Sand Grouper Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Hi there one and all. I have been a keen aquarist for many years but am having a new and unpleasant experience with some rescued fish. A friend of ours died and we ended up with numerous fish from his many aquariums amongst them 10 fairly good sized clown loaches. We have placed them all together in one tank as they prefer company but we are now down to 9 with another likely to go. We don't know what's up but have noticed that they are not feeding at all. They aren't even taking favourite live foods such as brine shrimp, bloodworms etc. Temperatures are in the 26-28C range. Any ideas? No meds have been used on them. Let me know what you might suggest. Sand Grouper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 What size tank did you move them into? Is the tank fully cycled? Have you tested the water(ammonia, nitrite, nitrates)? What are they doing before they die? Any symptoms? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 Is there any other tankmates? Any aggressive fish? Any signs of Ich? Tammy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand Grouper Posted January 22, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 All is normal with the tank and no disease/ick etc. They are in a fully cycled tank and no other fish. They simply swim abnormally look sickly pale and expire. The one that we thought was going to go last night is still with us and is a large one of about 4-5" long. Help Me!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish_Frenzy Posted January 22, 2007 Report Share Posted January 22, 2007 (edited) I would turn the heat up a few degrees and see if that helps. Maybe do a water change too. Other than that, I am stumped...sorry. Tammy Edited January 22, 2007 by Fish_Frenzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vapor Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Are they really skinny looking? I lost one to a parasite that makes them look skeletal and real pail. Try going to http://forums.loaches.com/index.php. Great site for loaches of all kinds. Sorry about your friend and good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOSStile Posted January 23, 2007 Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Couple of things, are they huddled together, lying on top of each other? Everything you say suggests stress and I agree with Tammy in that I would raise temp. give the fish places to hide and change water like crazy. If there is anything wrong with water quality CLs are one of the first to display problems such as faded or PALE coloring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand Grouper Posted January 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2007 Thanks to all for the information. I did increase the heat and did a half tank water change. I did lose one this afternoon but not the large one. They are not huddled together and they are quite thick in the body not skinny but have resisted feeding no matter what I feed. Some appear to be pale and others have good colour. I'll keep at it and let you know what happens. These are one of my fav fishes and I would hate to lose such large speciments. S.G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osprey Posted January 24, 2007 Report Share Posted January 24, 2007 Hopefully the temperature increase will do the trick. You do know how big these fish are going to get, right? Five inches is small for a clown loach. Over a foot is starting to edge towards the 'large' zone... How big is the tank? That could easily be a source of the stress, as they are very active fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New to Alberta Posted January 25, 2007 Report Share Posted January 25, 2007 Really good advice here guys!!! I know that Ick can be hard to spot on loaches so keep a very close eye out for it - putting the temp up should help with this. Ick can hide in the gills and not be noticed right away. This could attribute to the pale color. Keep the lights in the tank dimmed also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sand Grouper Posted January 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2007 Everything seems to be fine now. Definately not Ick. Water temp is now at 29C and they seem happier though still pale. Feeding on live daphnia and doing all the normal clown loach things. Yes I know that they can get big and that's what I'm hoping for. Have a 72 gallon that they will be going into with New Guinea rainbows. Just in quarantine at the moment until we get over this hump of weirdness. Again I thank all of you for your advise and look forward to more posting. S.G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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