advice please - sick clown loach
- Thread starter Danno
- Start date
No idea what the equivalent is for a hydrometer. My salinity meter is for freshwater and reads 0.3%. Maybe this link I googled will help you figure it out? http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f12/ok-to-use-salt-with-plecos-in-tank-59350-2.html
That really sucks. Sorry to hear you lost both. They look like they were a nice size too. Do you have more loaches in the main tank? How are the rest of the inhabitants doing? You might post this in the disease section of the forum to get more opinions. I think there's one of those on here. I'm no expert, but the redness on the belly and slight popeye in one makes me think possibly septicemia. It may just be me, but it looks like the smaller one has the red dot rash along the belly too in the pic just the dots are a lot finer. Usually, IME once you see any redness on a loach or just fish in general they go downhill so quickly the odds of saving them are slim.
Some ideas to help pinpoint the source of the problem - Water quality is really 1st factor to look at. Do a full test if you haven't already or take water sample to lfs if you don't have a test kit. Have you changed what your doing/products using or gone for longer periods between tank maintenance? Have you given them anything different to eat lately or live food? Added new plants they might have munched on? Any changes to the tank or new inhabitants?
Hope that helps get you started in the right direction and you don't lose any more fish.
Some ideas to help pinpoint the source of the problem - Water quality is really 1st factor to look at. Do a full test if you haven't already or take water sample to lfs if you don't have a test kit. Have you changed what your doing/products using or gone for longer periods between tank maintenance? Have you given them anything different to eat lately or live food? Added new plants they might have munched on? Any changes to the tank or new inhabitants?
Hope that helps get you started in the right direction and you don't lose any more fish.
there are other c/l in the tank and a few silver dollars, 5 x dats, an irwini and a bush fish. all these seem fine. my water is ok, just my ph is 6 - its usually around 7.
Ive had a long hard think about my schedule with water changes n feedings etc, and the ONLY thing thats changed is the fact that i used a solid silver butter knife to help sink a large chunk of veg for the clowns, instead of my usual one.
I think the metal has poisoned the water in some way and caused my problem, it may sound crazy but nothing else has changed routine wise for weeks..
Ive had a long hard think about my schedule with water changes n feedings etc, and the ONLY thing thats changed is the fact that i used a solid silver butter knife to help sink a large chunk of veg for the clowns, instead of my usual one.
I think the metal has poisoned the water in some way and caused my problem, it may sound crazy but nothing else has changed routine wise for weeks..
Doesn't sound crazy to me. I think the silver could definitely be a factor. Successive water changes of 50% or more should help take care of that. About the ph, I would definitely work on resolving that issue as well. Do you know how long the ph has been at 6? What's your ph out of the tap? There shouldn't be any substantial change between tap ph and your aquarium ph unless your doing something with chemicals, RO, etc. other than dechlorinator. What type of dechlorinator do you use if any? If there is a difference between tap and aquarium ph, then something is happening between the tap and your aquarium to change it. I have experience with CLs and silver dollars, but have yet to keep dats or the other fish you mentioned. Dats are super cute. They're not common where I live. I'd have to order them online to get my hands on some. I don't know how long your tank's inhabitants have been together, but you may want to keep an eye out for any unusual aggressiveness to your CLs too.
well lost another clown today, i found it when i got in from work. Ive sorted the ph and the tank is now raising slowly back towards 7. As well as salt, Ive started treating with an anti bacterial and also melafix, so fingers X'd things will stabilize and no more fish will die.
