Clown growth, or lack of.

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andyroo
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Clown growth, or lack of.

Post by andyroo » Mon Jun 05, 2006 7:37 pm

I've kept clowns since my youth, and currently have a fine pair (will add more when i find them: rare in local shops)

I've had one for 18-24 months, and he's grown no more then 1cm in that time, adding no more then 25% in length (small, 3-4cm to begin with) The other i've had since Feb, also small at 2.5cm (just over one inch). No appreciable growth in that time.

I hear stories of clown growth rates on this forum of inches over months, particularly in small animals. The stripey men of the balcony are fat and happy on prawn bits, live snails and an assortment of infaunal worms and juv. shrimp and rainbow and goby eggs. Why do they not grow? Water temp is between 27 and 30 degrees. Water is old and of good quality: tank is large and under-populated, over-filtered with good current and well planted.

Suggestions?


Andyroo
"I can eat 50 eggs !"

EdenAU
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Post by EdenAU » Mon Jun 05, 2006 10:21 pm

I remember reading somewhere, that the more water changes you do, the quicker the fish grow, as there are less hormones in the water...
I don't know if that has anything to do with your situation. Sorry.

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mikev
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Post by mikev » Tue Jun 06, 2006 9:30 am

Andy,

My experience so far has been that the fish that does not grow, or grow much slower than expection has a high probability of an internal parasite, usually a tapeworm. My botias stats showed more than 1 out of 3 with such infections. (Here the botias are Kubotais, Clowns and Yoyos, listed in order of how frequent the parasites were -- Kubotais were the worst.)

Doing a levimisole treatment is safe and will cover this possibility.

hth

DRLashambe
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Post by DRLashambe » Tue Jun 06, 2006 11:15 am

I did some slow growth early on with my clowns, and one of the problems was definately water quality. I did see some really fantastic growth once I got the clowns to start eating snails. I assume it was the increased protein. I also really tried to provide a greatly varied diet, with bloodworms, frozen brine shrimp, sinking multi-pellets, and sinking algae wafers. My clowns have never eaten zucchini (go figure), but I offered them that as well. I also fed them five times daily in small amounts (I was working at home at the time).

I hope parasites have nothing to do with it....Good Luck!

andyroo
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Post by andyroo » Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:18 pm

Mikev,

levimisole: what is the trade name? What is the active chemical? ie: is it going to be restricted for import, or can i ask the doctor next door for the generic/human equivelant and get the dosages per gallon on-line? Do i treat the tank or the fish(quarantine)? I suppose that if one's got it everybody'd have it, so might as well do the tank... What colateral damage might i expect in filter bacteria/snails/gravel infauna etc...?

And yes Dr. Lashambe, i hope it's not parasites as well. I've been upping the food inputs (worm bits, more feedings etc...) and saw some/limited short-lived good results in the larger animal.

If there are no negative effects i might try the meds as well if they're around.

A
"I can eat 50 eggs !"

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mikev
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Post by mikev » Tue Jun 06, 2006 8:03 pm

andyroo wrote:Mikev,

levimisole: what is the trade name? What is the active chemical?
levamisole (typo above) is the active (usually only) chemical; if you google for levamisole+soluble you will find a few places that sell it on the net *and may be able to ship to your country
ie: is it going to be restricted for import, or can i ask the doctor next door for the generic/human equivelant and get the dosages per gallon on-line? Do i treat the tank or the fish(quarantine)? I suppose that if one's got it everybody'd have it, so might as well do the tank... What colateral damage might i expect in filter bacteria/snails/gravel infauna etc...?
Some of the questions you ask depend on your country's policy -- no idea.

See end of this thread:
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php ... le+soluble
for source/dosing I used. Treatment in the main tank(s) seems to be safe. Seems to be no collateral damage (unless you breed worms for food in the tank ground, I guess it would kill them.--I saw it killing soil nematodes)

IMHO, any loach should get one round of this just in case.

hth

andyroo
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Post by andyroo » Wed Jun 07, 2006 2:07 pm

Mikev,

Thanks.
I will ask the vet for the pig-wormer powder. It's probably pretty common if it's so inexpensive.
You suggest generaly medicating the tank over dipping/soaking (what, 5 minutes soak-time?) prawn bits in the mixed (watered) medication?

A
"I can eat 50 eggs !"

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mikev
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Post by mikev » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:04 am

andyroo wrote:Mikev,

Thanks.
I will ask the vet for the pig-wormer powder. It's probably pretty common if it's so inexpensive.
Depends on the country, most likely. I'd assume that a small country without pig/sheep industry would not have it.

Why not just try ordering over the net? -- the link above says they ship internationally. I'd be a bit concerned about drugs liek this from a small supplier -- pigs may not mind contaminants, but fish might.
You suggest generaly medicating the tank over dipping/soaking (what, 5 minutes soak-time?) prawn bits in the mixed (watered) medication?
A
Considerably more effective to med the entire tank--I've experimented with medicated food too (seach this forum for "ultracarepx" if interested in what I did.) However: since you are likely not dealing with any direct worms, I'd simply medicate once and would not bother with massive water changes as recommended.

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