Help : Clown loach vibrating

[ckk125]

here is a better video...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=u4IGrgNMNww

i think it is due to the clown swallowing some sand...it seems to be less.

As you can see, he is much fatter now compared to a month ago and is much more active now, schooling together with the rest.

[Emma Turner]

What sort of sand is in the tank, Chen? Any idea of size of the grains (mm)? I would doubt that the fish has swallowed any. If the sand is quite fine, they are capable of expelling it through their gills.

I'm thinking it is some sort of neurological problem, involuntary spasms etc.

Emma

[shari2]

That was my first thought to, Emma. But if it completely stops when he's sleeping...I dunno.

[Tinman]

Chen, Does he only do this after a meal ?,you said
[quote] think it is due to the clown swallowing some sand...it seems to be less.

How many live fish does he eat at one time?
Digesting live animals whole is very traumatic for both the eater and the eatee.This appears to be happpening in the pooch of the belly,not the tail or muscle section of the fish so I would assume digestive tract issue. Fish when eaten whole may not die immediately,possibly surviving a few hours in the belly.Can you say this happens many hours or a day after any feeding or is it possible that it is always within less than 10 hours of a feeding? Tinman

[ckk125]

2-3 mm and some from 2-3 cm...

ive seen the clown taking up the whole 3 cm sand and expell it again.

Right now, he is happily digging the substrate..no spasms yet

Hopefully it is not anything deadly.

Tinman, i don't feed any live fish to him. What I thought is that he might be trying to 'let go' some parasites or some sand.

Thanks all! Will be updating if i spot anything.

[helen nightingale]

someone posted earlier about having a power head low down in the tank, but wasnt sure about the effect on the sand. i have a small powerhead with the intake about 8cm from the sand, with no problems, but i havent got enough wire to put it any lower so i cant say if sand will get stirred up with it lower than this. i just though someone might find this useful. it looks like you have plently of current in your tank though Chen.

i do hope this problem reselves itself. it is very strange

[Desi]

Can fish get Tourette syndrom? I have no idea what this really could be but it sure does remind me of Tourette's