) is OK. Adding new loaches is almost inevitably going to be trouble. The two dead loaches might have been "outcasts" or might have had some genetic or disease issue. How long have you had the group? The other named species should not be any problem for/with the loaches.

The nitrate increase is a concern, but may be due to whatever occurred.
 
I have had them for going on two months now. Most of the loaches I had almost doubled in size, but these two and one other only got about 25% bigger.
 
I have had them for going on two months now. Most of the loaches I had almost doubled in size, but these two and one other only got about 25% bigger.

OK, my ideas about the cause of these two fish dying remains as previous. I would just observe going forward; beyond water changes nothing else may be needed.

Make sure they have lots of options for a "home" in the tank. Botine loaches like to select "their" space in a chunk of bogwood (you can make artificial "homes," but they do like wood with tunnels). I thought of this because the two outcasts may have had no option, and could be hounded.
 
OK, my ideas about the cause of these two fish dying remains as previous. I would just observe going forward; beyond water changes nothing else may be needed.

Make sure they have lots of options for a "home" in the tank. Botine loaches like to select "their" space in a chunk of bogwood (you can make artificial "homes," but they do like wood with tunnels). I thought of this because the two outcasts may have had no option, and could be hounded.
I will make sure to get more hides and tunnels for the loaches.
 

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