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Thanks Gary,
I'll take the phosphate remover out of my cannister and do those water changes. Clowns are a great fish and I'd hate to see him perish. I think I can live with a bit more algae instead. This is the only chem I've used apart from chlorine removers etc. I think this is a good lesson to learn from after all they don't have added chems in the wild!

Thanks for your advice Gary,
I'll do that....The phosphate remover I used were a bead type that I placed in a stocking in my cannister which I've removed. It just goes to show what you've been saying for a long time...adding any sort of chem is playing russian roulette with the fish. I'll no longer add anything to my tank unitl I've asked...promise.
These Clowns seem to be quite a challenge, but I'm up for it.
James.

[span class="edited"][Edited by james747 2004-08-28 16:30][/span]

Sorry James...

The routine would be to ask first then dose if ok.

Clowns, as I explained before, are taken from the wild where they never come in contact with our preparations. Consequently, their metabolism goes nuts and so do we when they start floating.

Do enough partial changes over time to clear the tank of any chem, being careful to match pH and temp.

You may decide to rinse/replace the filter media also.

--garyroland.

unfortunately I found another one floating when I got home this afternoon and while doing my weekly water change I noticed another one looking poorly. I swear I'm never going to add anything to my tank again apart from the necessary during a water change. I will replace the clowns but I think I'll wait for the tank to settle again. I'm sure ther will be a slight increase in phosphate again.
Thanks, James.

I am sorry to hear of your loss but it sounds like Gary said it right from the start when he gave the advisory that the fish may not make it. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. Will you be getting some more clown loaches to make up for the one that was lost? I believe it is recommended that they be kept in schools of four or more (most people recommend 6 I believe). Good luck with your tank!

Well, I got home from work last night and my loach was dead. The other 3 seem to be ok so I took the phosphate remover out of the cannister so the tank will now be free of any chems. I will be doing a 20% water change today so I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the others. Thank-you all for your help and advice.
James...

[span class="edited"][Edited by james747 2004-08-27 18:17][/span]

More Clowns have been killed by ich treatments than the result of the ich itself...

And I should clarify for my friend in Pakistan that changing 75% of tank water in a tank that is cycled is a dangerous procedure that can throw the tank out of the nitrogen cycle and cause all sorts of ammonia problems in a
fully stocked tank.

--garyroland.


[span class="edited"][Edited by garyroland 2004-08-27 17:32][/span]

im not sure if gary said this or not, but clown loaches are scaless fish.. so when you put chemicals (like ich treatments) that has copper in them, you have to do at most a 1/4th dose of it.

We all know the results of not using test kits and it's not good...

I can promise that sooner or later you will lose all your fish either from ich or a large pH mismatch.

There is an "old school" belief and practice that used large water changes to prevent ammonia buildups. Some still use this strategy in fishkeeping.

The strategy does indeed work but the work involved in large water changes and the risk of massive water temp variances and pH has been replaced by the use of the nitrogen cycle system, an easier and friendlier way of keeping tropicals.

I never promote large water changes because of the danger involved but mostly because it's totally unnessary and a lot of work besides.

If you prefer to do do large water changes then by all means do them. But if you did a little studying you'd discover that large water changes do not cure or stop disease as opposed to small partial changes perhaps every other week.

Study the Nitrogen Cycle and get up to date.

--garyroland.

Hi gray
I have 10 clown loach over two years &I have change 75% of water every week.I had never used test kids in my life or any medicine,only used anti-chorine to remove chorine from water.When my clown loach are sick I change the water & increase the temperature & never put any medicine in the tank.all clown in my tank are healthy & active.

[span class="edited"][Edited by jason_r_s 2004-08-29 00:29][/span]

I have 4 clown loaches and one of them has become very pale. He has also developed red patches on his body too. The other fish are fine. My water tests are ok.
Ammonia =0
nitrite/ate =0
ph =7
hardness =160
The only recent change has been the addition of "Phos-guard" in my cannister to reduce rather high readings of phosphate.
Does anyone have any ideas?
Thanks....James.

You know, James, that I'm very suspicious about adding any chems to tank water with very sensitive Clowns in the tank...

Because these fish are always taken from the wild they just can't handle the insults we as hobbyists subject them to.

I would forget the chems because I feel the remover had an effect on the fish involved.

Do a few small water changes and test for the normal parameters and see if the Clown will recover and attempt to feed.

I always love to see a Clown eat with gusto, a sign that he's happy and healthy.

For those who would argue that some Clowns are commercially raised, they should bear in mind that the supply coming out of Thailand is plentiful and controlled.

Anyone trying to commercially breed Clown Loaches would soon go broke trying to compete.

I tried to import a few adult Clowns a while back and was told to forget it. The adults are closely protected.

--garyroland.





[span class="edited"][Edited by garyroland 2004-08-26 18:18][/span]

Thanks Gary, I suspected 75% was too much! I normally do a weekly 25% change but I'll do another anyway. Do you think I should remove the phosphate remover or perhaps I'm too late?
Thanks again Gary.

Changing 75% of your water will guarantee a disaster when it throws your tank out of cycle...

Clowns are very sensitive to many changes in water quality and the phosphate reducer probably affected him.

You can do a small 25% change and perhaps a little Melafix but be advised the fish may not make it.


--garyroland.



[span class="edited"][Edited by Lindy 2004-08-28 20:35][/span]

If you want any more help please reply me .
Thankyou.

Thanks for your help, Digital.

If their is a gills problem to your clown loach chance of saving your clown only 10%.First you note your clown if his gills move fast then change 75% of your water & then increase your temperature to 34 degree & then hope for better result.
Good luck

I haven't noticed much gill movement however I didn't see him eat tonight. He is also swimming slightly lop-sided!

Hi James,
your sick clown loach eat properly &his gills movement is normal or move fast like fan?
Reply?