I think I have a clown loach dying

[daisymac]

Some of you know that I was fighting ICH. First just with salt and higher temps then with Quick cure and Melafix (to help take the itch away.)

Well after a week of half dosing the Quick cure and only doing it every other day, I noticed that most of the clowns were hiding, but then one came out. He was swimming vertically up and down on the corner of the tank. His mouth was open, as if he was saying "OH." His gills are moving fast (for lack of a better term) and he was just acting odd. I have a photo but I'm not sure you can really see what I see with him. All of my water testing was in normal ranges.

Today I did another 30% water change, thinking maybe that would help. He would hardly move when I was vacuuming the tank - I literally had to shoo him away. He has been sucking things - or at least attaching himself to things with his mouth, but it never seems to close.

Now he is lurking around the bottom of the tank laying on his side, attaching to things and being very weird.  

I just did another water test and the only thing that is off is the kH. Usually it is around 120 and now it is 80. I did add some salt but not that much. Do you think this will settle down in a day or so?

What are your ideas about my clown loach? The others seem to be doing better and out and about.

[guppymax]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

I know nothing about loaches in conjuction with quick cure but I found this:

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art37960.asp

"You will need to use the smaller recommended dose with tetras. Thin-skinned fishes, like the catfishes, botias and loaches must actually be removed, since the malachite green in the medication is too readily absorbed and is toxic to them."

max

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

Max,

Since I have tetras I have used the lesser dosage and that is why I only gave them a dose evey other day - I read that that was important to do with delicate fish.

Thanks for helping me out!

[eklikewhoa]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

When I dosed my tank which have clown loaches in them I used half the rec dosage and water changes the next day before another half dosage. The clowns are scaleless fish so medicine has a stronger effect on them. I had a lot of them basically float around lifeless as they were already dead but after everything settled I only lost two out of ten.

Right now I'm increasing my ph and keeping a real close eye on my loaches since they are in with my frontosa's and they are more sensitive.

What are your water parameters at?

I had a really bad problem with nitrates and that was my main problem I found with my loaches. Also the loaches don't fair well with melafix, also make sure you have good aeration when using melafix.

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

I haven't tested the water yet today, but yesterday it was Ammo 0, nitite, 0, nitrates around 15-20. ph hard, and kh moderate.

Today I went to church, ate lunch and came home. Looked in tank, and man this clown was laying on the bottom of tank, grayed out deader than a door nail. I sighed and went for the net.  :(  Came back, leaned over to look again and he jumped up and zipped off! So far he isn't acting weird anymore - or no weirder than they do anyway!

I have read about this behavior, but this is the first time one of them did it to me. BIZARRE! :signeek:

[eklikewhoa]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

so he was just lying on his side and you panicked? from what i got in your initial post was he was floating around just about.

mine eat till they look like they swallowed marbles and then lay on there sides of dig themselves into one of the holes in my holey rock and just lay there.

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

Eklilkeawhoa,

If you re-read my first post, he was swimming vertically for a couple days at first, then hovering at the bottom sucking onto things, and not eating or anything. He woud just flap in the water as he hung onto a rock.

Then yesterday, I saw him laying on the bottom. He looked limp and pale - and dead. I have never seen any of mine do this before.

I have never seen them eat to the point that they look fat. What are you feeding your guys, and how old are they?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

well he sounds like something is wrong with him, probably cut back on the melafix?(mine hate the stuff)

i feed mine a big variety of foods throughout the day frozen brine shrimp, frozen mysis shrimp, frozen bloodworms, newlife spectrum cichlid formula and thera+A, cucumbers(for the plecos but they all nibble on it) and sometimes krill. i have 7 that are around 2" and three that are about 4" they all eat out of my hand and nibble on my fingers when it comes to feeding time and before the food hits the water they are schooling near the top.

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

I only did a half dose of melafix a couple times - not on a daily basis. He is in hiding right now, so I can't really tell how he is.

All mine get is the newlife spectrum small pellets, Tetra Color bits tropical granules and occasionally a treat of plankton. This maybe a stupid ? but could I dice up some shirmp that I have in my freezer (for shrimp cocktail but no sauce on it) and try that for them? I worry that they don't eat enough.

I've only had mine a couple months and they resent it every time I do ANYTHING to the tank, so they hide for a day or so, just darting out once in awhile. I can't use bloodworms because I am allergic..

What is Thera+A? And how long have you had them?

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

I woke up to 2 dead clown loaches. The other 3 look good, but . . .

[Ellen]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

I'm sorry to hear that.  :( Have you tested the water recently?

Ellen

[eklikewhoa]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

sorry about your loaches...


i have had mine for probably 3-4months now and they probably do so well cause its a large group.. thera+A is new life spectrum but for immune system.

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

My water tested the same as usual - ammo 0, nirite 0, nitrate 20, pH 7.4, kH 110. I think I did a bad thing when I added the Quick Cure. I should have been patient with the salt and higher temps before adding anything else. I just did a big water change on Sat., and I think that is why the nitrates are a bit higher. Usually they are around 10, but I have had 20 before with no problems.

In the last 2 weeks I lost 5 Otos, 1 leopard danio, and now the 2 clown loaches. I believe the salt wasn't good for the otos, and the danio was a very small fish that never looked right from the get-go.

The remaining 3 clown loaches look like the ICH is gone and they are being very friendly today, and they are eating like I haven't seen them do for a long time. I'm going to keep the temp at 82 just to be safe. I think I will try the Thera+A, as well.

How large a group do you have Ek?

[eklikewhoa]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

i use rid ich medication which works really well. fyi


i have a group of 10 , three monsters and seven smaller ones that are a little over 2". they all school together and it looks really cool

[daisymac]

Re: I think I have a clown loach dying

Thanks for the tip ek! If you don't mind me asking - where did you get your clowns?