Death Of A Clown

An hour or so ago my Clown Loach was swimming and eating. I just spotted it floating at the top of the tank dead. I've had him for a month or so.

He lived with a Dojo Loach, Red Fin Black Shark, and assorted Cichlids.
I have never seen any of the others bothering it in any way. Swam with them daily.

Yesterday, early, I put in a new and stronger filter and the water level was down an inch so I
topped it off.

As I said, an hour ago it showed no signs of anything wrong.

Any ideas?

 

they can play dead sometimes. make sure it truly has expired. also clowns need to have at least 5 individuals to be happy; 3 bare minimum; alone they can can wither from depression despite being healthy otherwise. also, they get huge. Like +10" and stocky bodied like a yam, so a tank longer than 4ft is recommended.

 

It was definitely deceased. And was alone with no other clowns, though I had planned to get more.

I'm afraid to order them now.

 

pH, ammonia, nitrite, chemical list? Did you observe him eating? How long have you had him?

 

pH, ammonia, nitrite, chemical list? Did you observe him eating? How long have you had him?

He was eating. Had it for a month. Slowed down my snail infestation, maybe got a hold of a bad snail.

 

well, if you aren't removing the snails from the tank itself because they are being consumed, then all the phosphates/nitrogen compounds stay in the tank which can pollute your tank further. water changes or physically removal of overgrowth (be it snails or plants) are necessary to keep the tank water clean in this case. your water will gradually become more alkaline because the shells decompose in the tank.
if you have fast growing plants that can mitigate some wastes thru metabolic uptake.