Weird loach possibly sick??

[JESTERX626]

I have a CL that has lately been floating around the middle to top layer of the water column, and he doesn't come down to the substrate. I sometimes see him float sideways and even upside down.

He's been like that for about a few hours. I think he may die, just because.

1) He's not up at the surface for air, I can tell how that looks like and that's not it.
2) I'm thinking internal parasites but I dont know how prone CL's are to parasites to begin with?
3) Something may be wrong with his swim bladder?


Any other ways or tips I can examine him to see what's his problem?

 

[TwistedPenguin]

Most all CL's are wild-caught so parasites are a real concern. Sure wouldn't hurt to run him through a course of PraziPro (praziquantel). If he's already acting that sick though it may already be too late.

 

[dirtyblacksocks]

I've never seen that behavior in a loach in the middle water column, though I have seen loaches hang out in the middle water column for long periods - and perform the behavior your'e describing on the substrate.

If he's not eating blood worms you may want to get some parasite meds.

Clown's are being farm produced now by the way - not sure how they get them to breed but it's probably hormone related.

 

[TwistedPenguin]

Clown's are being farm produced now by the way - not sure how they get them to breed but it's probably hormone related.

That's good to know. As popular as they are and as slow as they grow it wouldn't be long before they were over-collected in the wild. My LFS told me my smallest group of 6 were tank bred but I never believed her.

 

[Lupin]

Loaches are usually prone to internal parasites most especially wild-caught ones. Yes, definitely most clowns sold are farm-bred and they're in fact bred only by hormone injection as breeding them naturally is difficult, if not almost impossible despite the few records, most notably by Colin Dunlop and Granville Hammond.

What are your water parameters? What food do you feed it?

 

[ewurm]

Definitely sounds like a swim bladder issue, or maybe a loach that is infected and at the end of it's life. Either situation is grim.