dark blotch on clown loach

[deni]

A couple of weeks ago I noticed a dark blotch on one of my clown loaches (which a few months old), on the left side of its body just above a fin about where I judge its stomach to be. It shows up quite clearly against the orange part of its body. There is also a fainter blotch on the other side, so whatever is causing the blotch may be actually inside its body. The fish doesn't seem bothered at all, and is swimming around, eating etc the same usual.

Any ideas? I'm concerned it might be internal parasites, though no sign of 'worms', or a tumour.

Deni

 

[WILDER]

What colour is the blotch as it could be saddleback columnaris.
http/article.dphnet.com/cat-02/columnaries.shtml

 

[Lateral Line]

There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to suggest there is anything wrong with the fish at all. There are far too many people, (looks about), that jump straight into threads with scare stories or links to rare and exotic conditions without considering the possibility that the markings are entirely natural.

Many Clown Loaches develop additional markings as they mature. Not all of the markings appear evenly on both sides of the body, indeed, sometimes an individual fish can have a quite different pattern on one side to the other.

A dark blotch or marking above the pelvic fins is one of the most common of these supplemental markings. If you browse the pictures of Clowns here you'll see many exhibit a marking such as you describe.

If having looked at the pictures, you still feel there is something wrong, then get back, ideally with a picture if you can.

 

[LoachLover]

There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to suggest there is anything wrong with the fish at all. There are far too many people, (looks about), that jump straight into threads with scare stories or links to rare and exotic conditions without considering the possibility that the markings are entirely natural.

Many Clown Loaches develop additional markings as they mature. Not all of the markings appear evenly on both sides of the body, indeed, sometimes an individual fish can have a quite different pattern on one side to the other.

A dark blotch or marking above the pelvic fins is one of the most common of these supplemental markings. If you browse the pictures of Clowns here you'll see many exhibit a marking such as you describe.

If having looked at the pictures, you still feel there is something wrong, then get back, ideally with a picture if you can.

I totally agree, there is Nothing wrong with the fish.