Hi i have three clown loach in my tank now for over three months. They have been very active and seemed very happy, the last two days one of them has stopped swiming and laying on his side he is still living but not responding when other fish swim past or when food is put in the tank. His colour is good. The other two clowns have grown a bit where as this one has stayed small. Any ideas?
Sick clown loach
- Thread starter kevfiz
- Start date
Hi
How big is the tank?
How often do you change water?
What water conditioner do you use?
What is the water temp?
What do you feed them?
Can you provide a photo of the fish and the tank.
Clown loaches should be kept in groups of six but the more the merrier with these guys.
How big is the tank?
How often do you change water?
What water conditioner do you use?
What is the water temp?
What do you feed them?
Can you provide a photo of the fish and the tank.
Clown loaches should be kept in groups of six but the more the merrier with these guys.
Two and a half foot tank, 90ltr two filters running and with gravel and rocks maybe brings it down to 80ltr, change water every two to three days as advised by the marine bio guy in my local aquarium shop, water temp is 28/82 the conditioner is api stress coat plus, I alternate there food between flakes bloodworm and Daphny ( hope I spelt that right)
Diagnosing problems in fish is not always easy. Symptoms can be applicable to several issues, from water quality/parameters to disease to the combination of non-compatible species or insufficient numbers or tank size. I won't guess at the issue here, but there is something that needs to be mentioned.
Most loaches, and certainly clowns, are very social fish. They must have a group, and five or six is the recommended minimum. When this is not provided for, the inherent hierarchy that quickly develops when a few fish are placed together in an aquarium can result in one or two bullies, and the subordinate fish usually weaken and may even be killed. A group of 5+ tends to prevent this, and the fish instead develop a normal hierarchy with a dominant fish but no one individual is picked on. Usually; there are no guarantees.
This presents a real problem for you with a 90 liter tank 30 inches in length. This fish grows, usually fairly quickly to 8 inches, then more slowly up to 12 inches. Even one loach would find this tank very cramped. Unless you have a six-foot tank available for these fish, I would not add more, and I would see if the store will take the two (three if the weakened survives) back. You really have no other options, as these fish will need space to grow and develop properly, internally and externally, and they need more of them.
There are some loach species that remain much smaller, and would be more suitable here.
Byron.
Most loaches, and certainly clowns, are very social fish. They must have a group, and five or six is the recommended minimum. When this is not provided for, the inherent hierarchy that quickly develops when a few fish are placed together in an aquarium can result in one or two bullies, and the subordinate fish usually weaken and may even be killed. A group of 5+ tends to prevent this, and the fish instead develop a normal hierarchy with a dominant fish but no one individual is picked on. Usually; there are no guarantees.
This presents a real problem for you with a 90 liter tank 30 inches in length. This fish grows, usually fairly quickly to 8 inches, then more slowly up to 12 inches. Even one loach would find this tank very cramped. Unless you have a six-foot tank available for these fish, I would not add more, and I would see if the store will take the two (three if the weakened survives) back. You really have no other options, as these fish will need space to grow and develop properly, internally and externally, and they need more of them.
There are some loach species that remain much smaller, and would be more suitable here.
Byron.
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