Zebra Loach Not Moving

[ShinySideUp]

Last weekend I bought three Botia Striata -- Zebra loaches. They were from the same LFS but from three different tanks and they don't mix water between tanks so each would have had slightly (but not by much) water conditions. Two of the loaches are fine, they hang around together and investigate everywhere; the other (largest) one does nothing. It stays in a corner of the tank behind the water outlet in a vertical position (head uppermost) and will only move if I put my finger near it and only then to move up or down from it's present position. All my water stats are fine with pH being just a little under 7. It is not at the surface, it stays about three inches down from it.

Is this fish just shy, or ill? I can't see anything wrong with it, it just doesn't move much.

I will be adding more b. striata this weekend so perhaps that will perk him up as they like a larger group -- you'd think he'd mix with the other two though in the first instance.

 

[kasino]

Hi,
very interesting reading this. I just posted my experience with 2 Zebra Loaches and what you describing here is what I thought was happening in my tank at the first time. One of my Zebras became very quite, didn't play as much as the other one, etc. Well it turns out that one of my loaches wasn't shy or anything. He is being attacked by another Zebra loach, but why? No Idea.
Read my story about Zebras here Zebra Loach

 

[ShinySideUp]

I suppose there could be a problem with aggression but it's unlikely as the shy one is twice as large as the other two. I'll get more this weekend so we;ll see what happens then.

 

[kasino]

I suppose there could be a problem with aggression but it's unlikely as the shy one is twice as large as the other two. I'll get more this weekend so we;ll see what happens then.

When I got back home from work today I've found one of my zebra loaches on the top of the bogwood in really bad shape. The little fella is dying! He's got a bruises everywhere, something attacked him (probably his zebra mate). I did remove him from tank and placed him in my tank with guppy fry. He wont last long. Still breathing, but dying.
I need help. I want to help my fish, but I dont know how?

THANKS FOR ANY HELP!

PS: keep me posted how your Zebras are doing, thanks!

 

[colleen0309]

I bought six of these a few months ago. I had the same problem. There was one that systematically killed every other one in the tank. I know these guys are supposed to be kept in a group, but I refuse to buy more for him to kill, so he is going to be a loner.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I need help. I want to help my fish, but I dont know how?


THANKS FOR ANY HELP!

PS: keep me posted how your Zebras are doing, thanks!

He is looking a bit sorry but I don't think there anything you can do apart from what you already have; move him to another tank. All you can do is wait and see which way it goes.

 

[ShinySideUp]

I bought six of these a few months ago. I had the same problem. There was one that systematically killed every other one in the tank. I know these guys are supposed to be kept in a group, but I refuse to buy more for him to kill, so he is going to be a loner.

Like we get mad people and mad dogs so we must get mad fish; presumably .

 

[ShinySideUp]

Last weekend I bought three Botia Striata -- Zebra loaches. They were from the same LFS but from three different tanks and they don't mix water between tanks so each would have had slightly (but not by much) water conditions. Two of the loaches are fine, they hang around together and investigate everywhere; the other (largest) one does nothing. It stays in a corner of the tank behind the water outlet in a vertical position (head uppermost) and will only move if I put my finger near it and only then to move up or down from it's present position. All my water stats are fine with pH being just a little under 7. It is not at the surface, it stays about three inches down from it.

Is this fish just shy, or ill? I can't see anything wrong with it, it just doesn't move much.

I will be adding more b. striata this weekend so perhaps that will perk him up as they like a larger group -- you'd think he'd mix with the other two though in the first instance.

I have added three more Zebra's and now have two of them in the corner!! . I give up, they must just like it there.