2 out of my 6 clown loaches (all eating very well) are extremely skinny and their skeletons are visible. (They looked healthy when I bought them) I was reading some thread awhile back where someone said clown loaches are prone to internal parasites that develop over time and the loach slowly wastes away. Could anyone confirm/deny if they have them? Also, if they do have internal parasites what are good treatments? (as I've never dealt with them)
P.S. I'm also treating the tank for ich, so I'm not sure if treating for 2 things at once is safe
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Sorry for the blurriness, they're super quick and my camera seems to be retarded at taking pictures at a decent rate.
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Their colour looks good - I find that is a good indication of clowns health.
We have 9, 6 medium (4-5") and 3 small (2"). its not until my sister 'donated' her 2 small ones that i remembered how skinny they look when they are young.
If they are feeding well, they should be fine, give them time.
I sat watching ours lastnight and the small ones even though they are skinny, still got little bellys after feeding
They are also a bit sensitive to chemical treatments so don't rush in.
What are you feeding them? They love bloodworms and these are full of nutrition so (if you are not already) try some. If they are eating well, they are well.
If they are looking very skinny, i would assume it is internal parasites. I read somewhere that up to 50% of clowns come home from the LFS with them.
To treat this disease, you should look for some Levamisole (usually found from farm supply stores). The best part of this medicine is it is actually good for the fish. Besides killing the parasites, it is absorbed through the gills, and boosts the strength of their immune system. This is actually a medicine they give aids patients to help their immune systems too.
/www.loaches.com/faq_parasites.html
