Clown Loaches ... Worms? Velvet? Help Please

[anteatergoanna]

Hi , I have 3 Clown Loaches, all 3 have red around the gills and red streaks down their body, I'm told this is worms...is this right? And how can I treat them? Also the largest of the boys (loaches) has like a white film over his body, is this Velvet? If so, how do I treat it? I know loaches are very sensitive and I have to careful with treatment. The other fish I have in the tank are: Angel fish, catfish, bristle nose catfish and an orange shark.
I would appreciate any advice and help you could give me, I am new to this and feel lost. All of the fish are happy, active and eating well. The loaches are very friendly and don't hide, very playful and always scrounging.

Thank you

 

[Supergummy]

Pics? Trying to get some visual info.

 

[anteatergoanna]

Can't seem to get a good shot of the white film, but you can see the streaks on this one, thanks

 

[anteatergoanna]

Sorry should of said, my water is stable...ph 7.1. Ammonia 0 , Nitrite 0 , Nitrate 5
I do water changes every 5 days 25%,

 

[anteatergoanna]

Can nobody help me with this????

 

[Supergummy]

I'm not sure, are you dosing anything?

 

[anteatergoanna]

Hi, no I'm not, not sure what is the best to dose with, I do have some sterazin, if i dose that do i use 1/2 because of the loaches??

 

[anteatergoanna]

Is anybody able to help me with this?

 

[Delapool]

Does it have any advice on the bottle? I'd do a half dose to start.

Have they always been like this and how long have they been in the tank?Was the shop thinking parasites for those meds? Worms should also show in weight loss and poop. The white film - could that be excess slime coat? Velvet doesn't fit but are they flashing?


http://www.fish-disease.net/diseases/septicemia.php

 

[Keke89]

Hi there

I also have clowns, and they look similar to yours with the red. No slime coats though... Not sure what would cause the slime coat.

However clown loaches very happy and healthy, just fed them,
you will see their full tummies.

They have always had this coloration on the sides. Very dark orange / red and a kind of a orange / red line down the side

Mine are definitely healthy, they swim, chase/play, ohh and they eat.

What other symptoms are clowns displaying?
I know that velvet is best seen and diagnosed when lights are switched off and you shine a torch directly on you fish and it appears to have a golden powder on its body.

Also when administering meds with clown loaches, I think it's recommended to do a half dose of what you would have normally.

They are very sensitive fish.

 

[Keke89]

Here are pics

 

[anteatergoanna]

Hi, thanks for your responses. I have just 1/2 dosed with Sterazin over the last few days, one of the catfish was doing a bit of flashing and looked funny around the gills and had weird poop, so thought it best to do whole tank. The loaches are very happy, sociable and feeding well, I haven't seen any poo that isnt what it should be, and they arent doing anything strange. I finish the sterazin treatment tomorrow , if they had anything that should clear it up. The redness they didn't have when i got them from the LFS, I've had them now for 6 mths. They had white spot which i treated at 1/2 dose and followed the instructions on the bottle and that cleared easily. They are not flashing or have weight loss. One thing which I was advised to do and found out later I shouldn't, was to put salt in the water, since I have found out that that was the wrong thing to do, i ceased immediately, did a 50% wc and 25% every 2 days for a week, then weekly wc's, so there is definately no salt left in the tank. If that's the case with velvet, then they don't have it....thanks for the info, it just must be the slime coat. Thank you so much for your input, it has put my mind at ease. Thank you so much Delapool and Keke89 for helping me, it's such a worry when you think they are sick and dont know what to do for the best.
As you say, K , your loaches have the exact same thing, maybe that's just how they are.

 

[Keke89]

It only a pleasure. Sounds that you are doing a great job. Keep up with your water changes... I have found that my fish tends to stay much more healthy when doing my water changes.

 

[Delapool]

Let us know how they go - keep us posted hope all goes well.