Loach behavior

screennamie

So I was cleaning the tank and saw one of my baby clown loaches laying at the bottom. Were talking small here less than an inch big. I was sad but picked him out with a net and took to the rubish. Then wikki'd them again and turns out they like to lay on there sides.

If he was 'playing' dead wouldn't he have swam away when I brought the net out? There was a touch of stiffness as if he passed for some while. I double checked the trash and I don't see or hear any flipping about.

About how old do they start that behavior of just laying in one spot?

Byron

In my experience, if you disturb a loach when it is in one of these "resting" positions it will rouse very fast and move. Your loach sounds like it really was dead, especially if it was stiff.

aunt kymmie

Agree with Byron, your loach was dead. When mine are on their sides, motionless, all it takes is one little touch and they zoom off. Sorry you lost your little loach.

iamgray

I third what they said... it definitely would have swam away if it was just resting.

I'm not sure of what the age is when they start lying in one spot... but my yoyo loaches have always done that periodically since the day I brought them home... they've given me quite a few scares. I always just sit and watch them for a few moments and if I look closely enough, I can see their gills moving ever so slightly, or else if i watch them for long enough, they'll move or twitch a fin or something when other fish go by.