Concerned about my Clown Loaches

[rvm]

I have 3 Clown Loaches who up until now have been very healthy and active. Over the last week or so, I have noticed that they have developed black spots all over their bodies. One of them has also lost a lot of colour and is now very pale.
They don't seem to be behaving any different, and are eating well, but I am concerned as the one that has lost colour, seems to be thinner than before.
Does anyone know if this is anything to be concerned about??
I did go through a problem with ammonia a week ago when my filter stopped working properly, but this is now sorted. However, this problem started before I had that problem!!!
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[rvm]

I thought you lot were supposed to be experts!!!!!!!
Seriously though, does anyone have any ideas?

 

[smithrc]

no ides here - sorry

does the thin one look like its wasting away?

 

[rcl]

If you had an ammonia issue, you may want to keep in mind that the effects of ammonia poisioning may not show up until later (days or maybe even weeks). As for the black spots, I am no disease expert at all... but as for them turning pale, this is obviously a sign that something is very wrong.

How long have you had the loaches? The active and playful behavior some people see as active and healthy in clown loaches (the antics you may see them do in pet stores), I have found through personal experience actually is stressed behavior.. If you have had them for a while though and they calmed down and now are just playful, then I would definitely say the ammonia was the problem. Make sure that all of your levels are back to normal, and try feeding them foods they aerlly like such as frozen bloodworms perhaps? Also, make sure they have a lot of places to hide.

If you're willing to do it, you may want to add a little bit of non-iodized (plain) salt to your tank. When all 7 of my loaches got ich I treated with salt and it ended up curing them. I added approximately 1 tblspoon per 5 gallons I believe, but you may want to start with a lower amount and work your way up. This helps any fish that is sick in any way, believe it or not. You would of course remove the salt via partial water changes.

Another tip for helping cure sick fish would be to make sure you keep it dark for them, and maek sure there are enough hiding spots (throw in some pvc fixtures if you don't think there are) and maybe even cover the tank with a towel. I use this approach when I quarantine and I feel that it really helps out


Sorry to hear your loaches are sick, I hope some of this helps them!!!


Robert

 

[Dakota Ice]

Robert hit it on the head, this is probably the effects of an ammonia spike. Pale color is a sign of stress, although Ive read stories of clown loaches changing colors to a paler, lighter color and it being totally normal.

But I do know for a fact that the thinning is most likely internal parasites. Id see how things go for a while and then decide on the course of action to take.

Good Luck!
Dakota

 

[rvm]

Well, they seem to be fine, other than the colouring. One of them is fat, and bright, another is fat, but a bit duller, and the last is a little thinner and duller than the first!!!!
However, there has always been one who was brighter (I think this means he is the dominant one?!!!) and their activities haven't changed since I got them. For the first month and a half, they were very shy and hid a lot, but for the last 4 months, they have been very active, and will even feed from my hand when I feed bloodworm. None of this has changed, it is just the black spots, and that one is thinner.
I think I may be worrying over nothing, as water parameters are beck to normal now, and when I had the problem, ammonia was never over 0.6ppm anyway, so it wasn't too bad (I know it should always be 0, but 0.6 is better than 3 or 4 ppm!!).
I can't add salt as I have 2 plecs in the tank, and I don't really see any signs of disease anyway.
I'll keep a close eye on them for the next week or so, and see how thay do. Many thanks for your replies guys; nice to see people helping!!!

 

[Eelzor]

With the pale clown, it is either what Rob has already mentioned, or it is simply not having a good day. My clowns tend to change colour often, but they are always acting the same. If your dull one is acting normal then there shouldn't be anything wrong.

As for the black dots, do you have bogwood in your tank? My clowns plow in their bogwood and end up staining themselves with small black dots all over there snout and some on body. If you don't have bogwood, then it may be something else. I am not sure if the bogwood in my tank caused my clowns to have dots, however, if your clowns are eating well and acting reasonably normal (use common sense ), then it should be fine.

HTH B)

 

[rvm]

yup, I have bogwood, so that could be it. Thats quite good to know. Like I said, I'll keep a close eye on them, but I think I'm just a bit over concerned really.
Once again. Thanks for all your help!!!

 

[rcl]

Cool stuff, I wouldn't have even thought it would have been bogwood! I learned something new from this too

As far as salt, plecos are actually very tolerant of it. Cories are less so, but they can still handle (and even benefit) from a low level of salt in the water. My plecos all survived with no problems through heavy salting, in fact it even helped my LDA 008 kick the ich too!

Glad to hear your loaches are doing well, I saw the pictures of them and they look like a fun bunch

Robert

 

[CBXGhosty]

Clown loaches have always been my fav fish and im not that good at the whole fish keeping thing, a few points that i have read up on about them is they dont have scales and not to clever at coping with salt in the water, they have a thin film covering their body which would account for the staining and lastly with one or two in a tank they tend to hide and are only active for short periods in the day, but with a school of them they tend to be alot more active.

just lot both my loaches due to me being stupid and not checking the nitrate, worked it out to late, with clown's they will generaly be the first to go (

going to buy about 6 of them when tank is back to normal