Clown Fish Erratic Swimming

[grass569]

Hi all

I have recently (last weekend) upgraded my tank from a 180l to a 370l tank. I am using my external from my old tank and have put the media from my internal filter (old tank) into another external which came with the tank. I have also used the old gravel (plus some new. The tank is planted. I have done a water test and no ammonia,nitrate or nitrite is present, my Ph is a little higher than normal at 7.6.
In the tank are 2 x clowns about 3" long, a plec (cant remember name but it was one of the smaller growing ones due to old tank size), 10 x penguin tetras and 2 x lemon tetras.
Well thats details sorted (hopefully)

Yesterday i noticed one of my clown fish swimming quite weird he/she is swimming up and down the front corner of the tank facing towards the corner he does this quite a few times then swims about a bit then goes to the opposite corner and does the same.

Does anyone have any ideas? I was thinking it might be a bit of stress but am unsure. All the other fish seem fine.
If it is stress what is the best action to take.

Thanks in advance

Phill

 

[crazychris]

I assume you're referring to a clown loach? Sounds normal behaviour to me! Mine swim up and down the glass sometimes as do my corys.

 

[grass569]

I assume you're referring to a clown loach? Sounds normal behaviour to me! Mine swim up and down the glass sometimes as do my corys.

Thanks for the reply,yes i do mean clown loach not clown fish (seen finding nemo too much with the kids). I know they are a bit of an odd fish hence the name but he never did it in my old tank maybe didnt have the depth as the new tank is much deeper.

 

[crazychris]

I assume you're referring to a clown loach? Sounds normal behaviour to me! Mine swim up and down the glass sometimes as do my corys.

Thanks for the reply,yes i do mean clown loach not clown fish (seen finding nemo too much with the kids). I know they are a bit of an odd fish hence the name but he never did it in my old tank maybe didnt have the depth as the new tank is much deeper.

If he's eating fine and has no spots, marks or wounds on him then I wouldn't worry.

 

[grass569]

I assume you're referring to a clown loach? Sounds normal behaviour to me! Mine swim up and down the glass sometimes as do my corys.

Thanks for the reply,yes i do mean clown loach not clown fish (seen finding nemo too much with the kids). I know they are a bit of an odd fish hence the name but he never did it in my old tank maybe didnt have the depth as the new tank is much deeper.

If he's eating fine and has no spots, marks or wounds on him then I wouldn't worry.

Just put some shelled peas in which they normally love the one who is swimming odd ate most of them but the other one stayed inside a bit of bog wood even though one pea was just infront of him i will have to keep an eye on him over the next day or so

 

[WILDER]

What test kit are you usng?
Did you match ph and temp when you moved the fish to the new tank.
Any excess mucas on the fish body or gills.

 

[grass569]

What test kit are you usng?
Did you match ph and temp when you moved the fish to the new tank.
Any excess mucas on the fish body or gills.

Its an API kit liquid form, i have tried using 2 seperate kits just to be sure i have tested again today and everything is spot on
I did match the temp etc as i used the water from my old tank plus obviously some more
The loach that is swimming oddly looks fine and is eating well i am now more worried about the other one as i havent seen him eat or do very much at all. He does seem to have a greyish look on the rear part of his body on one of the black sections, he is also d=breathing quite quickly his gills look ok though

 

[WILDER]

Clown loaches can look grey. It's called greying out. think it can be caused by stress, but not sure.

Grey film can be many things from bad water quality, toxins, parasites, bacterial, ph.

If the fish are flicking alot and breathing more laboureed it could be a parasite.

I think I would just hold off meds for now.
A sign of whitespot can be tiny bubbles on the fish before they break out in whitespot.

 

[grass569]

Not looking good now. Both loaches are very lethargic and dont seem to be eating at all. Both are also breathing quite quickly. I have tested the water again today results are Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, PH 7.6.
The loach i can see properly (other one is hiding in some bog wood and i can only see his mouth) looks ok just seems greyish as they do when they are unhappy. All the other fish seem ok
Does anyone have any ideas im getting relly worried about them now.
Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Any signs of flicking and rubbing.
Any tiny white spots or tiny bubbles on the fish yet.

 

[onebto]

Hello grass569 sorry to hear your clowns are not very happy.
Firstly I would say your in good hands with Wilder on the case

I have had 8 Clowns for nearly 2 years now. I have never lost any which does not make me an expert, however I have observed and studied Clown Loaches in great depth as I find them fascinating there my favourite fish by far.

My thoughts on the behaviour of your Clown Loach.

Greying out: This can be caused by 2 main reasons, 1) the submissive fish greys out while a group is sorting out there hierarchy (dominance) this can happen rarely or quite often additional to this is with a well established group it is sometimes the Alpha fish that greys out and is sometimes almost constantly greyed out this is a bit of a contradiction I know but these are things I have observed and also read in many different articles. 2) stress this can be brought on by many things which I am sure you are aware of, off course the first thing that comes to mind is the move to a new tank. If your water is okay which you have proven the only other thing that maybe a problem is sickness and this is were I would recommend you follow Wilder's advise and observe your fish very carefully which I am sure you are doing and then report back with your findings like you are currently doing.

The Loach swimming up and down the tank in the corner is quite normal in a lot of cases, mine do it often sometimes it appears just for the sake of it. Some times together sometimes alone and quite often my panda Cory do it and the Clowns just join in. The other time I observe it is when I do a major clean up I change some of the tank set up about 30 to 40% which is something the clown's appear to enjoy exploring.

The hiding is also a natural habit as you may well know.

You report they are eating well that is good news.

Subdued lighting for a few days may help with the stress.

Something to keep in mind for the future when you resolve the problem if there is one as I think it maybe just stress from the tank change, and that is Clown Loach like the majority of Loach species are very social and it is highly recommended that you keep them in groups of 5+.

I really do hope it is just a bit of stress and things will all turn out well.

Keep observing and reporting back and if there is a medical issue as mentioned Wilder will give you sound advise.

Regards onebto.

 

[grass569]

Thanks for the responses

Onebto - Thanks for easing my mind a bit about the behaviour i have never seen them do the erratic swimming until they went in this tank maybe the extra depth allows this. The greyish colouring is different to when they greyout i have seen this many times as i have had the loaches for about 2 years at least it is only on the hiding one but as i dont see him very often it is hard to describe as he is hidding under bogwood and i dont want to stress him out more by moving the wood. The one that is hiding is breathing quite fast and i havent seen it eat for days now
I was wanting to get a couple more clowns now i have more stocking space with the new tank but dont want to add anymore fish until i know all is ok

I hope you are right that it is just the tank change as like you these fish are my favourites great characters

Wilder - I havent noticed flicking or bubbles on the more active one and havent seen much of the other one to tell will keep an eye on him today

Thanks for the help

 

[grass569]

Just got home and looked in the tank and one of my tetras is now floating around the tank nose up/tail down he is still alive but is just floating round on the current also one of the other tetras seems to be keeping out of the way up near the surface hes not gasping at surface though just sitting about an inch below does anyone have any ideas. Good news though one of the clowns is out and about and eating
Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Ok.

Does the tetra look bloated.


If there no signs of parasite symtoms I would add a bacterial med to the tank.

Being pale, listless and lethagic, not eating, can be signs of a bacterial infection.

Also soak all the fish food in garlic juice to give there immune system a boost.

 

[grass569]

Thanks for the fast response

The tetra does look slightly larger than the others around the belly

Which med would you recomend?

Dont want to sound daft but When you say garlic juice do you buy garlic juice or do you squeeze out a clove?