More clown loach problems

[bosk1]

The background: Some may or may not remember my post a little while back about one of my clown loaches. I had four, total. One was larger than the other three. I subsequently added three very young ones from a huge brood my lfs got in. I have probably had the three smallest ones about six months now. One of them would almost never eat. He seemed to have a fair amount of energy, and would go crazy whenever I put food into the tank, but would never actually eat any of it. He got thinner and thinner, and his skin all along the top part of his body on both sides became very sunken in. I tried a variety of foods, but never saw results. After a few months, he eventually died.

The problem: The two survivors from this brood are pretty good eaters--especially when I put in their sinking wafers or frozen brine shrimp. They will eat until their little bellies are bulging and they look pregnant. But I have recently noticed that they also look very thin and their skin all along the top of their bodies along their spines also looks sunken in. I am worried. The older loach is more round and cigar shaped. These guys, even though they eat, do not have quite the same shape. If they also eventually stop eating, I will become very concerned. But in the meantime, is this anything to worry about? And are there any other good sources of info on clown loaches I can check in case this is something particular to their species?

 

[rich311k]

Bosk Have you noticed what their poo looks like? Sounds like all your new ones had/have some kind of parasite to me?

 

[bosk1]

I haven't noticed anything out of the ordinary in that department, but I haven't specifically been looking at that...uh...aspect. I remember someone mentioning the possibility of a parasite the first time I posted about the first loach, but some others said that if it were a parasite, there is no way he would have been holding on for months as he did. I dunno... If that is the case, how do I treat?

 

[rich311k]

You could try an antiparasitical food. Though sometimes it is hard to get fish to eat the stuff.

I am sorry I am terrible at remembering brand names. Someone will come along to back me up.

 

[DarylF2]

You might want to try New Life Spectrum "Thera-A Anti-Parasitic Formula".

While I've never used their anti-parasitic foods, my fish LOVE their regular foods (in preference to everything else except perhaps for Hikari freeze-dried bloodworms).

 

[joannde]

My fish actually eat the Jungle anti-parasite food. For smaller fish you just have to crush it up. You'd probably need to soak it for a little bit to get it to sink for the loaches.
Hope everything works out for you. I'll be pullin' for them !

 

[Zagz]

Moved to unhealthy fish.
IME I have had a fish sustain for 3 months with internal parasites. I treated in a few cycles in QT but he always regressed, until he too eventually died. IMO parasites can slowly take their toll on a fish. I would treat for parasites and see how you do.

 

[bosk1]

Treat with the anti-parasite food, or isolate and medicate? I don't have a qt tank, but may pick up a 10g if people really think that is what is needed.

 

[Ky'smommy]

i had a fish once that looked not well for about a month. i just thought he was himself. Well i took him out of that tank finally and decided to treat him for stuff just in case. its been about 2 months now and im still treating him.
So i would say if they really want to they can hold on. imo.
also you could feed the whole tank. just in case the bug is in them too?
I would wait until someone better came along. but alot of bugs can be contagious to other fish. goodluck

 

[Zagz]

Start with the medicated food as the loaches will tolerate it better if they eat it. If that doesn't work, then I would medicate the fish in QT.