My clown loach is sick.... :tears:

he seems to be breathing very rapidly!! & of late is often seen laying upright in a corner, or wedged in under the driftwood. His top fin is clamped down :nilly:

He's the 4th one I've had.. 3 others died :cry1: the 2 slightly larger ones in the tank both seem happy

It's a community tank, well planted, with big bits of driftwood & places to hide. he gets fed a mixture of tropical flakes, frozen bloodworms, sinking algae wafers & dried bloodworms. & sometimes cooked shelled peas

Any ideas????? :fshi:

ps: sorry mods.. should be in diseases section... :facepalm:

white spot? Check him very carefully as clown are prone to it or could be external parasite if the fins are clamped.

white spot? Check him very carefully as clown are prone to it or could be external parasite if the fins are clamped.

Hi Adrienne. I haven't seen any spots on any of the fish.. & I'm wondering.. how do they get a parasite if there haven't been any new fish introduced into the tank for ages??? :dunno:

I'm not saying it is a parasite but it is a possibility. Often parasites are present in the water or on fish in small numbers and if the fish, for whatever reason, becomes stressed or weak they then attach themselves. Its not normal for fish to clamp their fins and rapid breathing can also indicate a parasite which may also be on the gills.

Have you tested your pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Generally if ammonia or nitrite is present the fish will come up for air or hang near the top of the tank more often as the concentration of oxygen is higher.

Also what is temperature of your tank and what are the tank mates?

Whats your water like? Temp? pH? GH/KH? TDS?

I'm not saying it is a parasite but it is a possibility. Often parasites are present in the water or on fish in small numbers and if the fish, for whatever reason, becomes stressed or weak they then attach themselves. Its not normal for fish to clamp their fins and rapid breathing can also indicate a parasite which may also be on the gills.

Have you tested your pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate? Generally if ammonia or nitrite is present the fish will come up for air or hang near the top of the tank more often as the concentration of oxygen is higher.

Also what is temperature of your tank and what are the tank mates?

just tested now

ammonia: .5 :nilly:

nitrite: 0

ph: 7.4

I don't have a nitrate test.. but another Nelsonian has one.. so hopefully will get that done over the weekend too

temp 26

tankmates:

2x clown fish

3 x pearl gourami

2 x dwarf honey gourami

1 x platty

1 x male siamese fighter

1 x golden bristlenose

approx: 12 male guppies

Will do weekly gravel siphon/water change/plant cleanup tomorrow!! then test recheck !!! :spop:

Don't wait till tomorrow to do a water change!!! Get it done now! Ammonia is not good.

Do a water change, and the temp is a bit on the cold side for CLs. Find out what the hardness/mineral content of the water is as clowns like it soft, warm and fast moving. Having only two isn't really ideal either, but adding new fish at this stage isn't a good idea.

What's the size of your tank? Temp isn't so wrong to my believe?. Higher might give problems to other fish i think. Shouldn't change that, ammonia isn't good, could it be overfeeding causing that?

Do a water change, and the temp is a bit on the cold side for CLs. Find out what the hardness/mineral content of the water is as clowns like it soft, warm and fast moving. Having only two isn't really ideal either, but adding new fish at this stage isn't a good idea.

I did have 4.. (2 smaller ones & 2 slightly larger ones. the other one that died about a month ago was one of the smaller ones.. now the sick one is the other smaller one... :tears: ) the 2 larger ones seem happy, as do all the other fish.. :dunno:

What's the size of your tank? Temp isn't so wrong to my believe?. Higher might give problems to other fish i think. Shouldn't change that, ammonia isn't good, could it be overfeeding causing that?

It's a 60Lt.

I've done a 50% water change, gravel vac & plant cleanup tonight.

Have been feeding twice a day.. but will drop that to once a day! :f77:

your tank is way to stocked for 60litres

thats alot of fish waste in such a small area

you will most likely be having build up of toxic in there

your tank is way to stocked for 60litres

thats alot of fish waste in such a small area

you will most likely be having build up of toxic in there

Have a play with this Freshwater Aquarium Stocking Calculator.

The ammonia is your problem. What filtration do you have? I suspect your filtration is not providing a home for enough bacteria or you are overfeeding or both.

your tank is way to stocked for 60litres

I'd agree with that. If you can't upgrade then do the clowns a favour and move them on to someone with a bigger tank, a 60L tank is no place for active potentially-foot-long schooling fish, even at a small size they really want at least 4' length so they can stretch their fins. A group of dwarf chain loaches would be far better suited to your tank than clowns.

Hi Adrienne. I haven't seen any spots on any of the fish.. & I'm wondering.. how do they get a parasite if there haven't been any new fish introduced into the tank for ages??? :dunno:

How indeed. One of my fish had a parasite when nothing had been introduced either - it just happens :dunno:

How indeed. One of my fish had a parasite when nothing had been introduced either - it just happens :dunno:

Subclinical infection/ carrier state - fish is healthy but carrying the parasite - the healthy immune system keeps the parasite in check so animal doesn't get sick.

When stressed (from poor water conditions) the immune system weakens and the parasite is able to multiply and cause visible disease.

I've had the fish for years though.

That does not matter. You should assume that diseases like white spot, velvet and collumnaris are always present and waiting for their chance.