clown loaches dying~

[lorrainel]

hi all

i'm in a bit of a panic. yesterday night i noticed one of my clown loaches was having trouble breathing - he kept flaring his gills and breathing really rapidly, plus he was hiding under the plants, wasn't interested in eating either. no spots of injuries to his body at all. day before he was fine. i did a fifty percent water change and then added carbon to the filter. but this morning he turned up dead

now this afternoon a 2nd clown loach (same size) is breathing really heavily and not eating at all. i don't know what to do!! the other two clowns seem ok just swimming about and eating normally, i'm terrified of losing another one should i do another water change? just wait things out? eek i don't know someone help!!

[Caryl]

Have you done water tests? What are the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings? Clowns are very sensitive to water quality. Any extra redness in the gills?

How big is the tank and how long has it been set up? What else is in it?

[lorrainel]

no i haven't done any water tests never have don't have the test kits

been set up since about april - jebo 109L tank. its got 5 neons, two dwarf gouramies, it had 4x loaches (now 3), 4 x glass cats and three teeny bristlenoses haven't added anything new for at least 2 months. man i can't believe this, now both the bigger loaches are both breathing funny, the little one seems ok, and ur right caryl they are both looking v red around the gills. have done 2 x 40-50% water changes in the last 3 days already but no improvement. am also going to do another one today - i did buy a new bottle of dechlorinator tho - stress zyme? maybe the bottles contaminated!! i'll do a water change today without using it maybe it will help. someone pls help!!!

[Caryl]

Before you start thinking meds, get the water tested so we know what those readings are I asked about. Without that we do not know where to start. It could be due to high levels of these toxins or a gill disease.

Clowns are also sensitive to many meds.

[sharn]

i agree with caryl, i would suspect something is not right in the tank as clowns are quite sensitive and will be the first to show signs if somethings amiss. heavy breathing can be due to alot of things so you want to rule out your water quality first

[SpidersWeb]

Stress Zyme does not remove chlorine, it helps biological filtration.

Stress Coat does though, and it definately will not be the bottle thats infected, in fact nothing will be infected, clown loaches (in paticular) get sick when stressed, and the most common stress for them is water conditions. Also changing more than 20% of the water can (not always) stress fish depending on how close your tank was with the water you used (temp, pH, hardness).

If you've done more than one 50% water change, leave it for now, any toxin build ups would have been dilluted enough, and large water changes can cause further stress on fish.

Just give the fish the best conditions (e.g. leave it be) and hope he/she gets better. If you insist on something to help, I've always liked and had success with Furan2, however you should check its ok with your fish before using. I can't guarantee or advise which option is best I'm affraid as I don't have clown loaches.

I've got some platties doing the same thing (3/6 recently added fish ), I've done a 30-40% water change, and am just going to let them be, if no improvements by Friday I'll put in some Furan2. Its not a 'sure thing' its just what I like to do. Was said at a club meeting, 'everyone has their own way of doing things', and thats just my way. I'm blaming water conditions as I've been slack with that tank lately plus the stress of being in a bag = sick.

Sorry for your loss and best of luck to your other guy.

I hope something in there was useful to you!