HELP! sick clown loach

[tim3d]

Hi forum,

i got my three clown loaches about a month back, and they were doing fine at first, however now 1 of the three has been very clearly sick for a time now. He is incredibly skinny compared to the others, and doesn't seem to be eating really. I see him scavenging once in awhile but not really eating. He has taken to lying down bent sideways all the time, and in odd places. Now I'm aware of how clown loaches tend to sleep on there sides, and if it was just that i wouldn't be concerned. But its the pale, malnourished look of him that is freaking me out. I'm stressing every time i leave the house thinking I'm going to come home and find him dead. he doesn't have ich as Ive looked and my water levels are all good, except my nitrites were slightly elevated but are being treated. When i first got him he was doing fine, and the other 2 are still doing great. so im not sure what it could be.
PLZ help as i really dont want to lose my playful little friend.

 

[OrangeCones]

he doesn't have ich as Ive looked and my water levels are all good, except my nitrites were slightly elevated but are being treated.

How are you treating your high nitrites?

What are your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

32 gallons seems a bit small for the fish you are keeping.

 

[tim3d]

for the high nitrites im treating it in two methods. 1 being the "Nutrafin cycle" and second "Fluval Clearmax" As for the numbers ill get back to you on that in a bit, i don't have the testing supplies myself yet, and ive been having a friend do them. But its 1:37 in the morning and don't think he'd appreciate the call lol. but when we last checked them on Wednesday i was told that my ph was in check, my ammonia levels were very minutely elevated but not so much as to be concerned. but that my nitrate/ nitrites levels were very high.... were talking like fluorescent pink in the test tube. so we did a 50% water change, and started cycle treatments, and when i was at the store i came across the fluval clearmax, and then read up on it and it would appear it was suiting my needs.

I was having a bad algae problem as well which is nearly cleared up completely simply by keeping the light off more, im kinda wondering if the algae problem had anything to do with the nit probs or vice versa, Im still new to tanks so im happy to learn. Things like whats the diff between nitrAtes and nitrItes. I'm always confusing them.

Oh and as for the the tank size, all my fish are juveniles, and for most of them ive got at least 1- 2 years before size becomes a prob, but either within a years time i already have planned to invest in a 100 + gallon tank. at which point the ones that are destined to grow will be transferred.

 

[OrangeCones]

Any evelation in ammonia is dangerous. High nitrites are even more toxic than ammonia, and high nitrates indicate that you do have all the beneficial bacteria you need to have, but that the bioload is too high. You do not need any 'bacteria cycling' additives and using the 'clearmax' product will not help in the long run.

The algae blooms are directly related to the poor water conditions. High amounts of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates all fuel algae growth, they are the 'fertilizer' that help algae grow. Reducing the light is a good idea, but doesn't correct the problem of excessive 'nutrients' in the water.

The only thing to correct high ammonia, nitrite and nitrate issues is to REDUCE the bioload (remove fish that are too large for the tank) and do more frequent and larger water changes.

Oh and as for the the tank size, all my fish are juveniles, and for most of them ive got at least 1- 2 years before size becomes a prob, but either within a years time i already have planned to invest in a 100 + gallon tank. at which point the ones that are destined to grow will be transferred.

Where did you get the idea that you had 1 or 2 YEARS before size will be an issue with the large-sized fish you have? I put a school of 7 one-inch balas in a 300 gallon aquarium for a display tank at a restaurant. The smallest was 8" in 6 months, the largest over 12". They added 4 clown loaches and two clown knifes, all less than 2", and they were between 5-7" in less than 6 months.

Keeping them in the cramped quarters will just stunt their growth and cause more health issues. One of your loaches is already suffering from the conditions in the tank. Scaleless fish are more prone to complications from ammonia and nitrite poisoning.