michael.qian Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Noticed on Tuesday nights that 2 of my clown loaches are really skinny, one is really really skinny. Have 3 in my tank, the other one is doing well. I used to feed bloodworms once every 2-3 days, on the other days I feed normal flake which they never really get any. So I thought they had maybe internal parasites, so went into Hollywood yesterday, niether them or Jansens had treatment for internal parasites, but Hollywood suggested I wasn't feeding them enough, which might be true. So I bought bottle of Seachem garlic and some dried Hakari sinking pellets, they told me to soak some pellets in garlic and feed it to them, but did that yesterday and today and all the fish don't seem to like it, most would eat it and spit it out. I've also fed bloodworms yesterday and today, the normal clown loach is eating like normal, but the other two skinny ones weren't too interested and only ate a few, they would suck some in and spit it out. So I'm really concerned if they are indeed sick? Water quality is good, ammonia & nitrite 0, nitrate under 20ppm. So what could be wrong with them? Recently it seems they had a change in leadership, now the healthy one seems like the leader and it would sometimes chase the one who used to be the boss. Appreciate any advice thanks alot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 tank details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Water seems good, are there plenty of hiding places? Anything could that be picking on them? Forget the packet food if you want to bulk them up, my four smaller ones have been on a diet of chopped shrimp, discus tucker [has garlic to help with parasites], beefheart etc for a few months now and they're really bulking up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 yup 3 caves, can't really fit that many in my tank. they usually take one cave each. No bullies, but sometimes they accidentallly bully other fish a little during feeding, no harm done though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 You can get hold of some metro or prazi if it is internal parasites? How long have you had the fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 where would I get some? what if it's not internal parasites? no harm done if I still medicate right? had them...can't really remember, but about 2 months? definitely longer than 6 weeks, maybe a bit more than 2 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 I would be inclined to dose the tank anyway but thats just be, some people say don't does it unless your 100% sure its internal parasites but id say unless your sure you haven't been feeding them enough.. In my opinion it cant hurt they may have brought something in from the wholesalers. As for where to get it from prazi's easy someone posted on here in disease section with a trade name for it thats available over the counter from farm shops. And metro im sure someone on here can spare some or go and talk to your friendly vet.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 is it contagious? because all other fish are doing fine, due to the fact I'm trying feed the clown loaches more these two days, the all the other fish are getting more as well, when they are already getting plenty of food everyday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 They can spread just like anything else I guess maybe nothing else in the tank has it or has it as bad as the clown's, or maybe the clown's just get affected by it more.. I don't really know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Try seperating the skinny loaches in to another setup, aquarium or even a big bucket they can live in for a few weeks with heater and small filter or airstone, then try to feed them up. * (if using air stone or new filter, remember regular water changes). Because of the hierachy, the smallest fish eat last, so weak loaches can end up dead because they don't have the energy to fight for their place in the food line. I've had to seperate a skinny loach before, poor guy was so hungry he'd click at me for food. If any other fish show signs of similar symptoms, then certainly go down the medicine track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 6, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 thing is when I'm feeding, it always seems to be the food, or even right in the center of it, but just doesn't eat much. The leader loach actually usually finds the food last. The second skinny loach, who used to be the leader of the pack, is also not very interested in the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Because of the hierachy, the smallest fish eat last, so weak loaches can end up dead because they don't have the energy to fight for their place in the food line. I've had to seperate a skinny loach before, poor guy was so hungry he'd click at me for food. I've never found that problem with any of the large groups of loaches I've kept. I'd say if thats happening you need to chuck more food in!!! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markoshark Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 Yup, more food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted September 6, 2007 Report Share Posted September 6, 2007 I've never found that problem with any of the large groups of loaches I've kept. I'd say if thats happening you need to chuck more food in!!! :lol: Yeah it's normally only a problem when you buy new loaches, and one of them is already underweight. I lost my loaches a few months ago due to nitrite, have to get some more!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I have losing CL's, not sure why but it always makes me feel bad. I lost three around 10-12cm a few months ago from a massive whitespot outbreak. Their replacements are bulking up nicely tho, and growing quite fast for loaches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 yup I'll definitely feel bad if any of them die. I now feed some flakes in the morning and bloodworms everyday in the late afternoon along with a few Hakari pellets, they eat it if it's not soaked in garlic. The small one nibbled at some flakes this morning, I'll see how it goes with feeding this afternoon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Go to an asian supermarket and get a big bag of frozen broken prawn. They love that stuff, I don't think any CL could resist it. 1kg shouldn't cost much more than a pack of bloodworms too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 7, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 Fed bloodworms and a few Hakari pellets. still the normal CL ate as it normally would, the skinniest one only sucked in a few, the other one skinny not sure didn't catch it sucking in any. None of them seem to be too interested in the pellets. Maybe something is causing them not wanting to eat? I'm sure the two skinny ones could eat lots more if they wanted to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I'm starting to sound like a stuck record here, but get some shrimp!!! Maybe something different will encourage them to eat?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 How's the fishies doing michael.gain???? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 will get some shrimp tomorrow. Just fed bloodworms, the skinny ones still didn't eat much but definitely ate a few. The normal still ate like a pig, seem to have put on a few pounds from when I started to feed more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AW Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Some good information here http://www.bollmoraakvarieklubb.org/art ... 0loach.htm 2/3rd's down talks about this problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 8, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 Thanks for the link, I've read that before but read it more carefully this time. Right now I'm feeding once a day, is that too little? Reason is I don't want to overfeed the other smaller fish I have in there, bloodworms for tetras and swordtails everyday is probably too much already. If I see no improvement I will try asking vets if they have the medicine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 I'd feed them at least twice a day if you're trying to fatten them up, the other fish should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted September 10, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2007 sadly they just don't seem to want to eat Fed bloodworms twice today, they sucked in one or two and that's it, the healthy one is eating like a pig. maybe it's because they are being bullied by the leader loach? so they don't want to eat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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