Clown loaches flashing.

[Cheese Specialist]

Hi,

I have noticed over the past few days that the clown loaches in my 71UK/84US gallon tank have been scratching off things in the tank (wood) every now and again. I may have seen others in the tank do it recently too. There are no other signs of ick or anything.

My tank details are:

Size: 5ft x 1.5ft x 1.5ft
Volume: 71UK/84US/323litres
Substrate: Sand and gravel mix (mostly sand)
Ornaments: Lots of bogwood of various sizes, lots of caves
Plants: Java Fern, Java Moss and Large Reg Tiger Lilly
Filtration: 2 Eheim Ecco external filters
Other: Air pump with 4" stone

Parameters:

Levels: ph 7, Amonia 0, Nitrite 0 (just tested)

I have the fish that are in my signature. The tank has only been set up for 2 weeks but it was second hand and came with the existing filter, substrate and some water (and I added water from my other tank). The levels were perfect straight away, except for the ph dropped over the first few days, but it has been settled at 7 since.

I have a fair bit of medications etc available but I do not like to treat unless I know what I am treating for, I am sure you understand.

Do fish ever just itch or is it always a sign of something worse? I am going to go and do a water change of about 25% as it can never hurt.

Thanks for any advice people.

 

[DrOizo]

My first thought would be nitrites but you've tested for them, next would be parasites, gill flukes perhaps brought in on the old filter? As you probably know clown's are quite picky about what medication they can handle so be extra careful with any dosing

 

[Cheese Specialist]

So, it's definatley disease?

What do gill flukes look like? How can I diagnose it?

Also, 16 fish came with the tank and filter etc and they are all fine.



Thanks for the reply.

 

[DrOizo]

I wouldn't deffinatley say its a disease but it's just what it might be. One of my guppies is flicking but there are no obvious problems in the tank, I just think shes crazy. try here
http/images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=bad...DUTF-8%26sa%3DN

 

[DrOizo]

I bought some java fern and bog wood and it contained what I thought were gill flukes (Cyclops) as my disease book said but supposedly cyclops can be fed to fish so I don't think it could be them. That Sight I posted appeared to have some good info

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Cheers,

I just looked at the site and then at the loaches and they are showing no other symptoms other than the scratching. Their breathing is normal and there is no sign of parasites around the gills. However, when I was looking one of the smaller ones scratched along the bottom.

:dunno

I am going to look through my books etc and through that website's other diseases. Please let me know of you think of anything, anyone...

Dana

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Incidently DrOizo, you have a clown loach in a 4 gallon tank? Is that wise/permanent? Your other tank wouldn't be big enough either.

Don't mean to offend, just wondering.

 

[suemack]

unless they develop any symptoms of disease I'd just be doing daily w/changes, maybe raise the tank temp a couple of degrees...................didn't have much luck with bogwood in my tank, may well have been the particular piece of wood but developed a water fouling problem when it was in there

good luck with them

sue

 

[Cheese Specialist]

unless they develop any symptoms of disease I'd just be doing daily w/changes, maybe raise the tank temp a couple of degrees...................didn't have much luck with bogwood in my tank, may well have been the particular piece of wood but developed a water fouling problem when it was in there

good luck with them

sue

Degrees Farenheit or Celcius (sp?)?

Would making the temp higher just make there be less oxygen on the bottom, where the loaches live? It's currently at 25C/77F

I always have wood in my tanks. I think the smelly thing is not the wood itself but anaerobic bacteria.

See this thread for more info - http/fish.orbust.net/forums/index.php?sh...showtopic=23235

I have just done a 30% water change and I will do another in a couple of days. I don't like changing too much water too often.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[suemack]

I try to treat all my tanks very conservatively as I have either loaches or cories in all - if there is a non-specific problem and am not sure what it is I generally do 10-15% daily (if poss) water changes - not too much but enough to keep some fresh water going in. I raise the tank temp to about 78 or 79 degrees and add another airstone.

Am not sure why I raise the temp to be honest....but it doesn't seem to worry my fish and guess if they are brewing something (i.e. ich) it will make it show up quicker.

Thanks for the link about the wood.....long term it's a tricky proposition for my tanks as am on tankwater (rainwater) and it tends to make the pH drop very low.

sue

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Yeah, I have a pretty low ph now with all the wood compared wth my other tanks. The tank came with all the wood and I have kept it all, I really like it.

I got a fright when I first set it up as the ph of my tanks is usually about 7.3-7.6 and the water in the tap is 7.5. Within a day of setting up the new tank the ph was way lower than what I am used to!! But now it stays at 7 which is ideal for a community tank.



I might up the temp a little as it won't hirt but I do not have another air stone or pump. Will the 4" one be ok, bearing in mind my tank os 5ft long?

Thanks

 

[suemack]

with the level of water turnover you have coming from the filters and the airstone it should be ok but........as always - do it gradually (I just go up a degree at a time ) and watch your fishes ....... good luck

sue

ps I've always been a guppyoholic but then I got loaches....................

 

[Cheese Specialist]

with the level of water turnover you have coming from the filters and the airstone it should be ok but........as always - do it gradually (I just go up a degree at a time ) and watch your fishes ....... good luck

sue

ps I've always been a guppyoholic but then I got loaches....................

I have never been into guppies, maybe because I haven't kept them but I love bottom dwellers!! They are my favs. If I could I would get a tank that was only 10" high but 10feet long!!

I aways have lots of catfish and loaches!! I am getting my first ever kuhlis on Friday!!

I am going to adjust the temp now.

 

[suemack]

kuhli's were the first loaches I ever got.......they're cool little guys - I only have 3 of them at the moment but when I do get a bigger tank would like about 6

they will absolutely love your tank

sue

 

[DrOizo]

Don't worry about my Loach he's only 1 inch at the moment and I have bigger plans for him and it comes from Juwel Thanks for worrying though! I should have said water changes aswell, forgot