Clown loaches

[rlking58]

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong but I am having trouble keeping alive clown loaches. I have a 55 gallon freshwater heavily planted tank with no CO2 4 medium angels 4 large Gourami-2 Blacktail tetra and two small rainbow - 2 Pleco & 2 Cory cats.

About three weeks ago I went to Petsmart and bought two clown Loach they lasted two days. I went back the next week and bought two more one lasted two days one lasted five days I was feeding them flake
food and loach pellets.

water parameters are well within normal range haven’t lost any other fish in months.

 

[coralbandit]

How are you acclimating them ?
Sounds odd?
Did they look active and healthy at store ?

 

[rlederer]

Clown loaches are very sensitive to ammonia levels. Check your water against Petsmarts and see if there is a difference.

 

[V227]

I've been advised by employees, that at least two Petsmarts in my area treat their display tanks with a preventative dose of copper. Perhaps your noted Petsmart does that too. I'm not the go to guy for Loach info, but from what I understand Loaches are very sensitive to meds.
Maybe your Loaches were damaged or poisoned while on display at Petsmart. Just a thought.

 

[King Fisher]

A detailed description of how you introduce them to your tank? Maybe a bad batch. Check with PetSmart and ask them what day they get new fish in. This limits the time they are under care by PetSmart which maybe the problem.