clown loach bent

ok so not strictly an emergency but hope someone can help

i bought 3 new clowns mail order from trimar two weeks ago, service was good but they were smaller than i was lead to believe when i ordered them.

i have them in my 45 gallon at the mo and hope to move them to my 80g when they get bigger.

since i put them in the tank, i have only seen one of them free swimming, the other two are ok i think (its a juwel tank and they have taken up residence under the filter)

the active one is feeding well and quite sociable but i think he's bent, his backbone seems more curved than my bigger clowns in my 80g tank, he seems to staighten up when he's eating but otherwise just looks curved.

i tried to take a photo but the quality is not much good sorry, but hope this gives you some idea of what i mean.

any suggestions?


30.10.04 edit


got up this morning and he died

now i'm worried about the other two, i don't know about their condition cus they are still under the filter, i could chase them out but that would stree them and then probably get ich.

what do i do???

From your photo I think he looks quite normal......clown loaches tend to curve like that when swimming about.HTH.

its difficult to get a good photo of him, but he really is much more curved than any of my other clowns

anyone??

Have you phoned Monty and asked if anyone else is having problems. Are the other ones eating ok? Feed them up, I always find that a good plan with certain fish (like clown loaches and discus).

I am sorry your clown has died.

my problem now is i don't know if the others are eating at all because they won't come out of their hiding place, i know they are there because i can just see them under the filter but i don't want to stress them by chasing them out

lady_tanksalot said:

my problem now is i don't know if the others are eating at all because they won't come out of their hiding place, i know they are there because i can just see them under the filter but i don't want to stress them by chasing them out

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No, don't chase them out. Temp them out. Get them something nice like bloodyworm or mine love cucumber and lettuce, melon too. They might not come out straight away but I bet they will maybe at night. Do you have a blue nightlight for your tank or a lamp you could put beside to simulate dusk?

have had these two little guys for two weeks now and have spent several hours with the blue light on trying to temp the out, so far no joy

i'll try some of the foods you suggested cs. always wondered if i need to prepare cucumber lettuce etc apart from cleaning it before putting it in the tank.

Some people blanch it (sit it in bioling water for a few seconds) but I personally just weigh it downwith a rock and stick it in.