Loaches Online Forum

I have noticed some black spots on my loaches...mostlly around mouth, but some on the body as well. These spots are quite small. The fish guys said to use cupramine half dose. Does this sound OK? What do you think it is?

Thanks

Karen

Did the fish guys say what they thought the condition was?

What kind of loaches do you have, are they Clowns?
Sometimes Clown loaches develop little pigmentation spots, mostly grey-black in colour, around the head and sometimes even extend back along the flanks slightly (giving an almost freckled appearance). These type of 'black spots' do not require treatment, but I'd advise keeping a close eye on them just in case it is something else. I'd also be interested to know what the store's diagnosis was.

Emma

I have clown loaches. The fish guys didn't know what it was, but I tried the copper. The loaches seem to be much more lively. I was wondering.....I usually use reverse osmosis water for my loaches as the water from the tap, where I live is very hard. Do you think I need to add minerals to this water? Is that why my loaches responded so well to the copper?

Karen

Water hardness is one of the things that can fluctuate from week to week. You want to keep this steady for overall loach health, IMO. I have very soft water and add minerals to adjust. If you are processing your water to eliminate hardness, keep track of it. Get the test kits and find out what best suits your needs.

You want to find a system where the water you put into the tank during cleanings is always constant in its chemistry.