Clown Loaches

[mattbond]

i used to have a two foot tank with 3 clown loaches, (and various other fish)
i put them in a new juwel 800 about 6 weeks ago and they barely leave a coconut shell in the tank
they used to be really active, swimming in all levels of the tank and eating all the food

is there something wrong with them?

thoughts?

 

[AdAndrews]

are there any other fish in the tank, and how long has it been cycled for??

 

[Davo86]

are there any other fish in the tank, and how long has it been cycled for??

Also do you know the current water stats?

 

[mattbond]

ph is around 7.5
it was cycled for about 5 days, but had safe start put in to get it up and running quickly
all other fish are fine, ive got one large moonlight gourami (placid), 11 neon tetras, 5 bentos (rosy?) tetras, 3 peppered cories, 1 smalll ancistrus, and 2 kuhli loaches, and the 3 shy clowns?

what do you think?

 

[Davo86]

ph is around 7.5
it was cycled for about 5 days, but had safe start put in to get it up and running quickly
all other fish are fine, ive got one large moonlight gourami (placid), 11 neon tetras, 5 bentos (rosy?) tetras, 3 peppered cories, 1 smalll ancistrus, and 2 kuhli loaches, and the 3 shy clowns?

what do you think?

well its hard to say without knowing the readings for nitrate, nitrite and ammonia, these are the important ones,

did you swap the filters straight over onto the new tank or start afresh?

 

[mattbond]

we used juwel filter matierial in the very old fluval filters ( they just about fitted) for about a week in the old tank before swapping them over

could it be something to do with behaviour? as they have have a few more hiding places in the new tank than they used to?
all the other fish seem fine, exept for the gourami whos been a bit slower for months now because of his age lol (7 years)

 

[Davo86]

we used juwel filter matierial in the very old fluval filters ( they just about fitted) for about a week in the old tank before swapping them over

could it be something to do with behaviour? as they have have a few more hiding places in the new tank than they used to?
all the other fish seem fine, exept for the gourami whos been a bit slower for months now because of his age lol (7 years)

I'd say that it is highly likely to be the water stats, nitrite and ammonia are toxins, i.e. are poisonous and when it is present in water some fish try to hide from it, just as if it where a predator or threat to them. running filters for just seven days will not cycle them

I would test your water ASAP, as if toxins are present then eventually fish will die.

 

[mattbond]

right, i'll do that tommorow and get some test kits,

why arent the other fish affected?

 

[Davo86]

right, i'll do that tommorow and get some test kits,

why arent the other fish affected?

Clown Loach are a very sensitive species, compared to most

 

[mattbond]

ok thanks very much, what is they behaviour like under normal circumstances?

 

[Davo86]

ok thanks very much, what is they behaviour like under normal circumstances?

I think you summed it up pretty well above

really active, swimming in all levels of the tank and eating all the food

 

[mattbond]

yeah, to begin with i thought that was odd as the books say that they quite shy anyway

 

[Davo86]

yeah, to begin with i thought that was odd as the books say that they quite shy anyway

mine aren't, they are always out swimming around the front of the tank,
I suppose it all comes down to if they are comfortable in their surroundings.

 

[mattbond]

as soon as i logged off, and turned off the aquarium lights, the clowns came out?

is it common for them to suddenly turn nocturnal?

 

[Davo86]

as soon as i logged off, and turned off the aquarium lights, the clowns came out?

is it common for them to suddenly turn nocturnal?

maybe the new tank lights are brighter and they haven't got used to them yet?