ich question

[lorie]

First of all I love loaches they are the cutest little fish. I have never had good luck with clown loaches. I'm starting to get frustrated with my LFS. About a month and week ago. I purchased two tiger loaches, and two clown loaches and a decorative pleco.
I put them in my 20 gal quarantine tank. ABout three hours into their stay I noticed the clown loaches had ick, which is really frustrating. I bought kuli loaches from same LFs had ick, and my whole tank died three weeks later and I treated for it. This was before I quarantined.

Anyway I treated wtih copper 1/2 dosed and have been monitoring leveles keeping about .2-.3. The clowns seemed to get better, then hid for a day or so, got secondary infection both died and I treated with antibiotic pills too. The tigers seem to be doing great both little pigs very cute to watch. I will be taking out the copper this monday and adding ammo chips and carbon filter.

Are there any loaches which do better with treatment than others. Should I just stay away from clown loaches, or should I get more tigers later since I thnk they like to be together.

Any suggestions would be great.

 

[WILDER]

Yes clown loaches are prone to itch, what size tank were they in, can you post water stats in ammonia,nitrite,nitrate,and ph, how many fish are in the tank and which type.

 

[lorie]

They were in a 20 gal quarantine tank. I was testing water parameters 7.2 ph, ammonia measures at 0, nitrates 20 nitrites 0. 78 degrees temperature. Again my water quality was good I test weekly or bmonthly. I bought these at LFS, not walmart or petsmart. I left alone for three hours to get acclimated when I returened they had ick and infested the tiger loaches. Tiger loaches have survived, clowns died. I was doing weekly water changes and testing copper levels to be sure not fluctuating.

 

[WILDER]

Sorry for your losses, probably the itch that killed them sorry.

 

[lorie]

thank you

 

[LoachLover]

Generally any type of loach tends to get ick, sorry to hear about your losses. Just for the future but, if you do get more clown loaches get at least 4, they like to be in groups.