clown loaches

[scottsbt1690]

i have 2 small clown loaches and have had them about 2 weeks now, but all of a sudden both have come out with white spot, i have put in some remedy and turned up the heat, but they still have it and are looking a little worse than they first were, any ideas why?, i have other loaches and cats etc, who dont seem to have a problem, infact no other fish in the tank has it!!

cheers

scott

 

[Cavafish]

from what i understand clown loaches are quiet susceptible to whitespot so it very well could be this.

be careful how you treat them though - they are either scaleless or have very small scales below the surface of their skin (i cant remember which) so most medications have to be applied with a LOT of caution. You could do them more damage than good if you overdose. I think that most meds have to be appliedat a half-dose rate BUT CHECK.

Hopefully someone else on here can confirm or correct the above as needed. Septembers copy of Practical Fishkeeping magazine had an article on fish skin/scales and the related problems/diseases which it might be worth your while checking.

HTH

Cava

p.s. apologies if i got something not quite right

 

[Red]

There are many, many threads here with advice & experiences of clowns with ich. Try a search. Also there is a pinned topic about ich too.

 

[ddm18]

Yeah Cavafish is right, you usually have to use a half-dose (well, that's the case for mine), but it should say in the instructions for your medicine.

Clown Loaches are very susceptible, although I understood that it usually happened after moving them. Either way you just have to be patient - I believe (and this may be wrong) that whitespot is a parasite that lives under the scales (or whatever clowns have), and then bursts out, settles on the gravel for a short time, then swims around to find other fish to infect - the meds only actually work when the parasite is free-swimming. I take that to mean, therefore, that you just have to keep applying the meds (leaving a 48 hour gap, or whatever the instructions say) until the spots disappear completely. Can anyone back that up or tell me I'm stupid?

 

[rvm]

Yeah Cavafish is right, you usually have to use a half-dose (well, that's the case for mine), but it should say in the instructions for your medicine.

Clown Loaches are very susceptible, although I understood that it usually happened after moving them. Either way you just have to be patient - I believe (and this may be wrong) that whitespot is a parasite that lives under the scales (or whatever clowns have), and then bursts out, settles on the gravel for a short time, then swims around to find other fish to infect - the meds only actually work when the parasite is free-swimming. I take that to mean, therefore, that you just have to keep applying the meds (leaving a 48 hour gap, or whatever the instructions say) until the spots disappear completely. Can anyone back that up or tell me I'm stupid?

yep, thats right. the meds won't actually kill the white spot until the spots themselves have gone and the parasite is in the free swimming stage. That is the reason for increasing the temp: it speeds up the parasites life cycle and gets it to the free swimming stage further.
Keep going with the meds and see how they're doing in a few days. My severum got much worse with Ich before he go better!!

 

[scottsbt1690]

thanks for all the advice folks
remedy is in, as i said but i never put the full amount in, and also temperature has been up for 2 days now, they are a bit worse tonight, than they were this morning, and are sometimes lyingon there sides on the gravel, hopefully it will clear soon, though the way they look ifear i might loose them

 

[Cavafish]

Dont panic about the lying on their sides on the gravel bit - they are not called 'clown' loaches for nothing they will quite often do this just to amuse themselves and freak you out Mine do this sometimes but not often so it still does unnerve me to see it - I wish they did it more!!

Best of luck with them, remember that you are doing your best so you cant do any more. I'm willing them on for you.

 

[David]

thanks for all the advice folks
remedy is in, as i said but i never put the full amount in, and also temperature has been up for 2 days now, they are a bit worse tonight, than they were this morning, and are sometimes lyingon there sides on the gravel, hopefully it will clear soon, though the way they look ifear i might loose them

Ich often gets worse before it gets better. It can take anywhaer from a week to several weeks to fully heal. you could try protozin, which is apparently very effective in ridding clowns of ich, or another medication that is labeled as "safe for use with scaleless fishes" such as "Kordon's Rid-Ich" and can be administered at a full dose. Hope your little guys pull through, good luck with them.