Pale Inactive Clown Loach

[skimmy290]

I have a 55 gallon tank with 4 clown loaches and some other fish (i plan to upgrade as fish get larger) I recently ran into a problem with 2 of my loaches. They are all about 3 inches in length but 2 of them appear thinner and paler than the others. Out of the 2 pale ones, one is skinner then others and during feeding times i don't see him eat even if food falls right on his face, while the other loaches go into a feeding frenzy. He is always by himself while the others school and his gills are moving rapidly but he doesn't go to the surface to gasp for air. My nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia levels are all 0 and I do a 30% water change every 10 days. He is very inactive to the point where last night he was in the territory of my red tail shark and the shark (who is rather docile) tried to push him out but the clown wouldn't even swim away but just stayed right there until the shark gave up and swam away. What could be wrong? I've seen pictures of the "skinny disease" but the clowns in those pictures seem to still have their colors while mine is still pale and he is not as horrendously thin as the ones in the pictures. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank YOU

 

[WILDER]

How many fish and which type.
Quite rare to have a reading of 0 in nitrate, what your tap nitrate reading.
Is it possible to load a pic up of the sick fish to see how skinny he is.
[URL="http/www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artikl...raktbotia/clown"]http/www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/artikl...raktbotia/clown[/URL] loach.htm

Info taken from the above link.


Loss of weight or "skinny disease" is also quite common in Clown loaches. Typical symptoms are loss of weight and behaviour known as "knifeback" even though the fish is acting and eating normally. This sickness is more difficult to treat, it comes from a parasite organism (spironucleus) in the intestines of the same type that is thought to cause the so called "discus disease". I have successfully removed this disease from newly imported fish by using Spirohexol from JBL in the form of tablets. I have taken one tablet and crushed it and dissolve it in as little water as possible. I have then used discus granules which have been soaked in the solution. It becomes like a thick porridge after a short time when the food has drawn in the liquid. I then feed this to the sick fishes, after a week it looks like the sickness is gone. For the best possible effect do not feed with any other food. Flagyl (Metronidazole) also helps fight against this sickness but at least here in Sweden it is on prescription and can be a little difficult to come by.



Apart from this Clown loaches are not more susceptible than other fish, the above sickness usually occurs in fish that have been stressed during transport or subjected to other stress factors like cold water or poor aquarium hygiene. Do not buy fish that look emaciated! Well looked after fish are seldom sick. To quote my friend Elisabeth Hallberg; "the best way to avoid sickness is to keep the fish healthy".