Clown Loaches Acting Strangely!

[Jules H-T]

Another good page is: http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

Cool I'll have a read

After reading these articles, I am still unsure how to tell when to use the ich medication.

Immediately, and up the temp.

How does one know when the parasites reaches the thermont stage? I think it is pointless in using medication if these parasites are still on the fishes body.

One doesn't know and that's the point. There will be various parasites at various stages all the time. Whilst the parasite is visible on your fish, how many more are invisibly swimming about ready to find new hosts? Hence immediate medication. If I didn't have any meds I'd drop the temp further to slow down the multiplication, you've seen for yourself how quickly it spreads.

When I last checked 3 hours ago, all the tetras had ich on them and 2 of the 3 clown loaches had about 15 white spots spread on their tail, fin and body. I vacuumed the gravel, removed the carbon from the filter and did a 25% water change before adding my ich medication.

I hope I've done the right thing and can fight off the ich successfully this time. How long does it usually take for ich to go away? Is there anything I can do now apart from waiting? I shouldn't do any water changes should I?

You have done the right thing, it's a question of time now. You could cut down/switch off the lighting to reduce the stress the fish are under.

I'd expect it to be a good two weeks, at 82-84 degrees. I seem to recall the Tomonts hatch within 8 days (but I can't remember where I saw that so don't take it as gospel), so in theory 8 days from the last white spot dropping off a fish.

Continue with your water changes, but for any water you remove, medicate the replacement water proportionally.

I'm sure it's debatable whether to carbon filter out the meds or let them get slowly diluted by water changes, once you think it's treated. My line would be to leave it in in case I underestimated the time and some tomonts were still alive, and in a couple of weeks drop the temp again. That does mean that you don't really need to worry too much about when it's gone, just keep monitoring that there aren't any reappearing.

 

[ey2006]

Firstly, thanks for the reply and advice, I can't imagine how much harder it would be if I blindly searched the net for advice from articles and couldn't get help from experienced aquarists like yourself!

One doesn't know and that's the point. There will be various parasites at various stages all the time. Whilst the parasite is visible on your fish, how many more are invisibly swimming about ready to find new hosts? Hence immediate medication. If I didn't have any meds I'd drop the temp further to slow down the multiplication, you've seen for yourself how quickly it spreads.

What should the temp be at? Its currently at 30oC...I've read that its better to have higher temps during the treatment of ich but should I raise it further to 32oC? Would the fishes (clowns in particular) suffer at these temps?

Fortunately I've already put the med in...all I can really do now is wait and hope.

You have done the right thing, it's a question of time now. You could cut down/switch off the lighting to reduce the stress the fish are under.

I'd expect it to be a good two weeks, at 82-84 degrees. I seem to recall the Tomonts hatch within 8 days (but I can't remember where I saw that so don't take it as gospel), so in theory 8 days from the last white spot dropping off a fish.

Glad to hear I've done the right thing....as my previous treatment of ich didn't go too well, I forgot to half dose the med and had clowns in the tank, hence they died as a result of this....thats why I am so pedantic this time round with treating ich and am praying that I can beat ich this time!

I have left the lights off since putting the med in. The clowns are not swimming or darting around, instead they are just lying still in the ornament. At least they are not rubbing/scratching themselves to get rid of the ich.

I'll keep the 2 week time frame in mind and see how long it takes for me to get rid of the parasites. I have heard from friends (who also have clown and yoyo loaches) that the white spots normally disappear within 3-4 days.

Do fishes normally die during the process/treatment of ich? If treated properly (regular monitoring of the tank, proper dosage, water changes etc) would I be able to fight off ich successfully without losing any fish?

I'm scared of losing any more clown loaches....especially as they are scale-less fish, they are more susceptible to absorbing the med and dying.

Continue with your water changes, but for any water you remove, medicate the replacement water proportionally.

I'm sure it's debatable whether to carbon filter out the meds or let them get slowly diluted by water changes, once you think it's treated. My line would be to leave it in in case I underestimated the time and some tomonts were still alive, and in a couple of weeks drop the temp again. That does mean that you don't really need to worry too much about when it's gone, just keep monitoring that there aren't any reappearing.

The instructions on the med say repeat dosage after 3 days, so if I am doing daily water changes, should I still be replacing med in the new water I am putting in?

I am just scared I will kill my clown loaches again if I overdose in any way, hence to be safe, I would rather under dose.

 

[WILDER]

Yes fish can die during the treatment, there is no guarantee that i fish will make it, as whitespot can do alot of damage to the gills.

 

[Jules H-T]

The instructions on the med say repeat dosage after 3 days, so if I am doing daily water changes, should I still be replacing med in the new water I am putting in?

Don't worry about daily water changes, do another in a week or so, like you would normally. Follow the med instructions precisely for two weeks. Get the temp straight up to 82F mate.

 

[ey2006]

The instructions on the med say repeat dosage after 3 days, so if I am doing daily water changes, should I still be replacing med in the new water I am putting in?

Don't worry about daily water changes, do another in a week or so, like you would normally. Follow the med instructions precisely for two weeks. Get the temp straight up to 82F mate.

I did a water change a few hours ago, replacing med in the water too....hope this isn't a bad thing.

In any case, I just checked on the fish again and one of the clown loaches doesn't look like he's going to make it....the number of white spots on him has increased and its struggling to swim, it can't even balance itself...

Which makes me wonder, is it really this difficult to treat ich or is just my lack of experience or me doing the wrong thing?

Thanks....its really frustrating when I see fish die...

 

[WILDER]

Parasites are nasty and can cause bacterial infections as well on top.

 

[ey2006]

Thanks for the helpful replies...unfortunately the clowns didn't quite make it despite me treating for the ich properly this time. I think the water levels and tank is not mature yet for the fish.

I am going to cycle my tank again and do it properly this time. I still have 2 neons, 2 bristlenosed plecos and 2 platies in the tank so should I just cycle the tank with them in it anyway?

Are there any good links on cycling a tank with fishes (I seem to find most articles on fishless cycling instead)

I went over to my friends place today and looked at his tank, same size as mine, he has 3 clowns, 2 yoyo loaches and 1 bristlenose, but his fishes look so healthy. The clowns have grown to 5 inches now and look fat and healthy. They even come out to swim, I am striving to get my tank to the maturity of his tank. I think it all just takes time so hopefully my tank will be ready when I add fish to it again next time.