Dwarf chain loach catastrophe, and a valuable lesson about quarantine tanks learned

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Taken from: https://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=48341&p=229914#p229914

A bit of a backstory (that some of you here on MonsterFishKeepers may have already heard): my cousin who I live with is not an aquarist and is not especially overjoyed about me being on the level of fishkeeping I am (slightly more in depth explanation can be found at, https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/foru ... st-8377219).
So when I told them the importance of quarantine tanks, they firmly put their foot down because they were very opposed to 4 tanks, even going so far as to refuse allowing the purchase of a $13 180 liter for quarantine. They were, however, OK with me using a Rubbermaid cattle trough as a makeshift quarantine tank, even though they constantly stressed that it had to be put out of sight when not in use.
So we just had to find one for a reasonable price.

Fast forward to now, and those new dwarf chain loaches I bought were in very poor shape. One was very emaciated in a Spironucleus-like fashion, and it was planned to to return this and get a healthier specimen. Those plans quickly escalated to returning all of them when I went to catch the emaciated loach and found at least 1 more had the first signs of the infamous white spotted disease, complete with lying in one spot, clamping their fins, and flashing.
I immediately showed my cousin this, and they were absolutely horrified - albeit not very surprised, as they were the one to originally (and rightly) suggest I return the emaciated one in the first place. They did, however, have to look rather closely to see the actual white spots.

And that's where I made my move. I pointed out to them that looking this closely at fish to make sure they were okay simply wouldn't be possible in an opaque cattle trough like it would be in a clear, glass tank, and it finally must have taught them the importance of quarantine tanks.
The dwarf chain loaches were promptly returned, and if I can find a good-priced quarantine tank available before Boxing Day, I'll actually be able to quarantine any healthy-looking dwarf chain loaches that are available then!

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

Update: I now have the quarantine tank and just bought 13 healthy looking, full bodied dwarf chain loaches!
One of the best parts of this, just as good as getting healthier chain loaches and having a quarantine tank for them, is that I asked for 12 and got 13 because of an extra generous employee!

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I have kept sids now for 18+ years and 1/2 have been with me since then, the other half came a year later and many still are. You should enjoy them immensely for many years. They are really neat fish and much fun to watch. Of course many MFKers might consider them feeders for something a lot bigger ? (j k).

I keep clowns and sids and it may be a coin toss which species lives the longest. My oldest clowns are a couple of years older than the oldest sids. But the average age of the sids is years greater than the average age of my clown herd.

 

[Midwater]

Update: I now have the quarantine tank and just bought 13 healthy looking, full bodied dwarf chain loaches!

What you are going to need now you have got a dozen (odd) chain loaches is ... another dozen.

I keep clowns and sids and it may be a coin toss which species lives the longest.

Yes, I have got chain loaches that are close to twenty years old. I have also had modesta that I caught myself (with the aid of a local fisherman) in 2015, and they were pretty big then. Maybe modesta can live for decades.

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

I have kept sids now for 18+ years and 1/2 have been with me since then, the other half came a year later and many still are. You should enjoy them immensely for many years. They are really neat fish and much fun to watch.

I keep clowns and sids and it may be a coin toss which species lives the longest. My oldest clowns are a couple of years older than the oldest sids. But the average age of the sids is years greater than the average age of my clown herd.

Yes, I have got chain loaches that are close to twenty years old. I have also had modesta that I caught myself (with the aid of a local fisherman) in 2015, and they were pretty big then. Maybe modesta can live for decades.

That's what I like to hear! I had figured even small loaches could live long given that kuhli loaches live 15 years or so, but to hear conformation for the dwarf chain loaches is great too. Fingers crossed that my chain loaches will get every bit as old as both of yours, and hopefully older too (that way I can update this thread in 2042 and later), giving my clowns a run for their money even!

Very neat fish to watch for sure, too. Even though they are not as colorful as loaches like clown or kuhli, they more than make up for it with that oh so lively demeanour.

Of course many MFKers might consider them feeders for something a lot bigger ? (j k)

Lol. Unfortunately, you're not as wrong as you might think, take a look at the thread on unpopular opinions for loaches and you'll see what I mean.

Nonetheless, what matters is that we see them for what they are! All the fun of the bigger loaches even in such a small package.

What you are going to need now you have got a dozen (odd) chain loaches is ... another dozen.

And then another! And another! And......

Heck, might as well go and put the facilities where these are hormone-spawned out of business by buying all theirs on the spot

 

[MultipleTankSyndrome]

The dwarf chain loaches have been released into the 110 liter. Pictures are to be shared when I can get good ones.

Turns out there are 12, not 13. Presumably this was due to the pet store employee miscounting while catching them for me.

(Bonus though: I bought my increase in number of black kuhli loaches today and there was an extra. So now I have 25 instead of 24, which I'd say makes up for the missing extra dwarf chain loach).