are loaches attackers

PartyAnimal1UK

just an english girl at heart
Dec 11, 2001
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I have a basic loach, not sure what type and recently i have noticed my other fish getting attacked, i saw him attacking a sliver molly she later died, but did he just attack her coz he thought she was dead or did he kill her.
After looking closely i have notice, that my old guormi has lost its whole of its top fin and some of its underneath, though this looks like an old wound, my new guormi has white marks on it's head, a platy has lost half its tail fin, a couple of black widow tetra have lost a arm fin, and i have lost a couple of neon tetras as well, one looked like it whole back end had been scraped of and it had no tail. i also have a peppered cory and a tetra with black yellow and white on its fins and also a tetra with a red glow, i don't think it's any of these. I first thought it maybe either the guormi or the black widow until i seen they had war wounds.
Do you think it maybe the loach, if so what shall i do, i have already took him out of the tank, but no fish shop will take him just told them he got to big for tank but can't find him a home. Help! :shark:
 
it... kinda sounds like the loach from that description. Not knowing what kind of loach it is doesnt give me much of a background to normal aggression levels, but some are more aggressive than others. Plus you have the oddballs sometimes which can be mad crazy (or mad laid back).

No fish store will even take it for free??
 
Couple of questions:

1. Can you find a picture on the internet of what this loach looks like and post it with a link here?
2. Just how big is this loach?
3. Just how big is the tank this loach is in?

I think there is potential for any animal to attack others if it is stressed enough or for a long enough period of time. Being in a tank that is too small and too crowded may just drive any normally peaceful fish over the top.

Roan
 
it 'may' be the loach. almost ALL loach species are shoaling fish and do best in groups of at least 4 and more is better. when held as singles, they don't exhibit 'normal' behaviour which may be your problem.
 
i think from looking at the pictures the weather loach is propbably the closest, my tank is about 20 gallons. I've got him in a bucket at the mo next the raditior how long will he last like this , don't know what to do :help:
 
Hi PartyAnimal1UK
The injuries that you have described look a little too much what a Loach can personally deliver. Loaches are notorious in devouring eggs, and young ones - but I doubt if your loach can cause such a mayhem in your tank. I have in my tank all the loaches that I have come across in life this far (Tiger, Zebra, Zodiac, Clown, YoYo, Kuhli, Hillstream) - and I have them with other fish that you have too - and till date I have never seen any of my loach cause any trouble to anyone.

Regards

Suby
 
What is your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Can you give a complete list of fish that are in the tank? I seriously doubt that one loach is reeking havoc like that and that severely on the whole tank!! I would start looking at some of the other fish, and water quality.
 
If it is in fact a weather loach, I just wanted to add that I have had my weather loach for 3 years and he has been the most peaceful fish I have ever kept. Easily as peaceful as my harlequin raspboras. I seriously doubt it's the loach causing that much damage. I wouldn't put it past all the tetra's though! They can be buggers. Good luck.

I would also take him out of the bucket and put him back in the tank with filtration and water flow for now. Like I said, I really don't think he would have caused all that damage. If you really think it's him, fish stores usually take fish from customers and even give credit sometimes! :)
 
thanks for all your replies if you don't hink its him why did i catch him attacking the molly, water qualities are fine, why do you ask can that cause injuries to the fish. The tetras have war wounds as well and i have watched them and they are really placid, then only ones i was worried about was the black widow but after watching them i know its not them. Ive tried all the fish stores and no one wants him i'm so stcuk, whats happens to them if you flush them down the loo, do they still live. :help:
 
PartyAnimal1UK said:
.... whats happens to them if you flush them down the loo, do they still live. :help:
Dont do that - Not the nicest way to get rid of him.
Why dont you instead buy yourself a new tank and house him in that ?? :D
May be you could add a few more loaches to that :laugh:

Suby
 
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