Solitary Clown and Yoyo loaches

[Gill Passman]

Hi All,

The story behind this is that I bought my son some Yoyo loaches for his
birthday for his established 30 gall tank. In the end I eventually
bought 7 and we only have one survivor. I've spoken to the LFS's
involved and have been given credit for 5 of them (I haven't got round
to mentioning the 6th one yet). Along with the credit one LFS told me
that they have had a lot of problems with their stock and actually
offered the credit before I asked for it. The other one has taken them
off sale. I've not seen them on sale elsewhere recently. So right now we
have a solitary Yoyo loach that needs some friends but I'm not happy
enough about local quality to get some more (although it's been a couple
of weeks since I last asked). From my reading he needs friends....he is
feeding well and out in the front of the tank....

The next story is my SIL. She bought 3 Clown Loaches for her 40 gall. 2
of these have now died - suspicion is parasites but I don't know for
sure - certainly no sign of Ich. I checked the remaining Clown tonight
and he has great colour and no spots....he is plump and healthy. At the
present time she cannot afford to go out and get him companions. My
understanding is that he will not thrive on his own. She has offered him
to me to house him.

The next story is that I have a lovely troupe of clowns in my 47.5 gall
community tank....but although healthy and happy they are currently
covered in Ich that is resistant to treatment. I'm still working on it.
The fact from previous experience that they all swim in the open and
actually hand feed, have good colour leads me to believe this is a
patience and maintaining water quality thing - and keep up the
treatment. Now, I'm not about to put my SIL's healthy Clown Loach into
an Ich ridden tank....all that will achieve is yet another CL with
Ich....so at the moment I refused to take him.

I'm reluctant to buy any more Yoyo's at the moment until I am sure of
the local stock (not just one store but two but I think the suppliers
are the same).

So, my question is....would putting the CL in with the Yoyo help resolve
the solitary fish question? I don't think either fish would be at risk
health wise as they have both been out of the store for at least 6
weeks. I have heard that they will mix together quite happily...

I just really want an answer to the dilemma of these two wonderful fish.
Ulimately they will mix with their own but as a temporary measure would
they be happier together?

Ideas please????

TIA
Gill

[NetMax]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Hi All,
>
<snip>
> So, my question is....would putting the CL in with the Yoyo help
> resolve the solitary fish question? I don't think either fish would be
> at risk health wise as they have both been out of the store for at
> least 6 weeks. I have heard that they will mix together quite
> happily...
>
> I just really want an answer to the dilemma of these two wonderful
> fish. Ulimately they will mix with their own but as a temporary measure
> would they be happier together?


My experience has been that they alternate between ignoring each other,
and quarrelling (territorial issues). Single Yoyos appear to be more
agressive than CLs (and Red-tail Botia appear more aggressive than
Yoyos.. and so on and so on). jme, ymmv especially according to the tank
size and amount of cover.
--
www.NetMax.tk

> Ideas please????
>
> TIA
> Gill

[Dr.]

Consider heat treating your ICH instead of medicating. An 88f heat treatment
for 3 weeks eradicated it for me on 2 occasions. Plenty of surface movement
is important, and good water quality.

Gary

[Gill Passman]

Dr. wrote:
> Consider heat treating your ICH instead of medicating. An 88f heat treatment
> for 3 weeks eradicated it for me on 2 occasions. Plenty of surface movement
> is important, and good water quality.
>
> Gary
>
>
Thanks Gary,

I'm pretty much getting to that stage. I'm not too keen on continuouly
throwing in meds that aren't making a difference. I will take the temp
up a few more degrees and keep going with the water changes. Surface
movement is good.

One of them seems to be reinfecting the others. Four of them can almost
be clear but then when a come down in the morning they are spotty
again...I'm thinking this relates to the sleeping in a Clown Heap and
some of the spots are attaching to them from the worst infested fish.
I'm amazed that the worst affected fish is still going but he is for now
(fingers crossed). If I didn't love Clown Loaches as much as I do I'm
sure that this Ich outbreak would put me off for life from keeping them.

Gill

[Bill Stock]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
> Hi All,
>
> The story behind this is that I bought my son some Yoyo loaches for his
> birthday for his established 30 gall tank. In the end I eventually bought
> 7 and we only have one survivor. I've spoken to the LFS's involved and
> have been given credit for 5 of them (I haven't got round to mentioning
> the 6th one yet). Along with the credit one LFS told me that they have had
> a lot of problems with their stock and actually offered the credit before
> I asked for it. The other one has taken them off sale. I've not seen them
> on sale elsewhere recently. So right now we have a solitary Yoyo loach
> that needs some friends but I'm not happy enough about local quality to
> get some more (although it's been a couple of weeks since I last asked).
> From my reading he needs friends....he is feeding well and out in the
> front of the tank....
>
> The next story is my SIL. She bought 3 Clown Loaches for her 40 gall. 2 of
> these have now died - suspicion is parasites but I don't know for sure -
> certainly no sign of Ich. I checked the remaining Clown tonight and he has
> great colour and no spots....he is plump and healthy. At the present time
> she cannot afford to go out and get him companions. My understanding is
> that he will not thrive on his own. She has offered him to me to house
> him.
>
> The next story is that I have a lovely troupe of clowns in my 47.5 gall
> community tank....but although healthy and happy they are currently
> covered in Ich that is resistant to treatment. I'm still working on it.
> The fact from previous experience that they all swim in the open and
> actually hand feed, have good colour leads me to believe this is a
> patience and maintaining water quality thing - and keep up the treatment.
> Now, I'm not about to put my SIL's healthy Clown Loach into an Ich ridden
> tank....all that will achieve is yet another CL with Ich....so at the
> moment I refused to take him.
>
> I'm reluctant to buy any more Yoyo's at the moment until I am sure of the
> local stock (not just one store but two but I think the suppliers are the
> same).

I bought a single Yoyo when I first set up my Tropical tank several months
ago, as the LFS only had one. This 'guy' was always an atypical Yoyo, very
shy, would not come up for food, preferred Algae to meat. So a few months
ago I bought two more to keep him company. They are much more outgoing,
always come up for food and tend to harass the original Yoyo a bit. So I
don't think he cares about his new friends, but the new ones do seem happier
in a group. Perhaps he was on his own for quite some time.




> So, my question is....would putting the CL in with the Yoyo help resolve
> the solitary fish question? I don't think either fish would be at risk
> health wise as they have both been out of the store for at least 6 weeks.
> I have heard that they will mix together quite happily...
>
> I just really want an answer to the dilemma of these two wonderful fish.
> Ulimately they will mix with their own but as a temporary measure would
> they be happier together?
>
> Ideas please????
>
> TIA
> Gill

[Dr.]

"Gill Passman" > wrote in message
.. .
>
> One of them seems to be reinfecting the others.

Do a google search for "ICH life cycle" and do some reading on a few
different sites. Understanding exactly what your dealing with will help you
fight it better.

I'd suggest bumping the temp up quick to 88. Most strains of ICH will be
killed at 86 or above. Some strains may take higher temps to kill, from what
I've read. You can raise your temp fast without bothering your clowns. Take
the temp back down very gradually over a week or so after your 3 week heat
treatment.

I don't know enough about other fish to know what temps they can handle, but
I know that clown loaches can withstand a 95f heat treatment for 3 weeks if
necessary. Which I read in TFH magazine. If you have live plants, some might
not survive the high heat. I'd rather kill plants than fish any day though.

Gary