New to MonsterFish this is my first post not really very experienced in post but I need major help. I have a 55 gal tank, 2 filter, air pump etc. Water is changed regularly and is crystal clear. Test are all normal. Our clown loach which we've had for 3 years stop coming out when it was feeding time, he would hide and then come out after. So I started watching for him to throw him an extra blood worm cubic. About a week after this started I saw him swimming sideways, then upside down until he just fell to the bottom of the tank. I put him in a quar. tank put in Melafix - no help, I have done two rounds of tetracycline -no help. He swimming to the top and still moves around the tank but he can't lay upright or swim upright. And I've tried English Peas too. But since he can't stay upright he can't feed himself, so we've devised a little stick that we can hold blood worms in and hold it down to him so he can eat something. I can tell he wants to eat but just can't get to it. Don't know what else to do. Its been 3 weeks like this. HELP I appreciate any advise.
Clown loach sick for 3 weeks
- Thread starter KCOXTWO
- Start date
Sounds like something with the swim bladder... I know he's not eating but soak the food in your tetracycline and then feed it so the antibiotic gets in the blood and can fight the infection.
Take a look at the stickies in the Loach section, too. Loaches are 99% wild caught, so they can be loaded with all kinds of gunk & if untreated can take years to kill them. Of course, old Bluehair knows his stuff, so check for other symptoms of swim bladder issues.
Thanks I'll try soaking the food. I was thinking of swim bladder when I was trying the peas, but really hard to get him to eat them. Appreciate it!!
Tetracycline is an antibiotic-why on earth would you use that? And MelaFix is to heal wounds (I don't like the stuff anyway), no reason to use that either. Loaches need a real varied diet, meat & veggies both. Is he a lone Loach? If so they're just miserable being the only one. It doesn't sound like swim bladder so much as just a sick, dying Loach.
Who are his tankmates? And you say water is 'fine', but what are the exact readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
Who are his tankmates? And you say water is 'fine', but what are the exact readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?
If it's a swim bladder infection an antibiotic is what you would need..
Unbalanced swimming, upside down, can't stay afloat. Sounds like the fish is dying. But not for no good old reason. It sounds like it's dying from a swim bladder infection.
I don't think he was a lone loach in the 55 gal, but he's in a quarantine tank now.
Unbalanced swimming, upside down, can't stay afloat. Sounds like the fish is dying. But not for no good old reason. It sounds like it's dying from a swim bladder infection.
I don't think he was a lone loach in the 55 gal, but he's in a quarantine tank now.
I gave him tetracycline because my LFS told me it could be a bacteria/parasite and I had exhausted my knowledge. No it is not the only loach, it was in a 55 gal tank with several different types (sorry I don't know all the names) Goramis, Angel, mollies, tetras, a newt, chinese suckers etc. but a variety. Each type has atleast 4 fish to a group so they are not the only ones. Except for the Pleco and I only have one of those. Ph is 7.0 Nitrite 0.3 Ammonia 0.
bluehairman - wanted to let you know the loach is swimming around more than usual, still not in a normal way, but it is more active. Might be me seeing things I want to happen, but maybe its improving. Thanks
That's good to hear. Keep up on the treatment then.KCOXTWO;3205621; said:
Start doing water changes probably at least 50% a week. The healthier the fish the better things will work out. Possibly look for high vitamin foods to soak the food in as well. Or maybe find a liquid baby multivitamin to add to the food.