Help: Is My Clown Loach Unwell

[Ben Harper]

Hi there, i am very new to this, but i need help.

I have, in the last 2 weeks brought a large Clown Loach from a web site called Aqualife Direct. When i looked at the pictures they should a lovely bright coloured fish that would happly live along side my Blood Parrot Fish. When the Clown arrived instead of being black and orange strips with bright orange fins, it turned up being a faded white/ orange with really faded black strips. All his fins are black but it looks like alot of the colour is fading away. I emailed this company and they said this was due to the stress of being transported and his colour should come back. Is this likely or is it likely this fish could have been dyed, or is it likely that this fish is un well and likely to harm my other fish?

Thanks for the help.

 

[Davo86]

Hi

The fish is obviously stressed from travelling. Clown Loach are all wild caught so would have travelled thousands of miles to get to your tank.

I must say though buying just one is not fair on the fish, these live in large groups in the wild and should be kept in a small group in the very least,
Lone CLown Loach do generally not do so well in aquaria and tend to hide away

 

[Ben Harper]

Sorry i should have added, i have since added 3 smaller Clowns which i got from a pet shop,after i found out that should be kept in groups, but this still have not had any effect on the larger fish. They

are not hiding away too much its just the colour of the larger fish, it looks like the colour is coming off,i don't know if there is such a thing as dyed clown fish?

Hi

The fish is obviously stressed from travelling. Clown Loach are all wild caught so would have travelled thousands of miles to get to your tank.

I must say though buying just one is not fair on the fish, these live in large groups in the wild and should be kept in a small group in the very least,
Lone CLown Loach do generally not do so well in aquaria and tend to hide away

 

[Davo86]

No the fish is not likely to be dyed.

How long has the fish been in the tank? After a long journey it might take a few weeks before the fish to colour up properly.

Is the fish just faded in colour? i.e. there is no dust, slime or salt like covering on the fish?

If the fish is active and eating then those are the two most important things and if so I would say that the fish simply needs time to adjust

 

[Ben Harper]

I have had the fish for about 3 weeks, He is just very pale looking, there is no slime, dust or salt covering the fish.

The fish is active and eating well, i was just a bit worried that it may be harmful to my other fish.

No the fish is not likely to be dyed.

How long has the fish been in the tank? After a long journey it might take a few weeks before the fish to colour up properly.

Is the fish just faded in colour? i.e. there is no dust, slime or salt like covering on the fish?

If the fish is active and eating then those are the two most important things and if so I would say that the fish simply needs time to adjust

 

[Davo86]

how does its stomach look? is it sunken in at all? the only other possible explanation would be internal parasites?
Could you post a pic at all?
Also what are your water stats?

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

[URL="http/www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artikl...own%20loach.htm"]http/www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artikl...own%20loach.htm[/URL]

Info taken from the link.

Special problems:

There is a couple of things that you should keep watch for concerning Clown loaches. The most common problem is white-spot, these fish are easily struck down by this disease. This often occurs when the fish have been kept too cold or in newly bought fish after being transported. Habitual fish that are well cared for are not more susceptable than others, in the ten years that I have kept these fish privately, I have only had white-spot once. For safety´s sake always have white-spot medicine at home if you acquire botia, it can save lives. White-spot is easily cured but can be a catastrophy if not treated.



N.B! follow the dosage instructions carefully for all medicines, some medicines recommend half the normal dosage for just loaches, because they can be sensitive to some ingredients, mainly coppercombinations.



Loss of weight or "skinny disease" is also quite common in Clown loaches. Typical symptoms are loss of weight and behaviour known as "knifeback" even though the fish is acting and eating normally. This sickness is more difficult to treat, it comes from a parasite organism (spironucleus) in the intestines of the same type that is thought to cause the so called "discus disease". I have successfully removed this disease from newly imported fish by using Spirohexol from JBL in the form of tablets. I have taken one tablet and crushed it and dissolve it in as little water as possible. I have then used discus granules which have been soaked in the solution. It becomes like a thick porridge after a short time when the food has drawn in the liquid. I then feed this to the sick fishes, after a week it looks like the sickness is gone. For the best possible effect do not feed with any other food. Flagyl (Metronidazole) also helps fight against this sickness but at least here in Sweden it is on prescription and can be a little difficult to come by.



Apart from this Clown loaches are not more susceptible than other fish, the above sickness usually occurs in fish that have been stressed during transport or subjected to other stress factors like cold water or poor aquarium hygiene. Do not buy fish that look emaciated! Well looked after fish are seldom sick. To quote my friend Elisabeth Hallberg; "the best way to avoid sickness is to keep the fish healthy".

 

[Ben Harper]

Hi there,

My tank is 300 litres+, in there i have got this Clown + 3 other smaller ones, a large Blood Parrot fish, a medium Firemouth, a medium Plec and a large Upside Down Cat. I have just lost a another large Parrot, but that was very old. I tested my water at the weekend and all the levels were good, my ph was 7.0.

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.

 

[WILDER]

They sound stressed to me.
Is the clown clamping its fins.
Black fins can be ammonia burns that are healing.
The clown loach does he look skinny or have a sunken in belly.

Soak there food in garlic juice to boost the fish immune system.

What test kit are you using.
Is it possible to load a pic onto the site of the sick clown loach.

 

[Ben Harper]

This is how the fish wa delivered to me, it is not looking to skinny nor does it have a sunken belly. the others i brought from a pet shop are fine, all thier fins are bright orange and the really stand out, this one is so dull. I am at work at the moment so i could not tel you th name of the test kit that i used. I will load a picture up as soon as i get home. When you say is it clamping its fins, what do you mean? Do you think my other fish could be at risk from this one?

They sound stressed to me.
Is the clown clamping its fins.
Black fins can be ammonia burns that are healing.
The clown loach does he look skinny or have a sunken in belly.

Soak there food in garlic juice to boost the fish immune system.

What test kit are you using.
Is it possible to load a pic onto the site of the sick clown loach.

 

[WILDER]

Clamping fins means the fins will be clamped to there bodies.

He just sounds stressed.
If no signs of flicking and rubbing the other fish should be fine if he showing no other symtoms only looking pale.

 

[Ben Harper]

Will its colour return in time?

Clamping fins means the fins will be clamped to there bodies.

He just sounds stressed.
If no signs of flicking and rubbing the other fish should be fine if he showing no other symtoms only looking pale.

 

[WILDER]

Only thing when a fish is stressed it weakens there immune system.

Is he getting bullied by the other fish in the tank.

 

[Ben Harper]

The Parrot does spend long periods of time chasing it about the tank, but the internet site where i got the Clown from said that they shuld be good tank mates.

Only thing when a fish is stressed it weakens there immune system.

Is he getting bullied by the other fish in the tank.

 

[WILDER]

That's why he's stressed then.
Change the tank scenerary around to see if that makes a difference.
Does the clown have his own hiding space like a cave.