Help!, My Clown Loach Looks Very Sick
- Thread starter patchman
- Start date
Breeze7050
Fishaholic
We are going to need a lot more information in order to help you out...
Let's start with your water stats - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, tank temp ect. How often do you do water changes and what percent of the water do you take out?
What was your newest addition? Im assuming we are talking about the tank in your sig - if not, please tell us of the other occupants of the tank and it's size.
How long have you had the loaches, how big are they? Is any other fish showing any signs of illness - any flicking, swimming issues, spots or marks on the fish ect.
My biggest concern right now is the size of your tank (30G) and the amount of fish in it. You are over-stocked which could be causing stress - which can and will make your clown loaches sick.
Give us as much information as you can and we will try our best to help.
Let's start with your water stats - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, tank temp ect. How often do you do water changes and what percent of the water do you take out?
What was your newest addition? Im assuming we are talking about the tank in your sig - if not, please tell us of the other occupants of the tank and it's size.
How long have you had the loaches, how big are they? Is any other fish showing any signs of illness - any flicking, swimming issues, spots or marks on the fish ect.
My biggest concern right now is the size of your tank (30G) and the amount of fish in it. You are over-stocked which could be causing stress - which can and will make your clown loaches sick.
Give us as much information as you can and we will try our best to help.
Nerwign
Fish Fanatic
Wowee, go out and buy a bigger tank or take a few fish back right now!
You have a 4ft long tank, and you have 4 clown loaches which will each get between 1 and 2 ft long. Your chinese algea eaters will also get 1ft long each. Your eel will probably get over 1ft long, depending on the type of eel.
A good rule of thumb is one inch of fish (at full grown size) per one gallon of water. If you have a 30gal tank (I hope that's US, I don't know UK gals) and you have fish that will grow to be a total of... (4x16=64, 3x12=36, 1x14=14... 64+36+14=114) 114 inches of fish (that's a conservative estimate) you need to get more tanks ASAP. Even when small, your fish will be uncomfortable growing in such close quarters with other fish. It will stress them and make them prone to getting sick or diseased. You might consider getting 2 100gal aquariums to house all these guys, and using the 30gal as a hospital tank incase one fish gets sick. Anyway... back to your loach!
I'm not sure how recently you put all your fish together, or how long you've had the tank set up. Are the fish very small still or are they 6+ inches already? Let us know these things, and the test results of your water (if you don't have a kit, your local fish store can probably run most of the tests for you, but you should buy a kit, they're well worth it!)
-Nerwign
You have a 4ft long tank, and you have 4 clown loaches which will each get between 1 and 2 ft long. Your chinese algea eaters will also get 1ft long each. Your eel will probably get over 1ft long, depending on the type of eel.
A good rule of thumb is one inch of fish (at full grown size) per one gallon of water. If you have a 30gal tank (I hope that's US, I don't know UK gals) and you have fish that will grow to be a total of... (4x16=64, 3x12=36, 1x14=14... 64+36+14=114) 114 inches of fish (that's a conservative estimate) you need to get more tanks ASAP. Even when small, your fish will be uncomfortable growing in such close quarters with other fish. It will stress them and make them prone to getting sick or diseased. You might consider getting 2 100gal aquariums to house all these guys, and using the 30gal as a hospital tank incase one fish gets sick. Anyway... back to your loach!
I'm not sure how recently you put all your fish together, or how long you've had the tank set up. Are the fish very small still or are they 6+ inches already? Let us know these things, and the test results of your water (if you don't have a kit, your local fish store can probably run most of the tests for you, but you should buy a kit, they're well worth it!)
-Nerwign
crazie.eddie
Fish Addict
Unless the loaches are about 12" or so, I doubt you can tell the sex of them. Clowns do eat allot, so it could be just fat. Clown loaches take a LONG time to grow and either your children or grandchildren would probably see them at their adult size.
Your 40 gallon (48x13x16) is a sufficient size for the loaches, since it gives them sufficient swimming room. I had my clown loaches in a 55 gallon (48x13x20). What kind of filter are you using? What type of substrate?
Clowns are shy fish. If you have bright, reflective or flourescent type susbtrate, it could stress the fish out. When I first got my clowns, I had white susbtrate. They hid often and were grayed out. I later switched to darker susbtrate, and their colors started to darken up.
Is this clown the largest one? If so, it also maybe the dominant fish and may not come out as often.
What type of foods do you feed your fish. My clowns LOVE hikari sinking carnivore pellets and frozen bloodworms, but would eat other foods as well.
I'm concerned about the eel, since it may outgrow the tank.
Also the yellow labs. If they are breeding, they may become aggressive and will chase/attack fish nearby.
Your 40 gallon (48x13x16) is a sufficient size for the loaches, since it gives them sufficient swimming room. I had my clown loaches in a 55 gallon (48x13x20). What kind of filter are you using? What type of substrate?
Clowns are shy fish. If you have bright, reflective or flourescent type susbtrate, it could stress the fish out. When I first got my clowns, I had white susbtrate. They hid often and were grayed out. I later switched to darker susbtrate, and their colors started to darken up.
Is this clown the largest one? If so, it also maybe the dominant fish and may not come out as often.
What type of foods do you feed your fish. My clowns LOVE hikari sinking carnivore pellets and frozen bloodworms, but would eat other foods as well.
I'm concerned about the eel, since it may outgrow the tank.
Also the yellow labs. If they are breeding, they may become aggressive and will chase/attack fish nearby.
Breeze7050
Fishaholic
Breeze7050
Fishaholic
Sorry for your loss 
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