# Possible mouth issue with Clown Loach



## lukealletson (Sep 6, 2010)

I have a new clown loach. It's new to my tank, but it was given to me by a friend around 5 days ago. It settled in well and worked lovely with my other fish. Stupidly large appetite. He looked fine this morning but I've just checked and his mouth looks a little sore. Maybe it's just my imagination. Seems like it looks a TINY bit swollen, not too sure though. If it is, what could be the possible diagnosis?


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## Corwin (May 23, 2010)

Some pictures may help with a diagnosis


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

It could be swollen from him rooting around on the bottom - it's not unheard of with loaches and other fish that like to dig, especially if you have gravel.


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## lukealletson (Sep 6, 2010)

He's now hiding under a rock so it may be difficult. 
I've seen him though, and it's definitely getting worse. The lips are thickening with a thick white flesh forming. The 'feelers' have completely disappeared and he has started breathing extremely rapidly.


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## lukealletson (Sep 6, 2010)

I do have a gravel substrate.


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## lukealletson (Sep 6, 2010)

It has been googled. I've found that it is Cotton Mouth disease, but the fish is now on his last few hours. Being as it is 2:44am and he is now laying on his side breathing, I will now place him in a separate tank and euthanise him with Clove Oil. I feel so nasty but the fish is clearly in pain and is struggling to breath. For the sake of a (sad) but painless death, and to protect the other fish.


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## hXcChic22 (Dec 26, 2009)

Poor little guy, sorry to hear it. We've lost dojo loaches to mouth rot/cotton mouth, it's not a good way to go. They tend to have extra sensitive faces because of their barbels and their tendency to eat anything that comes across their path. We had a different fish die from mouth rot (didn't find the body until the next day when it was almost bones) and then we had three loaches comes up with it because they nibbled on the corpse.


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## lukealletson (Sep 6, 2010)

The tank has been cleaned and dealt with. The death seemed a lot 'nicer' with the clove oil than letting the little guy suffer. It was a fault on my part, should have noticed it sooner. It wasn't a particularly nice way to go but I felt it was the most humane.


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## Cam (Nov 9, 2009)

What was the tank size if I may ask?


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## lukealletson (Sep 6, 2010)

It was only a 10G. He was only 2". He was on the move to a bigger tank but when I noticed this I didn't want to disturb him.


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