Faded Clown Loach

[Cuts O Meat]

I recently bought some Clown Loaches. One was bought from from an LFS (1.5"), the other two from PetSmart(1.5",2"). The 2 inch Clown Loach seems to be quiet faded. I can see his skeleton quite easily on close inspection. Here are the best pictures I could muster up right now with a webcam.

Is this a problem? Is this normal? Is this common?

I believe on of the other Clown Loaches is a little faded also. SO that leaves me to believe that my darker one is the one I bought at the LFS.

Anyone?

 

[matty246810]

from what ive read up on here about petsmart being a horrible place to deal with that could be it,ive heard alot of ppl say that theyve bought a fish from there and they have been found to be full of desises.

not sure this answers y question tho gl

 

[Cuts O Meat]

Cheers.

I've bought quite a few fish from the same PetSmart store before. They keep there tank pretty well there. Another PetSmart I know of isn't very good with their aquariums and thus I don't buy from them.

I hope it's not a disease problem.

 

[justonemoretank]

How long has it been? I have five, and I find that when they've been hiding under driftwood or something, their colors are lighter, and then after they've been out in the open for a while, they'll darken up so the stripes are really defined. Maybe he's still scared, and adjusting, and his colors will darken up. This doesn't really point to any disease or parasite that I can think of, unless he's totally covered in ich so that you can't even see his color, but I'm guessing you would have noticed that! I'd just watch him for a while and see how he does. Also, it never hurts to add plenty of hiding spots so they feel safe. And that bamboo in your tank is a land plant (I know, I know, they sell it at the fish store, and tell you to put it in the tank, but it obviously grows on land). I've never heard of anyone having long-term success with it. Just my two cents.

 

[Cuts O Meat]

Well this is my wife's tank. She wanted the bamboo for her Asian them. The Clown Loaches are only in there to grow for my 125 gallon tank. I know absolutely nothing about aquarium plants, as I have an Oscar in my 125g and planting real plants in there would be pointless.

 

[redinfinity]

I bought some clowns from an LFS that were that faded - it's just because of lighting/stress/the food they give. Give it some time and they'll darken over time. Mine did. They got much darker once they got accustomed to my tank - one even showed a spot that wasnt visible! No idea he was a spot loach until more than a week after graduating from quarantine.

I also just bought some PetSmart loaches that are looking good, no disease.

 

[JakeH]

They are all wild-caught, so you have to assume they are carrying disease/parasites. I would start him on HIKARI frozen bloodworms, soaked in garlic extract. The worms will fatten him up quick & the garlic will boost his immune system a little bit. If he's the biggest CL in the tank, expect him to grey out a little to show dominance later.

 

[Mr Pleco]

. The Clown Loaches are only in there to grow for my 125 gallon tank. .

That willl be a few years and they will still lag behind the growth rate of an oscar... My theme for the day get rid of the oscar and move the loaches to the 125..then buy more loaches

 

[Aerious]

As far as fading in coloring go with fish I noticed a lot of time its a matter of blood flow I believe. I tend to come home late every night so I have to turn the lights on for the fish about 30-60 minutes before I feed them, they tend to be in a state of rest I suppose and in most living organisms that state is usually characterized by slowing of the heart rate.

Getting back to my initial point, many times I find most of my fish (except for the hard colored ones) faded. One of my fancy angels loses his stripes much like your clown loaches until about an hour of movement. My chocolate gourami's had this to such an extant that each time they'd "wake up" they would be completely colorless and partly see-through.

Having 2 small clown loaches myself I notice alot of this behavior as well where many times they are absolutely faded and other times very vibrant.

I hope this helps =)

 

[JakeH]

Their colors do fluctuate, but you should see noticeable improvement in the first few days of quality feeding. If he hasent darkened up after the first week, check into parasite treatments.