When will 5 clown loaches outgrow a 90 gallon?

[Buc_Nasty]

How long do I have until I really need to get the loaches in a tank bigger than 90 gallons?

I know this has probably been asked 10 million times but on this site there is no organization of topics for some reason, and a terrible search feature, and I dont feel like reading through 6,900 topics.

I have 5 clown loaches that are between 4 and 5 inches at the moment. They're in a 125, which I had planned on them being in for life, but unexpectedly I have to sell it (its being taken down monday) and the biggest tank I can fit in my apartment is a 90gallon, which I have bought already. It will be overfiltered with two eheim 2217's, and is 4 feet long. It will have 6 denison barbs, the 5 loaches (will they all be happier if I get a 6th?), a black ghost knife, and maybe a pleco of some sort. The fish have been together in the 125 since they were all under 3 inches.

My choices are
1) to keep the clown loaches in the 90, but I wont be able to get a bigger tank for at least 5 years, when I'll get a 200+ gallon
2) sell them for $50 with the 125...the buyer wants them and i know for a fact will take good care of them (what price should I realistically be asking if not $50?)
3) keep them in the 90 and sell them in the future either to someone with a good tank if I'm lucky, but more likely to a certain local fish store, which as far as stores go the guy knows his stuff, wont sell you fish you cant handle, and will care for them well

With all that said, I really want to keep them but if a 90 is going to be really bad for them I'll let them go. I cant seem to find a straight answer about this anywhere, advice from people that have kept clowns in a 90 would be much appreciated.

[Eyrie]

The main issue with your new 90G is that it's only 48" long, which will give the clowns very little swimming space when fully grown (potentially 12"). On that basis I'd rehome them with the tank as you know they're going to a good home.

[Diana]

5 years is too long in a tank only 4' long for the Loaches, and for the BGK.
I would look into fish that do not get much more than about 4" for a 4' long tank, maybe 6" if they are slow moving fish.

[Buc_Nasty]

Yea thats the issue...the 4 foot length. I know they can't be in it forever but I'm wondering at what length of the loaches itll become an issue and how long I have until mine reach that length. They're mostly around 4 inches now, smallest one closer to 3 and biggest maybe 4.75.

If its going to be over 2 years then i'll keep them, otherwise I have an opportunity now to sell them for $50 where I know they're be well cared for in a big tank...this will not be an option after next week though

I hear your concern about the BGK but i've done a LOT of reading on it and people have very successfully kept them in 4ft tanks of all sizes down to even 55g and gotten them to 14+ inches so I'm going to be ok with the 4ft 90 gallon.

[Eyrie]

Given a large enough tank, good diet and frequent water changes, the clowns will quickly outgrow a four footer. Anything less will retard their growth with implications for their health, so should be avoided and that means rehoming them rather than moving them from the 125G to the 90G.

[Buc_Nasty]

Given a large enough tank, good diet and frequent water changes, the clowns will quickly outgrow a four footer. Anything less will retard their growth with implications for their health, so should be avoided and that means rehoming them rather than moving them from the 125G to the 90G.

So I talked to the guy at the LFS store and he said if I had 5 8" clowns he'd give me $50 store credit and put them in his personal 8 ft tank any time I want. Anyone have a qualitative answer to my question? in years/inches?

I found another thread and someone named emma turner who has almost 9000 posts on this site kept clowns in a 4ft tank until they were 8 inches. I think I'm going to listen to someone with 9000 posts on a purely loaches site and keep my loaches in the 90 longer.

[newshound]

I found another thread and someone named emma turner who has almost 9000 posts on this site kept clowns in a 4ft tank until they were 8 inches. I think I'm going to listen to someone with 9000 posts on a purely loaches site and keep my loaches in the 90 longer.

so you got the search feature working ...
loaches need a tank with a large footprint... i keep some of my large loaches in under 100 gallons but it covers a large area and isn't very deep. With a ton of hiding spots. Over filtered too.

[redshark1]

It's like asking how long is a piece of string, actually, as growth rates vary so much.

It has taken mine 17 years to reach 8" in a 90 uk gallon, though mine is 6ft long.

They are still growing but this growth rate is apparently untypically slow.

On that basis you have plenty of time, but it depends on how you keep/feed them.

[SgtMajWiggles]

I had a group of 4 in a 4 ft river tank for several months and their growth rate seemed unchanged and they looked healthy. The largest 2 are 5 inches and I just moved them to a 6 ft. I see them more now - they are more active. I agree that 6' of run is important, but I'm less gung-ho about rehoming fish, since usually you have no idea where they will end up. It sounds like you know you've got a good home lined up so maybe the loaches would do best in your sales guy's bigger tank, but I certainly would not think you were a terrible person for keeping them in a 90 gal with good current to swim against.

[Buc_Nasty]

It's like asking how long is a piece of string, actually, as growth rates vary so much.

It has taken mine 17 years to reach 8" in a 90 uk gallon, though mine is 6ft long.

They are still growing but this growth rate is apparently untypically slow.

On that basis you have plenty of time, but it depends on how you keep/feed them.

Nice rainbows!

the 90 will be very well-filtered...2 eheim 2217's.

Does anyone know of a chart or something of optimal clown loach growth rate? There has to be one somewhere but I just can't find anything.

[glenna]

even if you FOUND such a chart, would you really believe it?
From what I have read, you are a person who thinks things through and needs evidence prior to making a big decision. One bit of evidence I would imagine you have already discovered, at least from this site, is that the growth rate on these fish is highly variable. I do not know of a denser collection of loach keepers (though there may be) than the LOA group. Most everyone here agrees that it is optimal for them to have longer quarters in which to grow and thrive. Yet, I have read of others who had apparently had loaches in smaller tanks for a few years prior to "movin' on up" to the bigger tank.
Does keeping them in a smaller tank when they are younger reduce their growth potential as adult fish? ...maybe....will it shorten their life? I don't think anyone REALLY knows for sure (too many people out there with loaches in much smaller than optimal tanks, yet their fish live and seem to be happy at >10 year old, and older, albeit smaller). IF you think you will get a bigger tank in the coming years, you might be able to speed up the process and get that tank sooner. Or, if you found in a year or so that it was not "meant to be", you could rehome the fish at that time.

[glenna]

even if you FOUND such a chart, would you really believe it?
From what I have read, you are a person who thinks things through and needs evidence prior to making a big decision. One bit of evidence I would imagine you have already discovered, at least from this site, is that the growth rate on these fish is highly variable. I do not know of a denser collection of loach keepers (though there may be) than the LOA group. Most everyone here agrees that it is optimal for them to have longer quarters in which to grow and thrive. Yet, I have read of others who had apparently had loaches in smaller tanks for a few years prior to "movin' on up" to the bigger tank.
Does keeping them in a smaller tank when they are younger reduce their growth potential as adult fish? ...maybe....will it shorten their life? I don't think anyone REALLY knows for sure (too many people out there with loaches in much smaller than optimal tanks, yet their fish live and seem to be happy at >10 year old, and older, albeit smaller). IF you think you will get a bigger tank in the coming years, you might be able to speed up the process and get that tank sooner. Or, if you found in a year or so that it was not "meant to be", you could rehome the fish at that time.

[Buc_Nasty]

I sold the loaches!
They're now in a 125g no worries. Got more than I paid for them too.