# ok.. another question about my crazy yoyo loach



## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

I have an adult yoyo loach who swims around the tank in an odd way (at least odd to me). It almost seems like he's itchy or something is irritating him. So I put him in quarantine and gave him a round of Prazipro, thinking it was a parasite, since there was nothing visable externally. 

He seems better now, but, (and here's the odd thing) I have 2 angels. One of them will get close to the loach and the loach appears to be "cleaning" the sides and top fin of the one angel.. She seems to really like it. The loach is active and eats well... plays with the cories, annoys the pleco, all is back to normal with the loach otherwise.

I gave a good look at the angel and I do not see any sort of anything on the angel... no parasites, nor any sort of wound or damage at all. Should I be worried?

If this will eventually kill or damage the angel, I'll take the loach back to the fish store rather than kill the angel.. Its just so odd to watch.. I swear that the angel is smiling while its happening..

Anyone?

thanks-

Gina, the puzzled.


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

ginagv said:


> I have an adult yoyo loach who swims around the tank in an odd way (at least odd to me). It almost seems like he's itchy or something is irritating him. So I put him in quarantine and gave him a round of Prazipro, thinking it was a parasite, since there was nothing visable externally.
> 
> He seems better now, but, (and here's the odd thing) I have 2 angels. One of them will get close to the loach and the loach appears to be "cleaning" the sides and top fin of the one angel.. She seems to really like it. The loach is active and eats well... plays with the cories, annoys the pleco, all is back to normal with the loach otherwise.
> 
> ...


I wouldn't be that worried about him "cleaning" the Angelfish, I think I even read somewhere that this occassionally happens. The behavior of the loach, sounds like Ich. Have you considered that, even though you don't yet see white spots, that flashing behavior is the first sign.

Gwen


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## ginagv (Oct 26, 2010)

I did treat him for ick 2 weeks before I tried the prazi pro. I didn't see any white spots on him then, but knowing that flashing can be a sign, I gave it a go anyway. 

I'm going to try to get a video of him and the angel... honestly, its the strangest thing... and it appears to me like the angel likes it, almost pushing into him happily...

The other yoyos in the tank don't do the cleaning thing, although they do dance and play together alot.. These loaches are certainly interesting in their behavior, I'll say that for them.

Gina


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## GwenInNM (Feb 2, 2011)

ginagv said:


> I did treat him for ick 2 weeks before I tried the prazi pro. I didn't see any white spots on him then, but knowing that flashing can be a sign, I gave it a go anyway.
> 
> I'm going to try to get a video of him and the angel... honestly, its the strangest thing... and it appears to me like the angel likes it, almost pushing into him happily...
> 
> ...


Yes, Loaches are very funny and active. When I put a new fish in my tank, on of the loaches was "all over" him as it to check him out, and it looked like you describe, that he was "cleaning" and tickling him. Granted, I don't see them do that anymore, but you may just have a symbiotic relationship going on 

Gwen


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Flashing is usually an attempt to get something out of the gills. And as Gwen said, that is the first sign of parasites like ich. However, it is sometimes best to leave things alone (thinking of medications/treatments) and simply do a water change. Especially with fish like loaches that are highly sensitive to chemicals and medications, partly due to their scaleless skin but also internally.

Left on their own in good water, fish will develop a sort of immunity to ich. The do this by producing thicker slime on their flanks that the ich cannot penetrate. But ich still gets in the gills, as it always does first. But keeping the water good, and the fish less stressed, usually works.

I see ich like this (the flashing) from time to time, esp with newly acquired fish; I leave it alone unless I see spots externally, and even then only several on more than one fish. The treatment is sometimes more harm than the problem.

Byron.


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