The Importance of Head Counts

[carpguy]

I was just getting set to go out for the night and checked in on the fish. Did a little head count… just 3 zebra loaches (not 4). And one of the loaches kept swimming back and forth at the mouth of one of their caves while inside another was working furiously to force himself into a little crevice I didn't notice when I set it up.

So I reached in and lifted the roof off, causing them both to bolt, and the fourth loach was there -- in the crevice underneath where the other loach had been, packed into the sand halfway under a rock. I assumed it was dead and reached in to pull him out… nope, swam out on his own. Crazy little b@$t@rds… glad I went with the calm peaceful ones :rolleyes: …

[Cichlid Woman]

So it kind of sounds like two of the loaches were attempting a rescue operation when you intervened?! Wild.

-- Pat

[superstein61]

Loaches love to squeeze into caves and other openings - and they really love squeezing into spaces no bigger than they are. This is just typical behavior from them.

I used to have four 2" to 3" long ones who would all squeeze together in one opening under some fake driftwood. There is no way the first or second one in could get out unless the last 2 got out first. But they loved it - squeezed in their each day.