Clown Loach On Hunger Strike.

[andyw823]

A while back i lost some loaches to an out break of slime disease. Once i knew the tank was settled i purchased one clown loach so i had a group of 4, i had been to the shop a few times to see the clowns. the one i wanted was the chubbiest and most colourful one in the shop. Once in my tank it settled in well with the others but then it started to hide and got thinner and thinner, its so thin you can see its bones in the area to the back of the eyes. i have fed the tank with various foods, live, live frozen (almost all types), flakes, pelets, cucumber ect and athough it will dart to the food, it just turns its nose up at it but seems to carry on looking at the food! I really want to save this loach but im stuck with what todo!?

 

[Lestat999]

Two foods my clowns cannot refuse are prawns (defrosted) & Hikari sinking carnivore pellets, they are also very keen on cucumber.

 

[MBOU]

The Hikari Carnivore Sinking Pellets are exactly what i was going to suggest! They usually go by the name of Massivore Delite though.

Aslo, JBLs NovoTabs and NovoFect, i usually chuck a couple of each in.

The trick is timing as well, feed them at night, wait for about 10 - 15 minutes after you turn your lights out and then drop the food in, loaches are far more comfortable coming out to eat in half light (early morning or late evening when there is tiny amount of natural light but not tank light).

 

[holidayinn]

It might be worth researching 'skinny disease' just to count it out..Clown Loaches can be prevalent to this. I have just copied and pasted something Wilder put on another thread below:


Info taken from the link.
http/www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artikl...own%20loach.htm

Loss of weight or "skinny disease" is also quite common in Clown loaches. Typical symptoms are loss of weight and behaviour known as "knifeback" even though the fish is acting and eating normally. This sickness is more difficult to treat, it comes from a parasite organism (spironucleus) in the intestines of the same type that is thought to cause the so called "discus disease". I have successfully removed this disease from newly imported fish by using Spirohexol from JBL in the form of tablets. I have taken one tablet and crushed it and dissolve it in as little water as possible. I have then used discus granules which have been soaked in the solution. It becomes like a thick porridge after a short time when the food has drawn in the liquid. I then feed this to the sick fishes, after a week it looks like the sickness is gone. For the best possible effect do not feed with any other food. Flagyl (Metronidazole) also helps fight against this sickness but at least here in Sweden it is on prescription and can be a little difficult to come by.

Apart from this Clown loaches are not more susceptible than other fish, the above sickness usually occurs in fish that have been stressed during transport or subjected to other stress factors like cold water or poor aquarium hygiene. Do not buy fish that look emaciated! Well looked after fish are seldom sick. To quote my friend Elisabeth Hallberg; "the best way to avoid sickness is to keep the fish healthy".

 

[andyw823]

Bit of good news, it eat some daphina but only a small amount. I tried some blood worm today, it went straight for it but spat it right out. It isn`t interested in cucumber like the others are and i have some of the Hikari pellets which again it isnt interested in. So it looks like its going to be daphina every day!

 

[onebto]

I hope things work out keep us apprised of the out cum

 

[Davo86]

Try feeding foods soaked in garlic, Most fish can't resist this,

You can buy frozen prepared brineshrimp in garlic from TMC

 

[andyw823]

I hope things work out keep us apprised of the out cum

Well since my last post i have fed frozen krill, brine shrimp,Mysis and bloodworm. It will pick the food up and spit it right back out so it looks like daphina is the way forward for this loach at the moment. The rainbows and the other clowns must feel like they are in heaven at the moment with all this food going in lol