Continue Clown Loach Fiasco

Well, I really don't know what to tell you. I've never experienced anything like it w/ my clowns, and you don't seem to be getting much help here. I'd try posting over at Loaches.com and see if they can't help you out.

This may be some sort of fungus/infection, or it could be the "white out" condition that clown loaches exhibit when they are highly stressed.

What are your water parameters? How long has your tank been setup? How long have you had the loaches in the tank? What other livestock do you have? A picture of the loach would also be helpful, if possible.

Mike

Steve,

First, I'd advise against using salt with Corydoras and Loaches. These are scaleless fish, and salt, even in small concentrations, can adversely affect their health.

Second, lower the temperature in your tank. This is very high for the species of fish you have in the tank and lowering it to the 80-82F will still be sufficient enough to speed growth of the parasite in order to kill it. Also, this will likely help the fish breathe easier.

Third, check http://www.2cah.com/pandora/Disease.html to determine what disease (if any) your fish have. Let us know if your fish's condition resembles any of the photos so we can figure out the best cure.

Fourth, it would be very helpful if you could list your water parameters specifically. This will help us determine if you need to run additional tests based on what you've already done/not done. (I'm specifically looking for, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH.)

Mike

if they are going to the top panting for air, i think that means the water isnt being oxyginated enough, maybe you should list what kind of filtration you have too

I'd recommend using CopperSafe for curing Velvet, but only use a half-dose. I've used this safely with my clown loaches to cure ich in the past, and it works very well. Be patient, velvet will take a few days to a week to completely cure, and you may still lose some fish if they are too far along.

Taking into account the size of your tank, you may want to set up a quarrantine tank for your ill fish. This will cut down on the amount of medication required, and will help prevent the further spread of the disease (if the other fish are healthy and aren't symptomatic).

Also, as centralharbor said (and I neglected to list in my previous reply), make sure there is adequate surface agitation in the tank. Although I think the difficulty breathing is likely because the temperature was too high (which results in reduced oxygen in the water), this will help increase the oxygen levels in the tank and make it easier for the fish to breathe.

Keep us posted on your treatment and progress. Good luck!

Mike