# A warning about loaches!



## Red (Jun 13, 2013)

When I woke up yesterday and found my poor Lewie the Loach missing I felt instantly sick with worry! I knew from my reading and the extremely helpful man at the pet shop that they liked to bail occasionally but I didn't expect them to do it the one night the tank lid hadn't closed properly, and I certainly wasn't prepared for the search. He'd travelled nearly twenty feet along the carpet to get to the other end of the flat. None of the web sites about loach behaviour had warned that they could go that far dry!

So here's my warning: if your loach vanishes, don't panic if he's not right by the tank laying where he landed. He's a trooper! Search the whole carpet.

(it took me nearly an hour to find Lewie, he's recovering now though he's developed red patches on his belly. Sores from the carpet?)


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

Wow that is quite a distance. Hope is doing ok.


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## Red (Jun 13, 2013)

TroyVSC said:


> Wow that is quite a distance. Hope is doing ok.


Actually I'm a bit worried about him, his fins are peeling and he still seems very stiff. I don't know what kind of recovery time is normal


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## Irish Rose (Jun 9, 2013)

Wow, hope your boy is feeling better soon. I would suggest putting some Prime to your tank water to help his slime coat to recover. I am kind of new to this hobby (obsession), could it be his slime coat dried out while he was on his adventure and that is what you see peeling off? *question


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## Red (Jun 13, 2013)

Irish Rose said:


> Wow, hope your boy is feeling better soon. I would suggest putting some Prime to your tank water to help his slime coat to recover. I am kind of new to this hobby (obsession), could it be his slime coat dried out while he was on his adventure and that is what you see peeling off? *question


That's what I'm hoping, I've quarantined him and treated him with melafix (I was warned that dehydration weakens their immune systems). He's still peeling but a bit more energetic than he was yesterday, and his sores seem to be healing so I'm hoping he'll recover from the dehydration, develop a new slime coat and be fine. I'm mostly worried about his whiskers, they seem very stiff and he's not digging.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Give him some time. If he is still alive within two days he will have a long road to recovery but should do well. I had a unimaculata leap and found her several hours later, crispyfied. She was in the next room lol. Shes fine now and back with her sister.


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## Red (Jun 13, 2013)

majerah1 said:


> Give him some time. If he is still alive within two days he will have a long road to recovery but should do well. I had a unimaculata leap and found her several hours later, crispyfied. She was in the next room lol. Shes fine now and back with her sister.


Thanks for the advice. He wasn't exactly crispy, quite stiff but still wriggling (daft thing didn't want me to pick him up!) and pretty grubby because he'd squeezed himself under a desk. About how long did your fish take to recover? It's been three days for Lewie but I suppose after that long dry it'll probably take a few weeks.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

It took her about two weeks to get all the fuzz and old slime coat shed off. She had an injury to her jaw as well. Ive cats so I know they tossed her a bit too. So I would suggest about the same time, two weeks until you can add him back with everyone else.


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## Red (Jun 13, 2013)

majerah1 said:


> It took her about two weeks to get all the fuzz and old slime coat shed off. She had an injury to her jaw as well. Ive cats so I know they tossed her a bit too. So I would suggest about the same time, two weeks until you can add him back with everyone else.


Thanks, that sets my mind at ease a bit. I'll keep him in quarantine (fishy prison) and keep giving him melafix in the mean time, unless you can recommend something that works better?


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Mine being a betta it wasnt safe to use mela/pima/betta fix on her, so I just did super clean warm fresh water, kept her diggs dim so she would have peace and quiet and let her recover on her own.


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