Dojo killing off friends..?

[Lillyan]

So, I have this one pink Dojo with brown spots[mr. dojo] for about 9+ months.
I got a pink Dojo when I got the brown one. Several months later, pink one is dead.
I got a new pink and brown Dojo, several months later, dead.
Got a Weather Loach, it ended up dead.
None of them had issues, they all ate well and grew to a similar size Mr Dojo is. Nothing new to the tank, no meds added, nothing at all. I come to feed them one night and dead Dojo...What the heck?
Is it possible Mr. Dojo fights them or what? He[maybe she] never has any wounds or missing fins/scales.
Ideas? :huh:

Mr. Dojo used to swim and nap with two of his Loach buddies, they did everything together, it was very neat to see. That's mainly why I kept buying these $11 fish, so he would have a swim buddy.

[user_name]

Ok, a pink dojo loach is probobly dyed and will die from that process. Stick to normal coloration or gold.

They won't kill each other, and there aren't any signs of fighting anyways. They probobly are bad stock, but just to be safe what are your paramaters?

[Lillyan]

Yes, they are yellow, but some turn out more pink than actually yellow. If you stare into a tank filled with them, you will find a pink one eventually.
It's more of a meat pink than die, which is very easy to spot.
No idea on the parameters. All the tanks are densely planted, 40% w/c every week. Temp is 72F. Haven't checked levels in who knows how many months, haven't had sick fish, so I don't check. Plus the liquid test kit I have has been sitting around, so I have to go through a whole thing just to be able to check tank water. I shake all the bottles for ever and a half, then test on tap[well] water 2-3x until I get a stable reading. Then I check tank water.

Similar to the pic below, but less yellow on top, nearly none.
http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p-80691-loach.jpg

[user_name]

I've never seen that, but I've only seen 3-4 dojos in person. What was the time frame between deaths? Did they all come from the same store?

[Lillyan]

I don't know, 2-3months. One "jumped ship" and died. All from the same store, or same two stores, not sure.
Yea, the pink really caught my eye, but if there was a solid yellow, that would be neat, too.


I wanted to get another Dojo this week, but the ones they have in are far too tiny for me to risk. Whenever I get a fish, I watch the tanks forever and a half, lol. I'm sure the workers think I'm nuts, I pick and choose. Tell them to toss a fish back if they caught a bad one I did not pick out or if they drop it or squish it against the glass. They like to sigh and get annoyed with me, but I want the best ones, lol.

[Lillyan]

Mr. Dojo. I used to call them Pinkie & the Brain, after the cartoon show, lol! But then Pinkie went to fish heaven...
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/Aquariums/DSCN5567.jpg

Pinkie.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/Aquariums/DSCN5571m.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/Aquariums/DSCN6068.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/Aquariums/DSCN6340m.jpg

Mr. Dojo with the latest friend, that's about the size I get them. Ones at the store now are half that size and thin, some even smaller!!
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/Aquariums/6-1.jpg

Weather Loach.
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/secuono/Aquariums/P1090581.jpg

[fishorama]

Dojos are peaceful. They are bred as food fish & often times not bred for health, I suspect poor stock. Here's some good info & pics http://www.loaches.com/species-index/weather-loach-misgurnis-anguillicaudatus

You may have water issues, if you take a sample to a lfs they should test it for you. Do you vacuum the substrate? Many plant tanks aren't vac'd but dojos like to burrow in the (possibly) mucky stuff, sand is a better choice for them. Could it be spoiled food?

edit--I see you have nice sand, I thought the other pics were yours, sorry

[Lillyan]

I noticed when I got the 1st pic from Liveaquaria.com that their Dojos are very cheap...
LFS Dojos are $11, that's crazy. At that price, they should be bred better....

Guess I should find a person on here with one for me to buy...

Yea, I vacuum the sand from time to time, but usually don't have to. The bottom dwellers mix up the mulm and the filters suck it up. If I do vacuum, I don't get in too close where the plants are, leave that for the plants to use up.

All my fish eat Algae Wafers, so that is never left longer than a night. Cucumber is usually gone after 2 days, constantly being chewed on by snails, plecos, cats or a dojo. Pinkie & the Brain used to hang out at the top in the floating plants around feeding time. They would eat flakes from the surface. But after Pinkie passed, things changed and he now stays at the bottom. Still active, but no longer relaxing in plants up so high.

[Lillyan]

Dojos are peaceful. They are bred as food fish & often times not bred for health, I suspect poor stock. Here's some good info & pics http://www.loaches.com/species-index/weather-loach-misgurnis-anguillicaudatus

You may have water issues, if you take a sample to a lfs they should test it for you. Do you vacuum the substrate? Many plant tanks aren't vac'd but dojos like to burrow in the (possibly) mucky stuff, sand is a better choice for them. Could it be spoiled food?

edit--I see you have nice sand, I thought the other pics were yours, sorry

I was hoping the Weather Loach I had would grow so large, it never made it past...4-5in[?] like Mr. Dojo is now.

[user_name]

Try feeding some flakes too, really crush them up, add a little and wait a minute or so. Once they notice them add some more, I feed that way and mine will steal algae wafers from the plecos.

I would try a different sore, IME mine has been relatively hardy. (I have a weather loach in my 55)

[user_name]

*different store

[Lillyan]

He does eat the flakes that reach the bottom and lower plants. I add a good amount of flakes. First half gets gobbled up by most fish. Then the little/shy/baby fish get what floats in the plants. Anything near the bottom the BD get as much as they can before the fish up top run out and nose dive to catch the ones below.