# Clown Loaches and Ich.



## Babydelux3 (Jul 5, 2010)

Thinking about buying two Clown Loaches to add to my tank. 
I was reading up on them and read that they are pretty much prone to ich.

Is this true? If so, I think I'll pass on them.


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## toddnbecka (Jun 30, 2006)

They do seem to be more prone to it than other fish, but adding a bit of salt to your tank before you buy the loaches will prevent it from going any further if they do have it. In any case, you should always quarantine new fish for some time before adding them to an established tank. Also consider, clown loaches are social fish, and need to be kept in groups; 3 would be the absolute minimum, more would be better. They are a slow-growing fish, but given proper care they will grow to well over 12". They really do best in large groups in at least a 6' tank.


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## sbetsy (Apr 6, 2010)

How large is your tank? If it can't house adult clown loaches, there are other loach species that are smaller (i.e. reach 2 inches or 6 inches max instead of 12). They are prone to ich and I recommend a qt before you add them to the main tank.


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## Babydelux3 (Jul 5, 2010)

toddnbecka said:


> They do seem to be more prone to it than other fish, but adding a bit of salt to your tank before you buy the loaches will prevent it from going any further if they do have it. In any case, you should always quarantine new fish for some time before adding them to an established tank. Also consider, clown loaches are social fish, and need to be kept in groups; 3 would be the absolute minimum, more would be better. They are a slow-growing fish, but given proper care they will grow to well over 12". They really do best in large groups in at least a 6' tank.


Thanks for the salt tip! Definitely will do that!


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## Babydelux3 (Jul 5, 2010)

sbetsy said:


> How large is your tank? If it can't house adult clown loaches, there are other loach species that are smaller (i.e. reach 2 inches or 6 inches max instead of 12). They are prone to ich and I recommend a qt before you add them to the main tank.


They will be going in a 100g tank. Thanks for the help! =]


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

The worst part is that they're not only prone to ick, but they can't handle the best treatments FOR it.


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## Babydelux3 (Jul 5, 2010)

I got two to start off with yesterday, will be adding a third when Petsmart gets more in. 
They look pretty healthy, keeping my fingers crossed that they stay that way!


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## charking (Aug 12, 2009)

i got some who looked really healthy took extra care to put them in my tank, and even added a slight salt.. and the next day ICCCHHHHHHHH i treated them but they came on the worst side :/ and died.. however didnt lose any other fish.. so wasnt too bad i gues. just a pain in the *ss. i had different loaches though they were like yellowy coloured? no problems with them? hopefully your loaches will be fine  i think its just luck with some batches.. as its all about how theyve been cared for at the shop!


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## Username in use (Apr 29, 2010)

I bought 3 clown loaches and they were perfectly fine at the store no signs of ich or nothing by the time i got them home and into the tank they already had ich... All 3 died and i took them back to petsmarts and got my money back. Thank god for 14 day live grantee. I have since then not even bothered with another loach. I might try again soon though i been iching to get a few so i can have some monster clown loaches! and maybe a few others >.<


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## Babydelux3 (Jul 5, 2010)

Username in use said:


> I bought 3 clown loaches and they were perfectly fine at the store no signs of ich or nothing by the time i got them home and into the tank they already had ich... All 3 died and i took them back to petsmarts and got my money back. Thank god for 14 day live grantee. I have since then not even bothered with another loach. I might try again soon though i been iching to get a few so i can have some monster clown loaches! and maybe a few others >.<


Eek... scary. I'll be monitoring mine closely..


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## Babydelux3 (Jul 5, 2010)

So... looks like one of them has 3-4 white spots on it. Pretty sure it's ich. Can't tell for sure. Should I remove him from the tank and treat him separately with salt? Or just treat the whole tank?


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

if you want to keep clowns ; you will want to keep the tank temps at 82-84 F.......salt doesn't really help them much as they don't really like it and it stresses them some ; making them even more prone to getting ich..when i buy clowns ; i pretreat the Q tank with Aquarisol for a few days....do a water change..make sure the temp is right and then add them.


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## snyderguy (Feb 9, 2010)

I've got a couple clown loaches and neither have had a case of ich :]
What's weird is that I bought them both fairly small and one of them is growing and is 3x the size of the other. The other just isn't growing. Any reason why?


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