clown loach

[esoxlucius]

I have 6 small clown loach. I bought them all at the same time around 2 inch apiece. They're all very active little fish and they all feed well at feeding times. Therefore i'd expect their growth rate and appearance to be similar. However, one of them is a good half inch bigger than the others already and his depth and girth is somewhat bigger too. The other 5, as happy as they seem, and as well as they eat, are showing signs of what i can only describe as this skinny disease that i've read about. They are very slender and have that tell tale sunken ridge along their backs. Is this an inherent thing with clown loach, will it gradually pass, do i need to treat it and why does one of them seem totally immune to it?

 

[convict360]

The big one is probably your alpha, he's the boss in other words

 

[xraycer]

I've been growing out a group of CL for the past 1.5yr. Started with 15, all well under 2". Loss 3 within the first month. Fine one day, dead the next day scenario. The remaining 12 have now filled out well, but are greatly varying in sizes. 5 are robust and have grown to over 4", 5 are medium build and are over 3", but 2 have only grown about .25" with slender built. Everyone is active and feed strongly.
I've grown a group of CL in the past and it was the same sort of thing. However, there was a runt, in that last group, that just one day began to put on size and nearly caught up to his group.
Without pictures, can't say if it's skinny disease or not, your CL are dealing with, but if they are eating and holding down the food, I would just leave them be. They could just be runts, and could just one day start filling out and put on size.

 

[esoxlucius]

The fact that they're active and eating is encouraging, if they were hiding or skulking around not eating then i think i'd worry a bit more. I'll just keep my eye on them. Cheers for the info.

 

[Dee eng]

Same here, I bought 3 CL, back in Sept last year...one seems to be growing very well. Got them a round 1.5". Been about 5 months now, one CL is about 3", the other is 2.5, 3rd guy is about 1.75" and slender, but eatting well..

 

[ehh]

Post pictures of them. Clown loaches aren't known to be the fastest growers. I had a few for a bit and they didn't do much growing.

 

[smitty03281964]

I don't think anything is wrong with the one that looks very skinny. I know a guy that had one that looked so emaciated that I was surprised that it was living. Switched him to another tank where it did not have to compete for food and then next thing we knew it needed Jenny Craig.

 

[catfishacr]

As long as they appear healthy and are eating I wouldn't worry too much. I have 5 CL and they're all different sizes. I have one thats much smaller than the rest as well. I think its normal for their to be a hierarchy among the school.