Newly Added Clown Loach Having Problem

[happyannie]

I got 2 little guys from a large chain place. I tried to pick the healthiest. One is flourishing, hungry and getting bigger. The other never did seem to do well and now has clamped fins etc. I had this happen once before when I added a new baby one, moved it to a isolation tank and it died shortly thereafter.

I haven't done that yet with this one. I probably should.... He and the friend he arrived with are so sympatico and the friend urges him on so this is making things difficult. He's really trying to hang in there too. It's the fins they use in the bottom front to navigate. He's been like this for the last two days. I raised the temp a few degrees to 80F and did a vac/water change tonight.

I've had them about 2 weeks now.

stats
Ammonia 0
nitrate 0
nitrite 0
Kh 40 -low
PH 6.2

Thanks in advance!

 

[Spooky76]

Sounds like stress really.

The thing that sticks out is that your nitrate is 0 ! Your nitrate should not be 0.

Hows bigs the tank, how often do you water change ?

 

[happyannie]

Well, it's in between 0 and 20 someplace so let's say 10. I've been on this tank like a fly to you-know-what because I got busy with other things and wasn't watching my levels. I had an ammonia spike like 2 months ago so have been really watching everything closely. I change it maybe every week...?? I put in new and more filtration which was probably the major source of the other problem.

I can't understand why the PH is so low... I'll have to check it out of the tap. I use Nova-aqua stuff and am wondering if that can act as a buffer? This needs to solved too.

The GOOD news is that the new guy is unclamped and swimming around with his friend. I'm SO glad I didn't isolate him. He's going around greeting everyone and seems happy to be back in the swim of things. HALLELUYAH!

PS--oops! The tank is 39 gallons.

 

[jollysue]

Whoopee!!!! happyannie! I am so glad that the little new guy is recovering for you!


Being a med junkie, I usually add some AquariSol to a tank as a preventative when moving clown loaches. It forstalls with a very mild anti parasitic a problem with ich the main culprit to affect loaches when stressed. It isn't necessary to remove the filtration, nor does it affect the cycle. It just treats the water in the tank and then filters out, I believe.

 

[happyannie]

I'll have to look into that one. In the past, I've lost 2 other little guys by moving them into isolation right away as a safe-guard for the rest of the tank. These were SO tiny and such good friends I figured maybe they made the long journey and/or were from the same neck o' the woods.... It could happen...

For those who say fish have no brains or feelings, it was extraordinary to watch the other one encouraging the one who was having problems. I hope he's going to continue on this same path now...

Thanks for taking an interest in our difficulties.

 

[happyannie]

Ok -here's the latest on this deal. I've always heard how great Nova-aqua and Amquel are to use together. Well, NOT!
OMG this has been the problem with this tank all along now I see. Amquel binds the ammonia for only for a short time and then it destabilizes PH. Apparently my water doesn't have the buffers to stop this process. (and I'm not sure I exactly understand it all that well either) It should only be used in emergencies from what I'm reading... So it's back to good old Stress Coat and treat this tank like the others... The ones I don't have problems with. I thought I'd put this up because I didn't know this and if you read and listen to someof the hype, you'd think it was good for everyday use etc etc. This tank has been such a headache.... so we'll try this now....

 

[Spooky76]

Could be, sounds a bit like ammo lock - although I havent read up much on it.

How it can remove your buffer is a mystery though.

How come you use it ? I thought it was for transporting fish in bags so they dont poison themselves....

Glad they are all ok though.

 

[jollysue]

Amquel is a declorinator that also neutralizes ammonia simular to Prime. Nova-aqua is a declorinator simular to StressCoat. It is her tap water that is laking in the necesary buffers I believe.

I was just reading this link in response to another post on ph balances. It may appear at first glance to be off subject, but it addresses tap water buffers

adjusting ph in the fresh water aquarium

I have read before of possible problems with using ammonia removing declorinators. Always more to learn. I am always reading posts about this stuff, but this article is the first one that made any sense of it for me. It's not really about using using the ammonia remover though.

 

[happyannie]

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking it's the Amquel as I don't have that problem in the other larger tank...

http/thegab.org/Articles/WaterQuality.html Toward the middle of the page.

Here's only one mention of it I found at random.. I spent some time reading others. It's the water here that's at issue and the combination...

So it's back to Stresscoat which is cheaper anyways. I'm doing water changes to get things raised. All will work out.
The new boy is happily swimming with his friend who I think is a little female. She is comical and inventive and has those fun qualities I so admire in the Clown Loaches.

Thanks again!

PS jollysue--GOOD article--I saved it. THANKS!

 

[jollysue]

Those goldie sites are some of the best. Also a good article. I am just now after 3 years starting to get interested in the Gh and Kh issues.