Why Is my clown loach washed out and patchy under his skin?! plz help!

[toah]

..Hey...I was wondering if my clown loach is alright...hes quite active and eating fine but I've started to notice that he has grey-ish patches under his skin where the orange is...his black has also faded considerbly...hes about 6inches, i heard when they get bigger their colour fades a bit..but i dont think this is whats going on?..maybe?...please help!..hes such a happy loach i dont want anything to happen to him!..(ph is at steady7 - 6.8...no ammonia present...a little bit of nitrate is present, but appearntly its not harmful, and i am fighting to get it down though anyway)...THANK YOU!

[abaigael04]

how MUCH nitrate is present - CL's are sensitive to water... trItes? Has he been "fighting" with another CL? Mine grey-out at feeding time if they are arguing over "whos" food it is! Do you have a picture?

[Nick89]

what color of substrate you have?? By adding darker substrate it will darken the fish up tremendously.

[Lady Hobbs]

Fading is also a sign of stress altho I do notice my larger female loach hasn't the same bright colors as the males. Have they caves and hiding places and not too crowded?

[abaigael04]

Lady hobbs - just curious - how do you sex and at what size? I have heard females are thicker? Is it very easy to tell? Mine are still small but j/w.

[Lady Hobbs]

Mine are small, too, but one is noticably larger and heavier and that one I am "assuming" to be female.

Even stressed and faded loaches should not be "blotchy".

[abaigael04]

hmm I have one that is growing MUCH faster and is much larger, too also seems to be "alpha" maybe I have one female (until I get the my other 3!)... too bad they won't be breeding for me! OK hijack done....

[toah]

...It's nitrAtes...i have no nitrites in my tank...20ppm of nitrates(appearntly its not THAT harmful...from the looks of the test kit that i have 40+ppm is harmful) My substrate is white/black/and green mix...ill try that...yah my tank has quite a large hollow log they like to hide in..and other 2 logs...ones just like a stump with roots and the other is hollow as well...my loach is usually out and about, quite active...Thats the only clown loach in my tank...i have a horsefaced loach(which i never see and is only about 2inches)..weather loach..and a angelicus loach...no one seems to be picking on him...I have an oscar, thats the only fish i could think that would be picking on him...but he dosnt really pay attention to the clown loach..thanks for your responces guys!

[Lady Hobbs]

Could be why he's unhappy as they are social fish and like several of their own with them. No point in getting more if your tank is too small for more than one, tho. He may color up again tomorrow. Maybe he's just ticked off over something.

[gm72]

A single specimen may be stressed, yes. They are very, very social fish. Perhaps in the top echelon of such. They really love to play with others of their kind. However, you can't add more unless you have the space.

So, basically, what Lady said. :11:

[toah]

So, hes just lonley?...its not some crazy infection or disease?...thats kinda makes me feel better...I did not realize they liked company...I dont really have enough room to get another loach...i notice he hangs around the angelicus loach quite a bit...is that enough compant for him?..maybe?...thanks guys!

[abaigael04]

they should really be with 5 or more of the same kind - same for your other loach. Is his color better today?

[gm72]

Hard to say if there is an infection going on vs. stress until symptoms become more persistent. Please always remember to research the fish you are planning on keeping to avoid issues like this. Not a criticism, mind you--most of us have gotten a fish we knew nothing about at one point or another.

Fish like that really need company of their own kind, but since that's not an option you are stuck. I wonder if there is a way to give the fish to a fish shop in exchange for something different that doesn't need such company?

[bluekrissyspikes]

we can't really say for sure that the loach is only faded from stress as we would need a picture to tell. it sounds more like an infection to me if is only in certain areas. i'd still be concerned because i've never heard of clown loaches only greying out in patches and not all over. i also have to agree with everyone else that they would all be happier in groups of five or more of their own kind. also, i'm pretty sure oscars are not compatable tankmates and you might end up with a bite out of your clown loach one day. keep an eye on him closely.