Striata Botia

[fishedout]

Hi All,

My Striata Botia is not doing to well. I've had him for about 6 months now, bought as a pair, the first died after only a week, this guy has done alright though, hangs out with my Clown loach and Tiger barbs mainly.

The weekend just past I added to the tank 15 Neons and a Chain Loach. The chain loach is a bit boystrous and seems to be giving all of the other fish a good deal of harrassment including my tigers, the only fish he leaves alone are my cory cats.

After about 3 days I noticed my striata acting a little shy, and spending more time hidden in my castle at the back of the tank. Then he disappeared completely for 2 days, it's not the first time that he has hidden like this but you can normally spot him if you with long enough. 2 days passed and I hadn't seen head nor tail of him. tonight I lifted out my castle to find him laying almost motionless at the bottem. I put my hand in and he actually let me scoop him up in my fingers and place him in a breeding net. He's not moving much, when he does it's a little jerky and his gills are faily repid. Also, I noticed that a stringy slimey goop came off of his body when I placed him in the net, is that normal?

He hasn't eaten (that I know of) for about 3 days now. he doesn't look particully thin or anything just not moving much, his colour has faded a little also.

Any ideas to try?
Would the chain loach have caused him to get all freeked out like this??

Water test kit came up ok (it's just the strip test match the colours, but they all looked good).

Thanks for any help.

Owen

 

[fishedout]

Just to let you all know that the little guy did not make it through the night.

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
Test strip cards are not that accurate. Liquid test kits are the best.
Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

It could be bacterial, parasites, or even bad water quality.
Does his gills look pale withe excess slime or red and inflamed.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Any fish darting around the tank or erratic swimming.
Does the body look apaque with excess slime.
Swimming in a jerky movment can be flukes.
Is he spitting his food out.

 

[fishedout]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
Test strip cards are not that accurate. Liquid test kits are the best.
Take a sample of your water to the lfs and ask them to write the readings down for you.

It could be bacterial, parasites, or even bad water quality.
Does his gills look pale withe excess slime or red and inflamed.
Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Any fish darting around the tank or erratic swimming.
Does the body look apaque with excess slime.
Swimming in a jerky movment can be flukes.
Is he spitting his food out.

It's a 56 gallon tank. All my other fish seem to be fine (have found that it is not a chain loach my LFS sold me but a poka fot loach, LFS got it wrong), a couple of my neons have died, but the poka dot loach just wont leave then a lone and has been nipping at the little guys fins.

The Botias gills looked ok, the only things that didn't look right was his colour which had faded a fair bit, and he did seem particulally slimey around his front fins (so yeah I guess round his gills), and his swimming (which was jerky and just looked like he didn't have any energy to move properly). He wasn't even attempting to eat food, I tried flake, pellets, and frozen blood worm, he just wasn't interested.

He's gone now, all other fish seem to be ok, and touch wood the poka dot loach seems to be calming down.... a little.

Thanks

 

[WILDER]

So he not rubbing himself on things in the tank.
Have you had your water tested yet.
it could be bacterial if there no signs of flicking and rubbing or red pin prick marks or sores on his body.

Has your ph changed.

 

[fishedout]

So he not rubbing himself on things in the tank.
Have you had your water tested yet.
it could be bacterial if there no signs of flicking and rubbing or red pin prick marks or sores on his body.

Has your ph changed.

No, he wasn't rubbing or flicking, like I say he hid completely out of sght for 3 days after being harrased by my new poka dot loach, the botia died the night I made my first post, so I think either bacterial or stress finished him off. I examined his body after he died, it looked fine, just a bit slimey (like his skin was coming away).

Water has not been tested by LFS yet, they are a long way from my home so it's difficult to get there during the week, but will get it tested. ph level (according to strips) has not changed, but I appreciate that the strip tests aren't that great.

Is it likely that the Poka Dot Loach bullied him a bit to much? It is very lively and seems to enjoy nudging and chasing all of the other fish except my corys?

 

[WILDER]

Stress can make the immune system weak and cause desease.
How are the other fish doing.

 

[fishedout]

Stress can make the immune system weak and cause desease.
How are the other fish doing.

So far so good, all the other fish seem ok, the poka dot loach is calming down a lot, gets a bit excited at feed time but seems to be leaving the other fish alone now.

Thanks.

 

[WILDER]

That's good news then.
So all the fish are ok now.