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Stuck Clown Loach Emergency!

CrystalClear16

CrystalClear16

Fish Crazy
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I bought my clown loaches a new ornament a few days before going on holiday, which they seemed to love and moved in pretty quick. We hadn't seen one of them since we bought it, so when I did the water change just before going away I had a look. He was up in a little cranney of the ornament, looking quite grey but gave a wiggle. We wern't too worried because the clowns can go a bit grey if they have been in the shadows for a long time and they like to squeeze into tight spots.

We have been away a week and a half and just got back. I immediatey started cleaning and had a look to see if I could find all the fish. Everyone was accounted for, except this same clown loach. He was in exactly the same place, looking grey and not responding to a prod of the tail. I thought he was dead, but then went to stroke his lower body and he wiggled.

I am not sure if he is stuck, or just likes it there. He seems to have been here ever since we added the ornament but I suppose there is no way of 100% knowing if he has been out and about. He used to come out in the evenings but doesn't anymore.

The little bit he is in is awkward to get to - there is no other entrance so I can't blow into it to get him out. It is too small for me to ease him out with a finger. I tried slowly lifting it out of the water but he doesn't back out when the water goes down.

If he is ok I don't want to stress him, but I am now very worried that he has been stuck for nearly two weeks. How can I get him out without causing stress? I don't know if I can leave him, he is our favorite clown loach and we are really worried :(
 
Hi, thanks for such a fast reply. Pics as requested:

This is the ornament:
SP_A0187.jpg


He is stuck in the little 'twig' bit poking up in the middle. The entrance is the thicker bit in the middle, it is hollow but the end on the right is not connected to the main area.

And here is a pic of him, taken by turning the ornament on it's side and looking through the base:
SP_A0189.jpg
 
In the early days of Keeping clown Loaches I had one do exactly the same thing but he or she did not grey out.

But I got a little worried about this tiny little spot he would lodge into so all I did was stuff a bit of filter foam in that particular place I dont think he was to annoyed as he got over loosing his little whole.

He just found a new one that did not panic me.

Getting them out of a tight spot is usually remedied by a lack of water try this I have found it has worked for me, so bring the ornament to the surface then lift for a short period so he has no water leave for a second or two then submerge him again repeat a couple of times if he is not stuck he will decide he wants to move as soon as he goes back in the water well as I say its worked for me.

If he is stuck I cant give you any advice as it is unknown territory, I did read once someone who used a small modellers brush to gently touch the fish but as I say I have never tried it so I would only use that as a desperate last choice hopefully someone else will have some good advice.

Years on I do not worry so much when a clown or Zebra loach finds a tight spot as you said they love them.

Good luck regards onebto.
 
Yeah a picture would help because he might have been coming out then back in often. Has someone been feeding your fish while you were away?
My clown loach and yoyo loch used to hide in the tightest parts of an ornament and once my yoyo got stuck in a small circle, I knew he was definitely stuck because he flapped his back end and the whole ornament used to spin around. Even how painful it would be I had to push him out I felt really sorry for him but at the same time relieved and he was fine right after. The ornament had a jelly in the circle where he was stuck which I think that is part of his skin, really weird stuff. I then got rid of the ornament. It also happened with my Striped raphael catfish I think it was the same situation where your clown loach is in because even when I took out the ornament he didn't move like he used to so I had to get an earbud to take him out.
 
Hi, thanks for your input.

Pics are above Didz04. No one has been in while I have been away, but we used a block. But if he is stuck he would still be alive even though he wouldn't have eaten - apparently most fish can survive 2-4 weeks without food.

@Onebto - yes I am definatley going to stuff the hole as soon as he comes out. I have tried dipping it in and out of the water, but that doesn't seem to have made any difference. I did it a few times but he stayed where he is.

I don't think i would be so worried if it wasn't for the fact that he used to come out alot and stopped as soon as we got the new ornament. The fact that he is pale also worries me - it might be a sign that he is stressed.
 
he really is stuck fast! hmm..........

i dont think he's being stubborn, i think he really is stuck.he must be breathing as he moves right? so his gills are not jammed shut. Ok, there are a few options,none that you MUST do, just what i would do..... 1 is to leave him be and hope for the best, if he can breath he will live a few weeks without food and thus become thinner and free himself. option 2 is to physically remove him by hand somehow. can you get your hand in there?
 
plecostomus-mad said:
he really is stuck fast! hmm..........

i dont think he's being stubborn, i think he really is stuck.he must be breathing as he moves right? so his gills are not jammed shut. Ok, there are a few options,none that you MUST do, just what i would do..... 1 is to leave him be and hope for the best, if he can breath he will live a few weeks without food and thus become thinner and free himself. option 2 is to physically remove him by hand somehow. can you get your hand in there?
Click to expand...

I can't see his gills but he must be breathing as he is still alive. Given that we have been on hols and left him I think option 1 has been tried - I think he has been stuck for a week and a half so that would be enough time to get thin.

I can reach far enough to touch him, but I can't get two fingers in there. The hole is too small to get a finger alongside. I don't have a brush, but I do have cotton buds. Perhaps I could try sliding one alongside him, or would that run the risk of damaging his eye?
 
Looking at the picture he looks like his front half is in the hole and that means his front fins (cant remember the correct name for them) can you see if his dorsal fin is all the way in?

I am the eternal optimist but I think your wrong Jjsmith46.

If the ornament has been pulled out of the water and he has not wriggled out to get back in the water then that is a very good sign he is in there good and proper.

How many definite days has he been without food?

I am at a real loss to how you get him out?

I would be tempted to leave him be for 24 hours do some research on this problem and revisit it in 24 hours

Regards Onebto
 
I can't see any of his fins other than the tail.

As I haven't been here I cannot be 100% certain he hasn't been out, but as he was in exactly the same position before we left I am fairly certain he hasn't moved. I last saw him eat nearly 2 weeks ago. He is usually a very sociable fish and the dominant clown loach so normally he is the first out when food appears.

I have Googled the problem and found a few cases where people broke the ornament, and another were someone wrapped a cotton bud in tight plastic to make it smaller, covered it in slime coat and used that to ease it out.

I haven't got any slime coat - would the plastic be too harsh on his skin? As for breaking it, I have no problems destroying the ornament to get him out but I don't know how I would go about it without hurting him. I have kitchen knives but no real tools like a hacksaw. We have a hammer and screwdriver though - I could use the screwdriver as a chisel.
 
Yep I have been goggling the problem myself and I think we have been reading the same pages.<br><br><br>Be honest the breaking the ornament option I would leave till the last as it has the option of greatest risk BUT! its like first aid sometimes if you do nothing then the only certain thing is death.<br><br><br>If everything else fails then you will have to break the ornament otherwise he will die you may need to be prepared to euthanase him if things do not work out well.<br><br><br>But the whole using something soft to try and ease him out is an option as mentioned before I have read someone used some small modelling brushes to prod and poke.<br>Is there any chance you can post a picture of the other side of the ornament i.e the other side to the fish?<br><br><br>Can you get some slime coat tomorrow? he has been in there for possible weeks so another day wont hurt.<br><br><br>I know its very stress full for the old guy but the old lift the
ornament out of the water hold over the water and a few good taps on
the top maybe the second to last option maybe that will be enough to
launch him back into the water?<br><br><br>As for pulling him out foam filter wool or foam between your fingers and the fish you may have to break some of the ornament off to get your fingers in there.<br>I really feel for you and the little guy please keep us apprised of the situation<br><br>Regards onebto.<br>
 
Ok, the only option is to break the ornamnent - which is plastic. Any ideas how to do this?
 
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