Clown Loach Obviously Not Right!

[mj32]

Hi All,

Noticed this morning one of the clown loach is hanging vertical and the waters surface for most of the time - eyes do look a little swollen compared to the other 2 in the tank!

This appeared over night - only noticed when lights came on this morning!

Water stats:

Ammonia: 0 - liquid api test kit
Nitrite: 1 - tested using dip strips
Nitrate 25 - tested using dip strips
PH: 7.8 - """""""""""""""""""""""""
gh 16
kh 4

The No2 No3 readings maybe a little out either way - will get a liquid test kit to get a 2nd more accurate reading on them



Any ideas of what could help the little guy? the books seem to think its a case of fish will recover when water quality is better?

 

[WILDER]

Clown loaches are sensitive to water quality and you have a slight nitrite reading so that could be upsetting him, i would do a water change, the eyes could be due to the water quality, are they bulging out, increase aeration as well.

 

[tttnjfttt]

How big is your tank and what other fish do you have in it? Also, (i am asking this from recent experience) is this fish getting very thin? I recently lost a clown from internal parasites and his eyes were looking large, but that was because he was loosing so much weight (many clown loaches come infected with internal parasites because they are wild caught).

Unfortunately, how yours is behaving is exactly how mine was the night before he died. Since no other fish seem to be affected, i would consider the possibility of a bacterial infection.

 

[mj32]

How big is your tank and what other fish do you have in it? Also, (i am asking this from recent experience) is this fish getting very thin? I recently lost a clown from internal parasites and his eyes were looking large, but that was because he was loosing so much weight (many clown loaches come infected with internal parasites because they are wild caught).

Unfortunately, how yours is behaving is exactly how mine was the night before he died. Since no other fish seem to be affected, i would consider the possibility of a bacterial infection.

Guess you were right there - the poor guy didnt make it! The other 2 loaches are alive and well - although 1 is definately looking thinner than the other

 

[tttnjfttt]

If one is looking alot thinner than the other and does not appear to be gianing weight, i would recomend treating for the internal parasites. Clown loaches are notorious for being infected with them, especially since they are wild caught. Here is a good article on treating this. http/www.loaches.com/faq_parasites.html

Even if it is not internal parasites, treating with Levamisole will be safe. Levamisole is acutally used in aids patients to boost their immune system, but can be bought at a farm supply store.

 

[mj32]

If one is looking alot thinner than the other and does not appear to be gianing weight, i would recomend treating for the internal parasites. Clown loaches are notorious for being infected with them, especially since they are wild caught. Here is a good article on treating this. http/www.loaches.com/faq_parasites.html

Even if it is not internal parasites, treating with Levamisole will be safe. Levamisole is acutally used in aids patients to boost their immune system, but can be bought at a farm supply store.

Checked out the link

make sure your pH is about 6.6. If the pH is above 7 the drug is made unusable

Our PH is always around 7.6 -> 7.8 so this isnt going to be effective.

I'll keep an eye on it for now and see what happens

 

[tttnjfttt]

What you can do is add peat to the filter, and that will lower the pH to where you need it to be. That is my current plan for when i do this treatment very soon.