# dojo loach -possible spinal injury. please help.



## chral513 (Jul 17, 2011)

Hey everyone, 
My first post here. Looking for any help/info/advice for a tough situation I'm having.

I have a freshwater community tanks with two dojo loaches, 5 glofish, a small pleco (not sure the exact species but he's a little guy whom store said wouldn't keep growing like other species) and about 12 baby guppies and their mother. 

I've had the water professionally tested since this inury and water parameters are perfect. 

So the issue at hand. The smaller of my dojos seems to have a spinal injury but I have no way of knowing for sure... anyone with dojos I'm sure know how erratic and fast they swin, often crashing into walls, ornaments or straight down onto gravel which is what i'm assuming has happened to him.

Right now he is almost always laying on his side or upside down. Often tries to burrow under things - driftwood/bubble wall - often appears dead until disturbed.

Once disturbed he will swin in fast circles.... with his nose head almost staying in the same position (inside of circle).... kind of like someone in a wheel char spinning one wheel. Once he stops he pretty much will lay at whatever position he lands. 

His head seems to point downwards more then normal. Also he almost always lays at a specific curl... not straight (most of the time... sometimes he does straighten out). 
I have not seem him eat in well over a week. This has been going on now for almost two weeks. 

I thought at first it was some kind of swim bladder issue, but the more I watch him and the way he acts.... I think it is a spinal injury probably from crashing into something. 

Does anyone have any experience or know if this behavior is indicative of a spinal injury? 

I don't know what to do here. It hurts to see him suffering but I do not want to euthanize him, especially not knowing what the real issue at hand is. 

So please, any advice or whatnot is greatly appreciated. Thanks.


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## Cray4me (Nov 24, 2010)

Hi Chral513,

I have 3 Dojos so I know how you feel. Mine, I absolutely adore!

I'm not firmiliar with how a fish might act with a spinal injury but it does sound like yours might have done something to injur himself.
Clean water is all I can suggest at this point.
If he is laying upside down and crooked all the time w'o uprighting himself then yes, it does sound to me like he should be taken out of his misery. That does not sound right at all.
I'd hate to do it to mine but if it was something that needed to be done then I'd do it.

Sorry this is happening.


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