My clownloach has white spots and is staying at top of tank

[loachfan69]

Hi guys, I had a problem before and this website was the best thing i could of asked for you guys fixed me up!!
But sadly I have another problem. My 2 inch long clownloach who ive had for at least 4 months is acting strange. He has about 5 or 6 small white spots on him mostly around his fins. I'm just getting used to them "playing dead" or lieing down on thier side but he has been sluggish lately and been staying particularly at the top of the tank. I have a tank heater which isnt plugged in because its not needed but there is a sucktion cup about 4 inches from the top of the tank that connects the heater to the tank leaving a small gap . That's where he has been 90% of the time for the past week just laying in that small spot . I have to check on him and get him moving occasionally to make sure he isnt stuck. He has had these spots before and they have gone away, but it's his sluggish behavior that worries me.
Has this ever happened to anyone else? is this just a phase? or do i need to get medication because i can do that to ill pay whatever i have to i love these little guys. Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me.

[tender]

Hi!
My first thougt is whitespot (ich). If this is the case, he needs to be treated. It does not go away by itself. You can use either appropriate medication or the heatcure. There is a very good article about treating ich on the frontpage of the forum.
Good luck!

Kind regards
Marius

[loachfan69]

Thankyou Tender I just finished reading that article and it seems to be the problem. I should have looked but I was in such a hurry being worried about my little loach I didnt even take notice to it.

Thanks again I appreciate it!

[tender]

Remember; you have to treat the whole tank. It wont help to quarantine the one fish which is infected.

[loachfan69]

I'm about to head out to the store to get medication , I'll use it on the whole tank and only using a half dose at a time.
Thankyou

[loachfan69]

When i came home from the store he was laying on his side on the bottom of the tank. He would not move so i tryed to give him a little nudge hes still alive but seems as if barely. He just drifts around and he seems to have his back arched a little bit sideways but he is extremely lethargic does that sound like ich?

[tender]

My personal experience is that clowns that are sick seem to rest a lot. I wouldn`t say that this is typical of ich, but if he is very weakened by the parasite it might be a reaction. I would personally start medication and observe the fish closely the next days.

[loachfan69]

He continues to be declining he is no longer alert or responsive, the current is enough to move him until he comes to a spot where it doesnt get him and he doesnt swim he just goes with it but he seems to be breathing even heavily but not responsive at all i even fed them brime shrimp all the others went crazy but he didnt move. i dont want to give up hope on him but its really not looking good. could this be a phase similar to laying down but more intense? can they get into a trance that deep? or is it what it seems to be.
I know ive said it many times tonight but thanks Tender for checking back up and responding accordingly. youve been a huge help and i appreciate it very much.

[chefkeith]

The fish is probably dying from asphyxiation caused by the ich damage to its gills. IME, there is only one way to save it, but it is already probably too late. For any chance the fish needs to be put in oxygenated shallow water. Just enough water to cover it's body. I'd use a bucket. Put about an inch of tank water in it, add an airstone to it, then put the fish in there. With this treatment, you can't feed the fish. There needs to be daily water changes that won't shock the fish and the water needs to have a medication in it that will kill the ich. It may take 2 weeks for full recovery if the fish survives.

IMO, You should also do this because you should never let a fish die in your main tank. When a fish dies it may release all kinds of toxins into the water that could kill other fish.

[loachfan69]

I would like to thank everyone for thier help but sadly he passed away a few miniutes ago, he stopped breathing and that was it. Im going to miss him alot but hopefully i can prevent it from happening to anymore of my fish.

Thanks again guys