Clown Loach Heavy Breathing

[grass569]

Hi all

I would be very gratefull if someone on here can give me some advice.

I have 3 clown loach in my 400l tank and one of the larger ones (about 5 - 6inch) has been heavy breathing now for about a week. He/she has not been eating and now some of the other fish have started to bully it. It has also been trying to wedge itself under my bogwood.

I have tested my water parameters and they are as follows
Ammonia - 0
nitite - 0
Ph - 7.8
Temp - 79

The other tank mates are 4 x frontosa, 2 x dwarf cichlid and a common pleco. These have lived together now for about a year with no problems

I have now put the ill fish in my quarentine tank to try to give him a break. I am not too sure what i can do for him now ie treatments etc so i thought i would ask on here.

Thanks for your help in advance

Regards

Grass

 

[squeeky_jane]

There can be lots of reasons for a fish to breath fast, but I think your pH might be to high as I have read they like a pH between 6.5 to 7. How often and how much are you changing your water as clown loaches need very good water and do you know what your nitrate and water hardness levels are. They like a soft water hardness: Maximum DH: 12 and don't like strong lights. Other reasons for fast breathing could be fluke from the arrive of new fish. I would check all your water conditions first and take it from there by posting more details

 

[joselaz5780]

Your pH might be a little to high or way too high, keep up on your water changes(remember 20%) weekly, clown loaches are fish that like to have good water

 

[Tizer]

Do 50% weekly, its not all that hard with a hose.

 

[grass569]

Thanks for the replies

My nitrates are at 5, i dont have a test for hardness at moment i had a slight accident with this Left lid loose) so need to pick one up. The loaches have been in my tanks for about 5 years with no problems apart from a few weeks with one of them when i moved them into larger tank which we put down to stress but he recovered and has grown lots since and is fine now. The two other loaches are fine in the same tank. Also my ph is normally around 7.2 - 7.4, which at moment is 7.3 after realising i tested ph after water change the other day i re did all test this morning and all were the same as before apart from ph slightly lower
Again thanks for replies

Grass

 

[holidayinn]

Is the tank being aerated?

 

[grass569]

Is the tank being aerated?

Yes i have a air pump in one corner and one of my pump returns points slightly up just below surface to cause plenty of ripples

 

[Blubble37]

just rekmember, any treatment you use has to be for fish with no scales

 

[XeroTolerance]

Your pH may be too high. What I don't understand though why is it affecting them now after the whole time they have spent in your tank. Do you think it may be old age?

 

[cheddargremlin]

my 4 loached started doing this last sunday and sadly i lost all of them during the week
have you used any medications recently?

 

[grass569]

my 4 loached started doing this last sunday and sadly i lost all of them during the week
have you used any medications recently?

No I've not used anything as all other fish are fine and have been for ages. Also no new fish for about 4 month the sick loach is still in spare tank but isn't looking too good. Any ideas anyone

 

[Tizer]

are you changing the spare tanks water every day?