Clown Loaches Not Eating

[mikev]

I have moved our four clown loaches to a new tank and, after five days, they don't seem to be eating or interested in food at all. The tank seems to be fine; all the parameters are ok and the other fish (plec, giant danios and striped loaches) seem to be fine. The environment, however, is different: the new tank has large driftwood and sand. The old tank didn't have driftwood but has a gravel substrate. The other difference is that they are more shy now and hiding in the back of the tank most of the time while in the old tank, they were constantly swimming around and would grab flakes out of the water.

We don't think they were shocked because we were very slow in moving them; I slowly mixed new water in for 1 hour. The only thing I think may be wrong is that water is a little yellowish (either because of driftwood or sand dust) but it doesn't affect the other fish.

Any suggestions on what to do: I'm worried enough to move them back if nothing changes?

Thank you very much!

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Clown loachs are not realy designed for eating fish flakes, they are more designed for eating small snails and sinking food pelets like catfish pelets or things like frozen bloodworms- go and buy some catfish pelets and see how they react to them, my loachs love them .

 

[mikev]

Clown loachs are not realy designed for eating fish flakes, they are more designed for eating small snails and sinking food pelets like catfish pelets or things like frozen bloodworms- go and buy some catfish pelets and see how they react to them, my loachs love them .

Thank you!

My clowns always ate flakes and ignored pellets (I have no idea why, but we had them six months).

The current problem is that they not only ignore flakes, they also don't search the ground (I dropped some pellets of different kind just in case); they either hide or dance, and I have no idea what could be wrong.

 

[collared_drifter]

maybe they just arrent hungry??
probly the yellowish dust stuff might be affecting them, clowns are sensitive fish

 

[mikev]

maybe they just arrent hungry??

They swim to flakes, try them and swim away. But after five days they should be hungry.

probly the yellowish dust stuff might be affecting them, clowns are sensitive fish

Any reasons to think this may be the case? If this is true, I should quickly move them back, because this yellowish thing probably will take a month or more to clear.

 

[collared_drifter]

A MONTH??? lol i'd move them back definitly... untill the stuff clears up

 

[Jules H-T]

A MONTH??? lol i'd move them back definitly... untill the stuff clears up

I personally definitely wouldn't move them back until you know what's wrong. Plonking them in and out of different aquariums isn't the way to get them to settle down, which is what it sounds to me might be needed. My gut feeling is that they're just adjusting, that can take some time. Have they got anywhere nice to hide until their confidence builds? Caves etc? Worst come to the worst chuck some clean plastic drain piping in there open at one end only.

Try whacking a bit of food in around the dusky period (aquarium lights off, soft lighting in the room on) and see how they act. Try lots of different foods (bloodworm, algae tablets, raw cucumber, daphnia, flake, slice of banana), not all at the same time though. If they've still not eaten anything at all after 10 days from the move, then I'd be getting worried.

How are their colours? Pale/pasty/a bit blurry, or vivid orange/black with clear definition? How are their fins looking- droopy/slow/clenched into their bodies, or fast moving/erect? How old are they BTW?

On the subject of the yellow water, if it's due to the wood then it won't harm them IMO, and if it's dust then it'll settle in a few days. You should be able to tell which it is though in fairness. What happens if you pour aquarium water through a coffee filter (one without coffee in it!) Do you get any dust left behind?

 

[mikev]

Jules,

Thanks for the great ideas, it seems you do know clowns!

(There is no crisis anymore, but let me explain what happened, perhaps it is of use to someone).

A MONTH??? lol i'd move them back definitly... untill the stuff clears up

I personally definitely wouldn't move them back until you know what's wrong. Plonking them in and out of different aquariums isn't the way to get them to settle down, which is what it sounds to me might be needed.

I felt this way too and went ahead with watching them for bad signs. As it turned out, there was no "real" problem (I was wrong to panic---sorry, I kind of like them ).

It appears that the main cause was the change of large gravel to sand; in the old tank, unused food instantly dissappeared, in the new one it stays on the sand. So they simply reversed to normal clown behavior of eating leftovers instead of waiting for flakes to drop down. And I made it worse by trying *a lot of* different food, so they did have enough leftovers. Additionally, they apparently got scared, and were hiding most of the time in the back of the tank. Only last two days did they start visiting the front of the tank, and they still panic if I move close to it (never happened before).

(I never expected them to totally --- and instantly -- change their behavior pattern upon being moved to another tank---other fish I moved over did not change their ways, but I guess clowns are more complicated.)

(A lesson for me: a clown loach in a gravel tank is considerably more interesting fish than in a sand one)

My gut feeling is that they're just adjusting, that can take some time. Have they got anywhere nice to hide until their confidence builds? Caves etc? Worst come to the worst chuck some clean plastic drain piping in there open at one end only.

Yes, the tank was designed to be a long-term comfortable place *for them*: big pieces of hollow driftwood with caves. Unlike the old tank, they really hide now. (Much less interesting).

Try whacking a bit of food in around the dusky period (aquarium lights off, soft lighting in the room on) and see how they act. Try lots of different foods (bloodworm, algae tablets, raw cucumber, daphnia, flake, slice of banana), not all at the same time though. If they've still not eaten anything at all after 10 days from the move, then I'd be getting worried.

Tried everything, except for banana--this is new for me, will try tomorrow (never thought fish would it banana).

How are their colours? Pale/pasty/a bit blurry, or vivid orange/black with clear definition? How are their fins looking- droopy/slow/clenched into their bodies, or fast moving/erect? How old are they BTW?

Colors came back to bright black only today (so I guess the psychological part of the crisis is over).
2.5"-3". I had them for six months.--I assume this computes to 2-3 year old?

On the subject of the yellow water, if it's due to the wood then it won't harm them IMO, and if it's dust then it'll settle in a few days. You should be able to tell which it is though in fairness. What happens if you pour aquarium water through a coffee filter (one without coffee in it!) Do you get any dust left behind?

It is certainly from wood, so it will eventually go, and it does not seem to bother the fish.

It appears that the crisis is over (and probably never was).

My main remaining problem now is to figure out who (if anyone) bit off the tip of the tail of one of the loaches (possible suspects: danios, striped loaches, or another clown).