Clown Loaches

[monkeyman]

ok, here goes. i Have a juwel vision 260. cycled and everything. I have had 3 clown loaches in my tank for the past year no problems at all. The 3 of them happily swimming together. they are about 4" long. They ave lovely deep black an yellow markings an the fins are nice and red. the picture of health. HOWEVER! tonight i looked into my tank and two of them are a blacky colour, well still yellow an black but a fair bit grey looking at least. they seems to be fighting, mouth to mouth an nipping at each other too. my 3rd clown loach looks the picture of health an is staying well clear of the other 2! wat are they doing HELP!

 

[WILDER]

Don't no much about clown loaches, do you mean they have gone pale on it's a slimey patch on them, any signs of laboured breathing, or flicking and rubbing against objects, can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate, and ph, plus are they the only fish in the tank.

 

[monkeyman]

water check: amm = 0. Nitrite = 0 Nitrate = 20-40 ppm. ph = 6.7. All other fish are fine,. They have lived in the same tank for at least a year. No signs of bullying. Jus looks to be fighting amongst 2 Clown Loaches. As i said the other 1 CL is fine. No slime coating. Jus gone a paleish darker colour. wierd.

 

[WILDER]

http/www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artikl...own%20loach.htm

 

[tttnjfttt]

using this description, can you sex them? Mainly I am wondering if you have 2 males fighting over 1 female.

SEX: The female is larger and has a thinner tail. Mature males have a more arched back and a wider tail spread

 

[monkeyman]

thank you. The scary thing is that my 2 look like the 2 dead loaches with roe in the bootom of that link you sent me. Wierd how 2 of them are like that and my other one is fine. The rest of the fish are fine too. Ill keep you all posted if you are interested!

 

[tttnjfttt]

what about seperating the fish? do you have a hospital tank and a make shift divider you can use? Essentially stopping the fighting?

This sounds really dumb, but what is roe? i read the article and am clueless

 

[monkeyman]

No hospital tank at the mo. I know i probably should have one but i dont. I dont think id have the faintest idea on how to sex them - sorry. i will have a look though. I take it "roe" are loach eggs? anyone???

 

[smithrc]

Sounds normal to me.... their colouration changes to a darker version when they are being agressive.
Its called graying out and its normal in clowns - they will be trying to establish the pecking order in the tank.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Thanks for the info! Never heard this one before.

 

[monkeyman]

Thanking you very much indeed. Man, i love this place

 

[WILDER]

Glad you found your answer.

 

[monkeyman]

Glad you found your answer.

So am i buddy! I was starting to panic! Funnily enough, just checked on my Clowns and they are all back to normal. Thats the first time ive ever seen that, an ive had them for over a year! Well, you know what they say - you learn something new everyday!!! thanks again!