Strange Clown Loach Deaths, Please Help

[cgoldsmith_99]

I have a pack of 6 loaches. One day the biggest loach (4inches) was dead, all of the rest are still doing fine.

Key Stats:

PH 7.0
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5-10 PPM

There are other bigger fish in the aquarium (125gal) but the body had no signs of damage. His mouth was open and one gil was bright red. I feed them a combination of frozen brine, frozen blood worms, varieties of sinking pellets.

Any thoughts on what might cause this? A friend of mine had a similar issue with a few of his healthiest looking loaches.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[AquataHolic420]

All ikno is Clown loaches dont have scales... and are very sensitive to their water.. who knows what may have gotten in the water... my best idea..-josh:popcorn:

[Oddball]

Gravel wash and water change to get your nitrates below 5ppm. Having a powerhead providing currents sweeping the bottom will help, too.

[ewurm]

I don't think that nitrate level will harm them. I have had my school a long time with no fatalities and my Nitrate is higher. Might be internal infection or parasite.

[Jaxolotl]

Have you ever use salt or other chemical to your tanks? please tell

[cgoldsmith_99]

Did a 25% water change last night and added salt and Kent's ammonia detox. All the other fish are doing great. Loaches are eating well. Mystery remains.

[stotty]

Clowns don’t like salt well in high amounts as it burns them but saying that I have had them in tanks with small amounts and had no ill effects.

Most problems people have with salt is they add the salt DIRECTLY into the tank, without allowing the salt to dissolve. Therefore, any bottom dweller (plecos, loaches, etc.) that come in contact with such a strong concentration, may end up causing more harm.



Salt is a top cure all but on certain fish without scales it can burn them. And its instant death to snakeheads.

[rkc772]

Clowns don’t like salt well in high amounts as it burns them but saying that I have had them in tanks with small amounts and had no ill effects.

Most problems people have with salt is they add the salt DIRECTLY into the tank, without allowing the salt to dissolve. Therefore, any bottom dweller (plecos, loaches, etc.) that come in contact with such a strong concentration, may end up causing more harm.



Salt is a top cure all but on certain fish without scales it can burn them. And its instant death to snakeheads.

i agree... salt must be disolved before putting it in your tank. they burn the skin of the fish.. worst if they suck it in. the gills might have some salt residues... sorry to hear your loss. :( just remember next time not to put salt directly and you must put it slowly in several hours. i hate changing the water chemistry of my tank by dumping all disolved salt immediately. ;)

[cgoldsmith_99]

Just a clarification,

Yesterday was the first time I put salt in the tank, there was no salt in the tank prior to the death of the loach. I put 1/4th recommended dose (already dissolved) in after the water change to provide some treatment if there was internal parasites.

As stated earlier, all the fish seem to be doing fine.

Thanks

[qumqats]

You should post you question over at http://forums.loaches.com/.

Do you have any tight spaces in the tank that the CL could have gotten stuck and hurt in?
Has anything changed in the tank? new fish or decorations?
Did you do anything right before the death?
Did the deceased's behavior change right before?
Are all the other fish in the tank behaving the same or changed?

It's quite unfortunate, but fish sometime die for reasons we can't discern.