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Dreaded Skinny

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 7:47 am
by Tracey
I have five total clown loaches and three of them I purchased about a month ago. They were treated at the petsore I got them from for parasites and ich on a preventative measure before they are put out in the tanks for sale. The smallest of the five is only about 2 inches. He is getting the the dreaded "skinny". Since hey have been treated for para sites before should I try a different approach. I have done some water changes and the only set back on my water quality is that is is quite hard and nitrates are bit above 0 but not much. no nitrites or ammonia and everything else test good for my clowns. Any suggestions? they are in a 75 gallon tank. Later Im upgrading to a 120 gal. but not soon I have a ten gal tank I can us as a quaranteen tank. I also would like to know what plants do you recommend for a clown loach tank. There tank mates are a rainbow shark and a black knife ghost fish, a yoyo loach and a red tail botia loach. Id have to say the yoyo loach has the most personality of all and the red tail botia is very illusive. Any suggestions on what to do about skinny will be appreciated. I cannot get levimisole anywhere. Id really like to save him he has the coolest markings. hoping to get a pic on here soon of him. He has the puzzle piece markings and on one side they connect. Its really odd.

Posted: Tue Sep 29, 2009 3:34 am
by fhm_usa
I got a big CL to with that dreaded skinny diseas I don't know what to do too he use to be the nicest one in the group but now it's like a death sentence in the waiting:(

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 10:01 am
by Marcos Mataratzis
Skinny disease is treated with Levamisol. Read this:

http://www.loaches.com/Members/shari2/l ... chloride-1

Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 12:03 pm
by Ardillakilla
I've successfully treated many clown loaches with "skinny."

For less severe cases, you can use Maracyn One and Two (at the same time) at the recommended dose to 2X the recommended dose for two weeks. Change water every day and then add a new dose.

For severe cases:

kanamycin 0.15 g per 2.5 gal and (yes, simultaneously)
Trimethoprim (TMP) sulfa 0.15 g per 2.5 gal

Continue as long as it takes for the fish to regain body mass.

If you live outside the US and can't get antibiotics over the counter then you have to see a vet to get the drugs. There are no alternatives other than doing nothing and hoping the fish recover on their own, which is extremely rare.

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 3:58 am
by fhm_usa
Marcos Mataratzis wrote:Skinny disease is treated with Levamisol. Read this:

http://www.loaches.com/Members/shari2/l ... chloride-1
Now that was a great info I've seen before but the things is where In the Usa can I buy it?

The skinny

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 6:47 am
by Tracey
I saved the little guy! I'm not sure how...I did a few 1/3 water changes and added some med to tx bacterial and fungal that helps fins heal and he is now ok. I tx my tank for parasites before so I didnt think it could be that. Im glad he is okay...I love his weird markings. Also I found someone to order large clown loaches from. I ordered four and a bunch of live plants.

Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2009 10:56 am
by Marcos Mataratzis
fhm_usa wrote:
Marcos Mataratzis wrote:Skinny disease is treated with Levamisol. Read this:

http://www.loaches.com/Members/shari2/l ... chloride-1
Now that was a great info I've seen before but the things is where In the Usa can I buy it?
Well,

I´m from Brazil. Here, there´s a Pig dewormer called Ripercol from Fort Dodge laboratories that contains Levamisol. Try for it there or ask your regular pet Vet for any medication containing it.

Try this:

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/A ... dn=042-837

http://www.fortdodgelivestock.com/

Good luck!

Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 10:38 am
by Diana
The problem with Skinny Disease is that it is not one specific organism, but a symptom of any of several diseases or parasites.
Doing a rotational treatment with anti-parasite medicine and antibiotics seems to take car e of it. Do some research about the medicines you use to be sure that each one is being used most efficiently for the specific problem it treats (dose, duration) and that the several medicines each treat something different so that even if the fish is suffering from a combination of problems each medicine is doing its part and each problem is being addressed.
Do not combine meds unless both are labeled as safe with each other. Use one, then clear the tank of that one, then start the next.
Treatment is rather a long procedure, but ultimately the fish will benefit.

