Loaches Online Forum

Hey everyone... need to figure out what to do here rather quickly as it may mean saving my prized loach. I have had my clown loach for about a year now. He is about 4 1/2 inches or so and I have had him since he was a baby pretty much. He used to be with a couple others that have since passed. Either way I recently upgraded to a 75 gallon tank. Everything was going fine with the new tank so I decided to, for the better of my clown loach, get a couple more as I know they like company. The two that I introduced, each babies at less than 1 inch in length, brought ick along with them which I have been treating for a week now with both raised temps and super ick cure at half strength doses. Either way, one of the new baby loaches has taken to bullying my big clown loach. He will get up on his side and nip at him. The big loach doesn't move but rather just tries to ignore him and doesn't seem to be getting hurt but more annoyed than anything. The little guy hasn't let up and constantly picks at him which can't be good long term. Has anyone else had this experience? I am wondering if I should take the little one out or if he will eventually quit this behavior. Also, should I be concerned about the big one as he doesn't seem to be bothered too much? If he was getting hurt I am sure he would fight back... he has plenty of energy at feeding time and moves about but has always liked to just kind of "chill" at the bottom and at these times is when he gets picked on. Thank you for any advice you can give.

It's your call. I would remove the aggressor. I hate bullies. If the bully gets away with it why would he stop?

return him to the shop and get a few shy looking ones

I would say your big guy knows he's the boss of the tank. The little one is doing a heirachy challenge and the big ones doesn't see him as a threat. They will sort things out, so I wouldn't worry about it. Fish have different personalities and they are a social bunch.

Well I agree it may be worth waiting a couple of months to see if it continues or stops but I wouldn't want it happening permanently for the fishes life span.

DO you have sufficient space to allow you to get 5 or more? They keep each other interested then

You can still have a bully in a large shoal. Aggression may be spread out but it may still be a problem. I wouldn't like to see it in my aquarium.

not really. i had an aggressive yoyo but as i added more yoyos he got calmer

I'd agree with the add more loaches approach if you have room. My Sids used to bully my Yoyos, but I bought more sids, then it all calmed down.

They still poke at each other now and again, but mainly for fun I think!