Clown Loach

[redkev]

i bought 4 clown loach. this morn, now they are all lyin at bottom of tank and not really moving. is this natural?

 

[redkev]

all my new fish i put in seem to only last a few days.

my test results are,

4 foot tank.
PH 7.4
nitrite 0.1
ammonia 0.1
nitrate 5

is this correct, and can anything be done for the diying fish

 

[rabbut]

Detectable ammonia and nitrite are indications that the tank is either cycling or mini cycling. How long have you had your tank and what have you added recently? What is your maintanance regeme like?

Loaches are sociable and sckitish animals, particularly when newly introduced. They need a group of 6+ to feel secure and this may be the issue here. Also, clown loach can be sencitive to water quality issues that you are having here. Waterchange time by the look of things...

Best advise when you have any issue is an on the spot waterchange The only time I wouldn't do a waterchange on the spot of an issue is after introducing new fish in the last 24 hours, and water quality cannont be identified as an issue. Water quality is caurse for concerne here, hence why I surgest a waterchange. I'd go 30% to start for now, and review the water results in the morning. Anthing detectable warrents a waterchange. If ammonia or nitrite are above 0.25, up the change ammount to 50%

Sorry for all the questions and not much advise, but unfortunately you haven't given us enough to work on...

Good luck
Rabbut

 

[redkev]

its been running for about 1 year. i keep mainly mollies. the 3 fish i put in first are still alive but only seems to be new ones who suffer. if it is mini cycling what can i do. i change water once every 2 weeks. on a sun. about 10-20% water change. i have a fluval 4 sponge filter.

any suggestions welcomed

 

[redkev]

as i have a 4 ft sponge filter and i keep livebearers which are known to be messy fish would it be advised to add a small filter at the opposite side to the fluval 4? i wondered if this could be a prob. just all water states seem fine so i cant buy any more fish or they just die!

 

[rabbut]

Is the trace of ammonia and nitrite "normal" for your tank, or are these results just something that you have seen since adding the new fish?
If these readings are normal, and additional filter may be necissary... How do you clean your filter? Also, do you notice a build-up of dirt at one end of the tank? Presumably you do a gravel wash at each waterchange?

Sorry for yet more question, just trying to get to the bottom of the ammonia and nitrite issue before furthering investigations into the blackening of the new fish, as I suspect this is the caurse of whatever is affecting them

Rabbut