Please Help - Clown Loach Has Lost His Nose And Skin!

[loz_the_guru]

I bought two clown loaches to go with my original pair yesterday. I floated them for 30 minutes, then put them in a bukcet, netted them and added to my comunity tank. I know a quarantine tank is good practive but I dont ahve the money, time or space to run a second tank, especially as I hardly ever add new fish. I always add a little API Stress Coat when adding new fish, just to be on the safe side.

Almost immediately I thought I spotted a problem with one of the loaches barbels, but couldnt see anything upon later inspection so left it. This morning however it looks as if the barbels have gone compeltely, infact the top layer of skin over his nose appears to have come off completely, and ive noticed something similar on the undersid eof his belly. In addition, the flesh around his eye looks inflamed and is visibly red.


Does anybody know whats wrong with my fish? I have a fine gravel substrate but have had no problems with my other two loaches whove been in there for two months. Is the problem cureable, and is it likely to spread to my other fish?

All my water stats are normal, no ammonia spikes/NO2/NO3 spikes and I did a 50% water change mid week.

Please help, Ive only just cured a recurring ich problem with my loaches, gutted as it looks like im gonna lose this one but want to make sure any losses are minimized!

 

[Truck]

tank mates?

and also does your filter have a big inlet? if so it could be that if its quite powerful

 

[loz_the_guru]

Should have mentioned, tank mates are peaceful - neons, rummy nose, an ancistrus and two guppys. The filter is a tetratec ex700 but ive never noticed any other fish being troubled by it, even some of the smaller neons swim around it without any problems.

 

[WILDER]

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

Was the mouth a bleached out white colour or look fluffy in appearance.
Mouthrot columnaris can eat away at the whole head of the fish.
Does the clown loach flick and rub.
The eye does it look like a pool of blood or just inflamed.

How bad is he as he needs treating with a bacterial med.
Not looking to good i'm afraid.
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