Loache acting odd

[Sportsnutim]

I have two loaches in my 55 gallon freshwater tank. My parameters are 6.6 Ph, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, and 0 ammonia. 5 Discus, 2 Farlowellas, 4 Cardinal tetras, and 6 Black Neon tetras. The Loaches have been in the tank for about three months and have been doing very well. Now the bigger loach of the two is going nuts swimming back and forth across the long part of the tank very quickly over the last three days. Not like the other one which is acting normal. Any ideas? I've had loaches before but none have acted this way before. They are not very old one is about 1.5 and 2.5 inches. The type I am unsure these loaches are similar to the clown but more slim. The temp for on average should be what for loaches? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Mokomon]

My Yo-yo loaches do that all the time

 

[pinkertd]

If the loach has just begun that behavior, it may well mean it is stressed about something. Is it getting enough to eat? Is it enduring any aggression from the other loach? Try to find out which loach you have by looking at the loach profiles over on loaches.com. I've kept both clown loaches and the sids in the same 84-86F temp range with discus with no issues whatsoever.

 

[sed03f]

post a pic of the loach for identification. Make sure it has plenty of hiding places. Also, some loaches are sensitive to barometer pressure. Right before a storm they go crazy.

 

[Sportsnutim]

Sorry about the loss. Good luck rebuilding.

 

[Jeremy Smith]

The behavoir you are observeing is not that odd for most Sp. of loaches. I would suggest to add more to the group as all are social in some respect. With out knowing the exact Sp. the number to add is in question. Also depending on what Sp they may not be sutible for this tank, due to to the water param or that they may be too obnoxius for your discus.

 

[Lupin]

Sed makes a valid point. Most loaches, not just the dojos, act on barometric pressure. Dojos got another name 'weather loach' just for this behavior. I also thought similarly as Sed did.

Whatever loach it is, if it is similar in shape to the clowns except that it is slimmer, it is part of the genus, botiidae. All botiine loaches like to be in groups so keeping two is not a good idea at all.