Loaches Online Forum

I purchased 6 clown loaches in September 5 are growing fine one hasn't grown at all and now is skinny this morning he looked like he will die. I think he has internal parasites what do you use to treat these should I treat the rest of them there is another that is thinner not like this one though

There is a lot of info in the Health forum, but here are the basics:

These are bottom feeding fish and have more of tendency to pick up internal parasites than fish that stay up higher in the water. As such, I always treat new Loaches and Catfish for internal parasites while they are in quarantine. If I see a problem in the main tank that suggests parasites treat all the fish. By the time the fish are showing symptoms of parasites they could all be infested.
New Loaches also seem to have problems with bacterial infections. Perhaps it is the stress of capture and transport on top of having some internal parasites.

Anyway, look up info about Skinny Disease.

The treatment is to alternate anti parasite meds with antibiotics.
Read the label for dosing and timing for the products you use, but a basic schedule might look like this:
Dose anti parasite meds.
Do a water change, and run activated carbon 24 hours.
Dose antibiotics (usually a 5 day treatment)
Do a water change, and run activated carbon 24 hours.
Dose anti parasite meds.
Do a water change, and run activated carbon 24 hours.
Dose antibiotics (usually a 5 day treatment)
Do a water change, and run activated carbon 24 hours.
Dose anti parasite meds.
Do a water change, and run activated carbon 24 hours.

That is, 3 anti parasite treatments, and 2 antibiotic treatments, each treatment separated by water changes and activated carbon to remove the meds.

Reasoning: Many parasites have some variation of lifestyle that includes a spore or egg or other resting stage that is not susceptible to meds. By waiting a week in between treatments you are giving the parasites a chance to change into their next form, that usually can be killed by anti parasite meds.

You can help the fish by doing plenty of water changes, and emphasizing gravel vacs. Clean the filter, too. This will remove excess organic matter from the tank. Some meds act by latching on to organic matter, even if it is not the disease organisms. By making the tank as clean as possible you are removing a lot of disease organisms, and removing a lot of non-disease organic matter that some meds might get locked up in.

what are the best anti parasite meds I bought pazipro I was told that feeding medicated food with metro+ or seachem metronidazole would be better since I am new to clown loaches I have not come across this all my golden zebra loaches and queen loach have never had problems and I have another clown loach that looks smaller

last time I checked you can still get levamisole from Tampa Research center, but that might be out of date (just where I got it last time I needed some). If you need more info, let me know