Help please...sick sucking loach in need of urgent care

[housemaid]

Hello, I have found your great website today and would like to ask you for help, I have an orange sucking loach approx 8-10 years old and approx 12cm long. It has suddenly developed black marks all over it's body and suddenly today is it's back bone is visible. It has always been extremely healthy and fit. Please can you tell me if there is anything I can do to help it or is it likely that old age is creeping up on it.
I would be very grateful for any suggestions.
Many thanks.

[shari2]

hi housemaid,

do you have any pictures you could post? i am not sure what fish you are talking about?

[Emma Turner]

Most probably a Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, also known as the Chinese Algae Eater - and which is not a 'true' loach.
A picture would certainly help with diagnosis, as would water parameters.

Emma

[housemaid]

Hello again, yep, you are right it is a Gyrinocheilus aymonieri, a golden one.....(sorry if it's not a true loach...hope you can still help).
He is very camera shy....and very fast (and I'm rubbish at doing anything complicated on the computer). The discolouration started on his side like a birthmark and is quite speckled. It is a skin discolouration as opposed to a raised growth. It has spread to his head and mouthparts and does not seem to bother the fish as he is still feeding and not flicking at all. My water conditions here are very soft and temperature of the tank about 24c, don't have ph etc.....
I will attempt to photograph him but would very much appreciate any help anyone could give me.......many many thanks

[housemaid]

Here I am again....I have a great photo of my sick fish but I am unsure how to show you all.....having read the frequently asked question section of this website I think I have to post it elsewhere as written in the notes......how do I then link it to your website please......sorry....novice computer & forum user in deepest darkest wales.....housemaid

[andre]

Hi Housemaid. Go http://s225.photobucket.com.

1. you must register first
2. once registered you log in
3. you browse where you picture is and then click on upload
4. once uploaded you copy the link
5. when you post on LOL you click Img where you normally type the text, you paste the link and you push Img again

That's all. If you experience any problem feel free to pm me.

Good luck!
Andre

[housemaid]

Thank you so much for all your help....this is tougher than I thought....here goes.....I hope this works...

Here is my sick sucking loach. I would be very grateful if anyone can diagnose and possibly offer a remedy for it.
Thank you very much...Housemaid

Edited so that the image appears ok in-thread.
Emma

[housemaid]

Hello again....well the photo didn't appear on your forum screen but if you post the link to your address box it does appear, please select edit once you have the picture and you can see full screen view......thank you for your help....Housemaid.

[palaeodave]

Hmm....it doesn't look in good shape. I'm sorry I have no idea what's wrong but it could be that you're being saved a lot of hassle. From what I hear, chinese algae eaters are a real pain when they get big. Still, sorry you're having problems. Hopefully no other fish will be affected.

[Emma Turner]

The colouration does not look disimilar to the bi-colour variety of this species that is often available (a mix of the gold with the standard green colour in blotches). But if the colour change has happened suddenly, this doesn't sound right. I would say that the fish is suffering with internal parasites as it is very 'pinched in' looking. How quickly did it take on this bony appearance, what do you feed the fish (and how often), and is it still trying to feed?

Emma

[mistergreen]

if it's anything like gold fishes, the dark markings are its body healing over injuries. Was it sick recently?

[shari2]

Have you had the fish all of it's life? A quick look pulled up lifespans for these fish anywhere from 5 years (most common) to 15 years (only one). Several go for 8-10 years.

Not only on goldfish, but on many other fish, a dark blotch forms where an injury was. Takes some time to go away, and sometimes doesn't.

Is there anything he could have injured himself on, and have you seen him eating?

[housemaid]

Good Morning, thank you all for your comments, my chinese algae eater is still with us this morning and still very active although looking drawn.
Although these fish do have a bad reputation I have had my fish for a very long time (8-10yrs) in a community tank, living very happily with my clown loaches and plecs, the only fish it terrorised was a Epalzeorhyachos frenatum (red finned shark) who lived at the opposite end of the tank and actually passed away about 5 weeks ago of I suspect old age. I enjoy him so much as he moves around so much and is very colourful.
The bony appearance has come on very suddenly last two days although the discolouration has become very noticeable over the last 5 days. I feed my community tank once a day on flake and bottom feeder sinking pellets. The sick fish is still feeding happily on algae and any food I add.
Shari2, thank you for looking up the lifespan of this type of fish and the information regarding injuries. I have owned this fish for 8-10 years...sorry don't keep records. I don't know how he could injure himself as nothing has changed in the tank over the past few years.
I suspect that this is old age and maybe missing the other fish....I will feed him some fresh cucumber and do a clean and water change to give him best chance to recover....just a little worried that if there is something wrong that my clown loaches who have grown beautifully over more than ten years (my original fish!) could be affected.
Please could someone let me know the normal lifespan of a clown loach?
Thank you again everybody......regards Housemaid

[shari2]

There is tons of info on clowns over at the main site. See Chromobotia macracanthus. There are more links within the article you can click on to see.

And you can look here:
http://www.loaches.com/articles

Clowns can live a very long time. 40 years (or more).

Do you have any pictures of your tank? We love pictures.