Clown Loach

[squeeky]

Hi, i'm a newby here so i'll just say hi 2 u all. one of my clowns has developed somewhat of a hole behind/above his eye, there was also one the other side which now seems to have healed. when i first noticed them they were quite reddened and looked quite nasty. Now they have got smaller and look to be getting smaller. I noticed them at the end of a treatment week for finrot on one of my barbs, used Interpet anti fungus/finrot which is safe for all species )so it says on the bottle). I first noticed how cloudy the water was and that the fish seemed to be gasping, so I did a water change and they were much better. Anyway, does anybody have any idea what this might be !
I have just noticed on a picture of a clown that over there eyes are a curved line of dots and on my clown, the last one of these dots which is behind its eye, is the one that was enlarged and red. What are these markings. They also run along its side centrally.

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Did you increase aeration in with the med, as meds reduce 02 in the tank.
Do they look like white specs on the eye as thats can be eye flukes, grains of salt sized spots on the eye can be whitespot.

 

[squeeky]

How many gallons or litres is the tank.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
Did you increase aeration in with the med, as meds reduce 02 in the tank.
D.o they look like white specs on the eye as thats can be eye flukes, grains of salt sized spots on the eye can be whitespot.

Hi, thanks for replying. The tank is too small (65ltr) as I am well aware of and am currently trying to find a good home for them. Wasn't advised when I bought them on how large they can grow. I've had them just over 12 mnths so they have grown pretty quick. Water stats are all safe (bought a nutrafin essential testing kit today). Didn't increase areation until last day of treatment, but since I have, clowns have been hovering vertically right over airstone bubbles and seem to be much happier, so its obvious to me now that more areation is required for them and others. They aren't white specks or grains, I experienced white spot once before and its definately not that. Its just like he's been prodded with the end of a pen or something. They have definately got smaller and are not red and agressive like they were last week, i thought it might be an ulcer or sore maybe ? The guy at the fish shop today said it sounds like its the water, but i've tested all and they're fine.
I'll just keep observing and as long as they are getting better, I must be doing something right (hopefully)
Also been advised to use King British Safe water when I do a water change, have been using stress coat and zyme previously which are a lot more expensive than safe water. Also not to feed every night as I have been doing (apart form sundays). There are so many opinions on good fish keeping its difficult to decide which is best. Some people change there water every 6 weeks and use tap water with no additives whatsoever and have no probs, I have done mine every 3 weeks from scratch, 25%
Tank is an aqua mode 600 with filters in the top and I always use a gravel cleaner.
Fish are 3 green tiger barbs, 2 clown loach, 3 congo tetras and a pleco.
Hope this enlightens !
Any advice gladly accepted !

 

[WILDER]

You do a gravel vac and water change once a week.
3 weeks is far to long to say your tanks overstocked.

 

[WILDER]

I would read this to rule it out.
Look under eye flukes.
Flukes can cause redness.
[URL="http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm"]http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm[/URL]

 

[squeeky]

I would read this to rule it out.
Look under eye flukes.
Flukes can cause redness.
<a href="http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm" target="_blank">http/www.fish-disease.net/diseases.htm</a>

Hi, thanks for the link, however I can get to the site but can't see any pictures unfortunately. Trying to observe as much as possible. On both clowns and on both sides at the very bottom of there gills just in front of the pectoral fins there is like a greyish black line about 2maybe3 mls, but couldn't say if its been there all the time. They are still more often than not, hovering vertically right over the airstone bubbles, could this be that they are getting some kind of releif from some irritation maybe. If it is flukes of somesort, could do with some good pictures really to compare ! would it do any harm if I was to treat them for it anyhow. Recent treatments over last few weeks have been Interpet no8 for a barb who's fins are nibbled away and dorsel fin was getting ragged. Then at the end of that treatment I noticed the clowns red sore thing behind its eyes and all fish seemed to be gasping, then did a 25% water change and they were all much happeir. Then asked the lfs for advice and said that some treatments weren't suitable for clowns because they absorb things with having no scales, however, the interpet trmnt. says its safe on all species. He recommended using melafix which i did, then water change after, things seem to have improved but still there. Then another lfs suggested some waterlife Myxazin, which I have done and also done a 15% water change and now the tank has its carbon filter back in.
Just looking at clowns again and right at the tip of there noses leading to barbels seem quite red (bloody).
Just trying to give as much info as possible as diagnosis is difficult to a beginner and the person on the other end who can't see the fishy's.
Thanks again
ps. know what you mean now about the thread thing !, will stick to this one now !

 

[WILDER]

Need to look at your water stats if the fish are gasping.
Clown loaches do have scales they to small to see them, the only area they don't have scales is on there heads.
If the fish had blood patches and sores you have a bad strain of bacteria in your tank which can be fetched on by bad water quality and dirty water.

 

[squeeky]

Need to look at your water stats if the fish are gasping.
Clown loaches do have scales they to small to see them, the only area they don't have scales is on there heads.
If the fish had blood patches and sores you have a bad strain of bacteria in your tank which can be fetched on by bad water quality and dirty water.