Keeping up the water changes is very important, too. With the lowest possible nitrates and organics in the tank the medicines will work the best, and the fish will have the least stress so they can devote their energies to improved immune function to fight off the diseases and parasites.

Very good of the store to begin the quarantine and treatment for you! I wish all stores would do this!

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 9:01 am
by Tracey
I did tx for parasites before and he had no signs of anything then. I am adding live plants soon. He is still looking great and they all seem to have gone through a slight growth spurt as well.

Skinny treatments

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 1:41 pm
by millsn
I struggled with skiny and lost two fish over many months- soul destroying. I tried levamisole but it wasn't effective on the parasite in question. For any others doing a search my eventual success came from using KUSURI "wormer plus" which I ordered over the net. It's a discus treatment as apparently they can suffer a similar disease.

skinny

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:26 pm
by Tracey
The little guy made it!! and I got 5 more loaches at about 4- m4 1/2 inches added and about 7 live plants. 2 live plants died within the week but I dod notice it was because the clowns ate them to pieces. The lil guy that had skinny is the smallest loach but has the coolest markings so I am glad he made it. The biggest loach I have is about 5inches. He was 3inches when I got him and went thru a crazy growth spirt! I read that clowns grow slow. How true is that. I do keep the water changed and feed them well. I give them veggie flake, carnivore pellets, bloodworms, cucumber, lettuce, cut up nightcrawlers. They like the variety. I finally got to hear the clicking I have always read about. It didnt start until the new clowns and old clowns got together. Then one night after feeding flakes and nightcrawlers they clicked for about 10 minutes straight. I have never had live plants before. Any suggestions on keeping them. so far I know I need better light but not sure what to get. Any suggestions?

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 3:12 am
by millsn
My java fern seems to be surviving

Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2009 9:34 am
by Diana
I also noticed a growth spurt after medicating for skinny disease (Alternated Levamisol, antibiotics and Prazi). I think part of the story about "Loaches are slow growing" can be translated to: "Fish with low level infections and infestations of bacteria, parasites and other issues are slow growing." It is one of the symptoms of such problems that baby fish cannot grow so well if part of what they eat is going to feed worms and such.

Plants will thrive with something close to 2 watts per gallon of light with a color rating of 6,500K.
I have T-12 and T-8 Fluorescent tubes over most of my tanks. Some are in aquarium fixtures, others are in hardware store bare-bones sort of fixtures, and this style needs better reflectors to direct the light down into the tank.
I use an assortment of bulbs including "Plant and Aquarium", "Daylight" and "Cool White".
Plants use most of their light in particular red and blue areas of the spectrum, but have other chemicals (not chlorophyll) that help them use other wavelengths. A mix of wavelengths also makes the fish, plants and decor look right to our eyes.

A good quality plant substrate can be very good for the plants. This sort of material will hold the fertilizers near the roots in ways that sand or gravel cannot. Eco Complete, Flourite and similar products will help grow some really impressive plants. Some Loaches dig, however, and this might cause some clouding in the tank, depending on which substrate you use. If you try pool filter sand or 3M colorquartz you can add fertilizer tablets under the substrate for the rooted plants.
If you grow Java Fern, Bolbitis or Anubias tied to some driftwood then you can add fertilizers to the water, and it does not matter what kind of substrate. These plants are not rooted in the substrate.

Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:44 pm
by tender
Diana wrote:I also noticed a growth spurt after medicating for skinny disease (Alternated Levamisol, antibiotics and Prazi). I think part of the story about "Loaches are slow growing" can be translated to: "Fish with low level infections and infestations of bacteria, parasites and other issues are slow growing." It is one of the symptoms of such problems that baby fish cannot grow so well if part of what they eat is going to feed worms and such.
Ahhh! Thanks Diana :D That explains a lot. Almost every time I`ve used antibiotics or anti-parasite I have seen that my Loaches have grown rapidly. I`ve neve deared ask about this, as I`ve always thought it was just me imagining things. Good to hear that others have experienced the same thing :)