When a bigger tank is not possible

[ShinySideUp]

I have six clown loaches in a four foot, 200 litre tank. I bought them when they were very small and was under the mistaken impression that 'they only grow to the size of the tank' so I was a bit naive.

At the moment the largest clown is just about 3.5" long not including the tail, the smallest is just under 2". The tank is fine for the moment but despite what I want to happen, a larger tank is not going to be possible and I am wondering how long it will be before the tank is not big enough for the largest fish i.e. at what size does a 48" tank become not big enough to avoid stress and what do I do then short of killing and eating them ( I hear they are rather tasty ).

Martin

[ClownLoachSharky]

what? eat them. your crazy. there are lots of people out there wanting clown loaches for their aquarium. Contact a fish store and donate them to him. Its crueler to kill a fish in my opinion.

[ShinySideUp]

what? eat them. your crazy. there are lots of people out there wanting clown loaches for their aquarium. Contact a fish store and donate them to him. Its crueler to kill a fish in my opinion.

It's a joke. I wouldn't kill and eat them any more than I would my dog.

Anyway they are OK for now. They've just gone from a 120 litre to a 240 so we'll have to stick to wild-caught cod for the moment!

[ClownLoachSharky]

hehe lol, anyway, have you considered other loach species for your tank such as chains, zebras and polka dot loaches? They are just as awesome and will suit your aquarium far better than a clown loach. But they should be fine in your aquarium until maybe they hit 6 inches. Then you might have to consider a larger tank or those other species. But apparently clown loaches are a delicacy in Borneo!

[loachlover77]

I have a 55 gallon fishtank that is currently holding my three clown loaches. They are 7, 5 1/2, and 4 inches. I think when they get at least half the tank length then I would go for a bigger tank. You have time to save up money to get a bigger tank. Question: what is a 200 litre tank, what gallon?

[ShinySideUp]

I have a 55 gallon fishtank that is currently holding my three clown loaches. They are 7, 5 1/2, and 4 inches. I think when they get at least half the tank length then I would go for a bigger tank. You have time to save up money to get a bigger tank. Question: what is a 200 litre tank, what gallon?

200 Litres = 52.8344 gal(US Liq)

[ClownLoachSharky]

even a 4x2x2 foot tank would be good indeed=120 gallons

[loachlover77]

I have a 55 gallon fishtank that is currently holding my three clown loaches. They are 7, 5 1/2, and 4 inches. I think when they get at least half the tank length then I would go for a bigger tank. You have time to save up money to get a bigger tank. Question: what is a 200 litre tank, what gallon?

200 Litres = 52.8344 gal(US Liq)

Cool! Yeah youu should be fine until they get abotu half the length of the tank. In the meantime you could saave up for a bigger tank.

[EmilyMarie85]

Um. 55 gallons really is not enough to house clown loaches for long periods of time. For a QT tank it's OK, but 75 gallons is really the minimum tank size you want, and even then you have to upgrade when they get larger. Here is a good beginner guide for keeping clowns:
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus

Keeping them in aquariums too small can stunt the fish, among other things...

[loachlover77]

Um. 55 gallons really is not enough to house clown loaches for long periods of time. For a QT tank it's OK, but 75 gallons is really the minimum tank size you want, and even then you have to upgrade when they get larger. Here is a good beginner guide for keeping clowns:
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus

Keeping them in aquariums too small can stunt the fish, among other things...

I have haad these clowns for 6 years, they have been in the 55 gallon fishtank for a few years. My clowns are 7in, 5 1/2in, and 4 inches. They grow slowly and I have time to save up for a bigger tank, before they get too big for the tank they are in now. But I will be getting a bigger tank when my clowns get bigger. But right now they are fine in the tank that they are in.

[Diana]

...until they get abotu half the length of the tank...

No way! Even 1/4 the length of the tank is too much fish in too small a space. A foot-long Clown Loach in a 4' long tank

A school of 4" Clown Loaches in a 4' tank is the largest fish size I would go with, no matter how many gallons.
It would be different with a sedentary fish like most of the Plecos, but Loaches are too active to be kept in too small a tank. The volume of water to dilute the waste must be sufficient, so a large but less active fish is OK in a large volume but short length tank.
There is not enough room for the larger Clown Loaches to really get active in a small tank. A longer tank (say a 6', 125 gallon) would be better than a 4', 120 gallon (Though the gallons are essentially the same). This also gives you more room to lay out driftwood and caves so that there are separate areas, far enough apart, for fish that are bothering each other. In a shorter tank there is not that much of a safety zone.

Metric: A 1.2m long tank with roughly 500 liters is not really the same as a tank of 1.8m with about the same volume. In the 1.2m tank, I would limit the fish length of active fish to about 12 cm. The 1.8m tank could handle larger fish, perhaps to 18 cm, depending on activity level.
Example: I have a 6' (1.8m) tank, and the fish in there are all longer than 4" (12cm), and they swim the full length of the tank. The more active fish include Clown Loaches (5"/12 cm), Bichers (4-8"/12-24cm) and Filament Barbs (5"/13cm). The sedentary fish include 2 Plecos at 6" and 4" (15 cm and 12 cm)
I have a 72 gallon (about 300l) that is 4' long (1.2m). The young Clowns in this tank are about 3" (8 cm) long, and will be moved into the 6' long tank probably by the end of this upcoming summer.

[ClownLoachSharky]

how bout a 5ft diana?

[bookpage]

Some people just don't or can't get it.


Adults will eventually require an aquarium measuring at least 6’ x 2’ x 2’. Even small specimens of this species must initially be housed in an aquarium that is 4ft long as a minimum. Anything smaller can cause these fast-swimming fish to become stunted and stressed.

A potential owner should seriously consider the long-term commitment in purchasing a group of this species, as they will require ever- increasing size of aquaria and may potentially live at least twice as long as some small dogs.


http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus

[EmilyMarie85]

Thanks for stepping in Diana & bookpage. I tried.

Seems like some people, if they don't get the advice they want to hear, will just argue and argue. Whenever I argue back it just comes across as being mean, so now I just stop offering up advice if they act like that. You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.

Edit: Oh and OP: Your clowns will not be fine in the 50ish gallon tank for very long, they really aren't fine in one that size at all. I highly recommend you start looking for a larger tank for them ASAP, take them back to the LFS or find someone with an adequate home for them. Please please please do not try and grow them to 1/2 the length of the tank before you move them... bad bad bad. The link that was previously referenced http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus really is a good beginner guide to keeping clown loaches.

[ClownLoachSharky]

I was thinking of startin mine in a 5ft and movin onto the biggest thing i can find when im a bit older