I regularly test my aqaurium's water using both a Nutrafin liquid test kit and an API liquid test kit, and can safely say that my water parameters are fine; 0 nitrites, 10-20ppm nitrates (or 20-50 depending on how the two tests I do for this each time actually work out! I don't touch the API nitrate test because it is far too fiddly, and even then accuracy isn't guaranteed, and the Nutrafin test can't make up its mind) and ~7.4 pH (high range pH test by API helped me to nail it down specifically).
Ammonia...I'd like to say 0, but the Nutrafin test has always given me ever-so-slight colour development - or so my eyes lead me to believe. We're talking something like 0.1 if that - and the first colouration on the test leaflet is at 0.6ppm - while the API test certainly suggests 0ppm (if there is any green tinge, it's nowhere near enough to suggest 0.25ppm). It's always done this no matter what, but there are no signs of septicemia, no reddened gills, nothing obvious. I conduct two water changes a week in the range of 10-11 litres.
I am in the process of finding a new home for a fish that is totally unsuitable for the tank (45-50l), a Clown Loach which I got when I was far more naive and ignorant on fish keeping, and one I've had to hold back for observation due to an unknown wasting disease killing the other two Clown Loaches who lived with him. I once owned a larger tank, 90l - which I realise was still no good - but I've never had any other complications except this completely unknown disease with no obvious physical characteristics except thinning over a period of time. After the second Clown died earlier this year, I've been closely observing the final one, and have decided it is now time for rehoming, but as always I'm on the lookout for any complications.
Now, I'm not sure if it's natural colouration or the signs of recovery from ammonia burns, but I notice a dark streak/colouration on his left gills/near the opening (his gills themselves towards the front of his body look fine, no reddenning). I honestly can't remember if he's always had it...
In October I noticed him flashing more than usual, on his left side in particular, and noticed some white/grey lines on his left middle black stripe that runs from his dorsal fin to his pelvic fins and also on his right middle black stripe a small grey patch as well as a white/grey mark/line; they did not match any symptoms of any normal disease such as ich, velvet, columnaris or any fungal infection, and he was behaving normally, eating, as active as usual. They do now appear to have completely disappeared, which leads me to believe they were scratches (I do feed one of those Pleco Multi-waifers produced by Tetra once a week, and he pushes it all over the tank and into awkward places while eating it), but it's the dark colouration that has me wondering. The flashing seems to have died down, there were no signs of parasites in his gills or anywhere else, and it is possible dust disturbed when I do a gravel vacuum might have been irritating his gills (I do a gravel vacuum each time I clean the tank). I have been dosing with Prime as on 1st November I changed a quarter of the long-term biofilter media (Fluval filter, the foam pads last years, but I'd pushed it long enough) and fear a mini-cycle, so if that has reduced his flashing I don't know. He has done some heavy gilling at times, but it isn't constant - he does breath normally - so I might be reading too much into that.
I have noticed that Clown Loaches do have a dark mark around their pectoral fins/gills, so it might be that, just a bit more pronounced. I just don't know to be honest, it's so difficult to tell.
I'm also hesitant to keep dosing with Prime (in the range of 1.25-1.5ml each day) in case I end up poisoning the fish eventually, especially since I never used to use it on the main aquarium so often, only new water to be added in.
Ammonia...I'd like to say 0, but the Nutrafin test has always given me ever-so-slight colour development - or so my eyes lead me to believe. We're talking something like 0.1 if that - and the first colouration on the test leaflet is at 0.6ppm - while the API test certainly suggests 0ppm (if there is any green tinge, it's nowhere near enough to suggest 0.25ppm). It's always done this no matter what, but there are no signs of septicemia, no reddened gills, nothing obvious. I conduct two water changes a week in the range of 10-11 litres.
I am in the process of finding a new home for a fish that is totally unsuitable for the tank (45-50l), a Clown Loach which I got when I was far more naive and ignorant on fish keeping, and one I've had to hold back for observation due to an unknown wasting disease killing the other two Clown Loaches who lived with him. I once owned a larger tank, 90l - which I realise was still no good - but I've never had any other complications except this completely unknown disease with no obvious physical characteristics except thinning over a period of time. After the second Clown died earlier this year, I've been closely observing the final one, and have decided it is now time for rehoming, but as always I'm on the lookout for any complications.
Now, I'm not sure if it's natural colouration or the signs of recovery from ammonia burns, but I notice a dark streak/colouration on his left gills/near the opening (his gills themselves towards the front of his body look fine, no reddenning). I honestly can't remember if he's always had it...
In October I noticed him flashing more than usual, on his left side in particular, and noticed some white/grey lines on his left middle black stripe that runs from his dorsal fin to his pelvic fins and also on his right middle black stripe a small grey patch as well as a white/grey mark/line; they did not match any symptoms of any normal disease such as ich, velvet, columnaris or any fungal infection, and he was behaving normally, eating, as active as usual. They do now appear to have completely disappeared, which leads me to believe they were scratches (I do feed one of those Pleco Multi-waifers produced by Tetra once a week, and he pushes it all over the tank and into awkward places while eating it), but it's the dark colouration that has me wondering. The flashing seems to have died down, there were no signs of parasites in his gills or anywhere else, and it is possible dust disturbed when I do a gravel vacuum might have been irritating his gills (I do a gravel vacuum each time I clean the tank). I have been dosing with Prime as on 1st November I changed a quarter of the long-term biofilter media (Fluval filter, the foam pads last years, but I'd pushed it long enough) and fear a mini-cycle, so if that has reduced his flashing I don't know. He has done some heavy gilling at times, but it isn't constant - he does breath normally - so I might be reading too much into that.
I have noticed that Clown Loaches do have a dark mark around their pectoral fins/gills, so it might be that, just a bit more pronounced. I just don't know to be honest, it's so difficult to tell.
I'm also hesitant to keep dosing with Prime (in the range of 1.25-1.5ml each day) in case I end up poisoning the fish eventually, especially since I never used to use it on the main aquarium so often, only new water to be added in.
