clown loaches

[stateofanarchy]

hello everyone

i just got my clown loach yesterday he seem to be doing good so far i hope. i read from other websites they said clown loaches should be kept in groups of 3 ? is it true cause im not sure if my tank can fit another clown loach. but they are just so adorable . thanks for your time guys

[flybaits]

i have 2 and they are doing fine. cheerful and swimming happily always, especially when its feeding time. Think u should get at least a pair. and oh, they love some hiding places where they can call home. mine is a driftwood with java ferns. fun watching them squeezing and sleeping in an odd manner. have fun!

cheers!

[Verminator]

They are truely amazing fish. I had 2 and they got on fine, since then i bought 2 more so i now have 4 and they are just adoreable to watch. Mine love bloodworm, and after feeding them regularly with it mine have become hand tame. Feeding out my hand whatever i feed them. Truely inquisitive fish that each have their own personalities. The more you can house the better as they are a shoaling fish and prefere to be kept in greater numbers. You'll be greatly rewarded i assure you if you can get more.

[Merviso]

Hi bro, please be aware that Clown Loach will grown to a very large size, and they actually need more room to swim about. If your tank can't even fit in another young Clown Loach now, then you will have to start planning for a bigger tank soon...

[Verminator]

They have the possibility to grow large. I've had mine for 3 years and he hasnt grown much more than 4inch from tip to tail in the last 2 years. in saying that, they have the ability to live for 50+ years. So they're still many many many years of growth i may encounter.

Albeit i'm aware they can get to 17 inches long in the most extreme cases

Yes, in short Merviso has a very valid point

[Orion]

Hi bro, please be aware that Clown Loach will grown to a very large size, and they actually need more room to swim about. If your tank can't even fit in another young Clown Loach now, then you will have to start planning for a bigger tank soon...

Never seen anyone managed to keep clown loaches to very large size. Either they are stunted in growth or when rear in smaller tank.

[stateofanarchy]

thanks to all who replied really helped me alot . yes i really like my clown already he is just adorable , im planning to get one more to keep him company , currently i think hes lonely . mine love the driftwood with plants attached to it to ! but im not sure what he likes to eat . fed my fishes bloodworms today and i dropped hikari pellet for loaches and bottom feeders too!

[avant]

Maybe you can share with us your current setup and the current stock you have so that we can advise accordingly.
Clown loaches do need lots of space for them to grow and they do shoal nicely when they are juvenile. When they are older, they tend to become more shy and hide more if there are good hiding spaces for them.
Going forward, you might try other loaches too!

[stateofanarchy]

im useing a baby bath tub as a tank , currently 4 tiger barb 2 cory 1 sucker and 1 algae eater and 1 clown ! im thinking of trying out other loaches too . like the tiger barbs as my mid surface swimmers and the loaches and corys as my bottom dewellers. mine is hiding at the plants sleeping happily now . i was wondering if clown loaches feed at night? or in the day too? cause i normally feed my fishes b4 i leave for work

[avant]

If you are thinking of a proper setup, maybe a glass tank might be more suitable than a baby tub
I usually feed my loaches in the evening, after I come back from work. They've been trained to know when it's meal time because they will be all out in the open to greet me. During weekends, i'll give them occasional treats during the day if i'm at home.

But whichever time you feed, they'll be ready to eat (but don't overfeed!)

[Merviso]

They have the possibility to grow large. I've had mine for 3 years and he hasnt grown much more than 4inch from tip to tail in the last 2 years. in saying that, they have the ability to live for 50+ years. So they're still many many many years of growth i may encounter.

Albeit i'm aware they can get to 17 inches long in the most extreme cases

Yes, in short Merviso has a very valid point

Hi Verminator, Clown Loach really do grow very slowly. However, I find that diet and tank size do make a different on the growth rate.

We kept 4 in our office tank since early 2004. At first they grow slowly in the 2ft tank from slightly smaller than 2inch. We later upgrade to a 4ft tank and the size just exploded. The biggest is now around 6inch plus and with a very stout body... And they are still growing...

[juggler]

Clown Loaches also like to nip on plants with big leaves such as Echinodorus sp. Nothing serious though except leaving a hole in the leaf.

[flybaits]

yup they nip around alright! ... but i lovev them. and yes they do know whence their feeding time. morning, both will be out swimming around at the normal place i dropped their food. heard they do enjoy a treat of cut cucumber once awhile but i have yet to drop one.anyone here tried it?

and having a proper tank for ur fishes would definitely be better, for you and them!
trust us. try getting a 2nd hand tank.

cheers!!

[reaverx]

i saw selling at serangoon central fish shop , its above shop and save !

[Orion]

Lucky me. Almost want to buy them and thought they only eat snails.

Heard they also stir up substrate and leave a terrible mess in planted tank if they get too excited and start dashing around.

[Verminator]

Yes they eat snails avidly. I personally think there the best for the job

They do dig, quite often sucking up entire clumps of gravel and spitting them out an inch or so away (i have quite large gravel too).

Mess, not so much mess but constant uprooting of plants yet to firmly establish themselves. My Crypt parva is constantly being dug up, yet other crpypts stay rooted. New plants are nearly always eaten though, even tough plants such as Anubias are prone to having new and old leaves nibbled.

They are easily excited. Mine being tame get excited when i come in the room after work - they've associated it with feeding time or me fiddling around with my hand i nthe tank, at which they swim around nibbling my fingers and arms

Overall i think they're definately worth the hassle hehe

[freshfish]

i wanted to get a few ... but sigh didnt know they would be grow so big

[Orion]

BTW do they breed in captivity. No one ask hor.....

[Verminator]

There are one or two reports, although reliability of these is incredibly sketchy. To the extent where officially they reckon it hasnt been done and can't be done without artificial interferance. People claim to have done so, but this is extremely unlikely and those who reckon to have done so have failed to give any evidence.

[stateofanarchy]

sorry guys i need to ask a question but it nots not on this topic thought of posting here so i dont have to start a new thread. hope u guys help me like u all have alwayed did i appreciate alot

does any of your fishes hide once they see u or something? cause my tiger barbs seem to run away once they see me even if i put some food in they will still be hiding in the plants? anyone have any idea why? and my clown has been hiding same spot all the time! haha i guess hes bored going to get his companion today i guess!