Did my water stats yesterday and they were all fine, but took note of your advice on doing a water change and gravel vac every week, would you do 25% or more or less? They do seem a lot better and that hole is definately getting smaller (closing up) more. However, the loach in question hasn't really bothered with food much over the last 3 days, but he is a biggy so not worried too much yet.
Tried the peas earlier and none of the fish were much bothered. Colours fine and they still look as sharp as they always have.
Just hope with regular water changes, gravel vac and a little more attention they will be ok. Like I said earlier, some people say they water change every 4 or 6 weeks and they tell you your doing it too often and you take there advice, and look where it got me !
How many fish would you say is ok for my tank volume (65ltr), semi circle shaped.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

There are so many opinions on good fish keeping its difficult to decide which is best. Some people change there water every 6 weeks and use tap water with no additives whatsoever and have no probs, I have done mine every 3 weeks from scratch, 25%

So do you do a 100% water change once a every 3 weeks or a 25% one?

Holes in the fishes head could be HITH (hole in the head disease), does it look anything like this;

http/www.flippersandfins.net/HITHarticle2.htm

??

 

[WILDER]

The clown loaches need rehoming as the tanks way to small for them.
What type of plec is it.
Your tank size only small fish, it usually once inch per gallon to go by.

Fish are 3 green tiger barbs, 2 clown loach, 3 congo tetras and a pleco.
Hope this enlightens !


Ok not one fish should be in your tank size.
Clown loaches 90 gallons.
Tigar barbs active fish 20 gallons.
Congo tetra's 30 gallons.
Need to know type of plec.

Hole in the head start off as pitting or spots on the head.
Open sores can eat way into holes.

Do you have any sharp ornaments in the tank.

 

[squeeky]

There are so many opinions on good fish keeping its difficult to decide which is best. Some people change there water every 6 weeks and use tap water with no additives whatsoever and have no probs, I have done mine every 3 weeks from scratch, 25%

So do you do a 100% water change once a every 3 weeks or a 25% one?

Holes in the fishes head could be HITH (hole in the head disease), does it look anything like this;

[URL="http/www.flippersandfins.net/HITHarticle2.htm"]http/www.flippersandfins.net/HITHarticle2.htm[/URL]

??

25% every 2/3 weeks. It does look similar to the picture. It does say in that it can be caused by poor diet, bad water quality and overcrowding.....................!
So maybe there's my answer. What other food do you think I could try tempting him with that is good for there diet.
test results were, amm 0, nitrite 0.1, nitrate 5, ph7.0

 

[WILDER]

You have a slight nitrite reading so I would do a water change.
Once the clown loaches are better I would rehome them as they deserve to be in a bigger tank that they are able to move around in.

 

[squeeky]

The clown loaches need rehoming as the tanks way to small for them.
What type of plec is it.
Your tank size only small fish, it usually once inch per gallon to go by.

Fish are 3 green tiger barbs, 2 clown loach, 3 congo tetras and a pleco.
Hope this enlightens !


Ok not one fish should be in your tank size.
Clown loaches 90 gallons.
Tigar barbs active fish 20 gallons.
Congo tetra's 30 gallons.
Need to know type of plec.

Hole in the head start off as pitting or spots on the head.
Open sores can eat way into holes.

I have been looking to rehome the clowns asap, not sure what type of pleco but it looks like one of the common ones. No sharp ornaments

Do you have any sharp ornaments in the tank.

 

[squeeky]

The clown loaches need rehoming as the tanks way to small for them.
What type of plec is it.
Your tank size only small fish, it usually once inch per gallon to go by.

Fish are 3 green tiger barbs, 2 clown loach, 3 congo tetras and a pleco.
Hope this enlightens !


Ok not one fish should be in your tank size.
Clown loaches 90 gallons.
Tigar barbs active fish 20 gallons.
Congo tetra's 30 gallons.
Need to know type of plec.

Hole in the head start off as pitting or spots on the head.
Open sores can eat way into holes.

Been to the lfs again today and eplained all the syptoms of clowns, noticed some like pin pricks emerging on its body more at the top, they're still hovering over bubbles and they have been flicking. Straight away he said white spot, I've seen this on my congos last year after I bought them but it seems different on a clown, he says the reason they're hovering over bubbles is because white spot will get in there gills causing them to be starved of oxygen. So he told me to do a water change before I treat them and to only use half the dose because they don't like treatment much. Do you think this sounds like the right thing to do.
Been pondering today over a larger tank, juwel 125 Rio, twice as big as the one I have, don't really want to part with my clowns and would like more barbs really.
If I do get one, whats the best way to go about transfering, would you set up the new one and let it cycle.

I have been looking to rehome the clowns asap, not sure what type of pleco but it looks like one of the common ones. No sharp ornaments

Do you have any sharp ornaments in the tank.

 

[WILDER]

Are you now treating for the whitepsot.