please i would appreciate your input

[lopezn1]

hello everyone i have a question. i have a 55 gal tank i pretty much know about how to upkeep a fish tank i think its a pretty cool hobby, and rewarding but can someone answer this question. if the tank stays healthy for a very long time and at optimum water conditions how big can 8 clown loaches get in a 55 gal tank with only them in the tank and their respective habitat. my clowns right now are 1.5 inch.

[mistergreen]

hey,
This will give you answers
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus

[Mark in Vancouver]

Hey lopezn1. I gave my two cents in the Get Albert in TFH thread:

Hey lopezn1. Proper care and habitat sort of implies providing what the fish need, and one of the primary needs of clown loaches is space to grow - and as you must know, they can reach a foot over a very long period.

If you provide good food and clean water for them, their growth will continue, but at some point they will become stunted. This is not a result of the tank size as much as it is their diminishing health. It's excellent that you're keeping a group of them like that, but you're going to need a bigger tank at some point.

We like to try and change the nature of the question from "How big will they get in this small tank?" to "What size tank do I need to properly accommodate their needs?"

That is to say that, like food and clean water, space is a critical factor for their health.

[Mad Duff]

It shouldn't really be a question of how big will they grow in a 55 but how long can they stay in a 55.

The big issue like Mark said is stunting, yes the fish will stop growing and seem healthy enough but from the moment it stops growing its health will decline. I got Clowns in the knowledge that they were not spending much time in their 75 gallon tank before moving into a 250 gallon tank, I would urge anyone wanting Clowns to think about future plans before getting them because they need the space and if you cant give it to them you would be better with smaller species of Botia.