Clown Loaches

[jacquetlc]

Headache headache!!

I've started my new planted tank for about a month. In it, it has 4 Rams, 10 Glowlights, 2 Glasscats, 2 Honey Gouramis and 2 OTOs and a mountain Shrimp.

I would like to add my 2 clown loaches into my tank. Worry is, will they destroy my landscape? I basically have fern like leaves as 'carpet' effect, leaving them no lapis to lie onto.

I'm also worried if they'll be enemies with the natives already in there?

Thank you.

[elmike]

How big is your tank? I don't recommend 2 clown loaches if your tank is anything less than 4 ft. Do check out their full-grown size first before deciding. These clowns can grow huge overnight.

[avant]

Not recommended. They will be a threat to your gouramis. They aren't aggressive but they are inquisitive enough to take a peck at your fish.

Actually they don't grow so big so quickly. Unless you are feeding them power food.

[jacquetlc]

Currently they are residing in my water feature setup which is about 80cm x 80cm with about 25cm depth of water. This gives them enough space to roam and hide and of course, lie down feigning dead!

Actually I'm just afraid that my RAMs will fight with them. They seem pretty aggressive ! The honey gouramis are pretty agile...

My biggest worry is that they'll mess up terribly my landscape!

[avant]

I've not seen clown loaches and rams fighting before but the clown loaches should be able to defend themselves easily. And they will probably swim away faster than your rams though it's more likely they'll hold their ground ha.

What plants do you have in there? Clown loaches like to peck on vegetables

[michael lai]

Hi Jac,
I wouldn't recommend adding the clownies. They are very inquisitive and powerful diggers, will probably rearrange your deco as and when they like. When you want to take them out, you probably have to empty the tank. On a last note, they are hard to cure when infected with white spots. Maybe cories would be a better choice.
PS: they can attain lengths of 30cm in the wild but probably 20-25cm in captivity, they grow slow, hope the info helps.

[Nicky]

I have 2 clown loaches in my 4ft tank. They are with me for nearly 2 years now and the big one is only 3.5 inches.

Maybe I'm lucky to get the good nature ones but mine attempt to dig but not very successful with Seachem flourite substrate. My jap HG manage to anchor theselves pretty well even though the HG was introduced after the loaches.

My clown loaches and my 10 rams do not bother each other, other than when the rams are guarding eggs and when that happens, the ram fights with any fish, not just the loaches.

They also do not harass the gourami (common named chocolate, samurai, the latest one acrostoma) in my tank.. they also chase each other occasionally.

So to me they are quite ok. For that matter their fat and juicy body is quite a sight to watch and laugh at.

[juggler]

I have kept 4 in my old 4ft tank for about 4 years. It is impossible to catch them out. Finally managed to catch them when I tore down the tank and they were the last ones to be caught -- size was close to 5" ! So think twice before putting them in if you decide to fish them out later.
But they are cute to watch -- sometimes sleeping on their sides.

For mine, they don't seem to disturb the aquascape. But they will leave some bite marks on your Echinodorus sp. from time to time.

And they don't eat the snails at all in my tank then. The Ramshorn and MTS still flourish.

[jacquetlc]

thank you all for your info.

i had tried over the weekend to net it out from my water featured setup, but unsuccessful!!! they are indeed VERY difficult to catch!

think i'll only introduce new clowns when i set up a larger tank due to space restrictions. I don't want them to suffer in my 1.5 ft tank.

[avant]

Be careful when you are catching them out with your net. The spines near the eyes are quite sharp. Be careful not to hurt your hands. Also be careful that the spines may get entangled with the net.