New loach lover. Some pics and videos

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Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Wed Nov 14, 2012 4:39 pm

What type of rasboras do you keep with clown loaches? I would love some boraras brigattae/mosquito rasbora buy they maybe too small for them?

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:18 pm

Loachloach wrote:What type of rasboras do you keep with clown loaches? I would love some boraras brigattae/mosquito rasbora buy they maybe too small for them?
Forget about this. They apparently don't like too much flow.

FishFanatic245
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Location: Pilot Mound, Mb

Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by FishFanatic245 » Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:58 pm

if you want a nice dither fish i would go with either serpae, bleeding hearts, or lemon tetras. all are nice looking, not to picky, and are not figity very often (unless attacked, abviously). i have had all the fish i just metioned other than the bleeding hearts and am pritty sure they would look great in your tank.
I am a wildlife warrior, and i will fight, fight to the death for wildlife- Steve Irwin

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Fri Nov 16, 2012 3:33 pm

Thanks. I like tetras but I am kind of trying to avoid them in case they are fin nippers. There are a few guppy in there that may not live more than another year, but I won't stand it if anything attacks the corys or stresses them out. I am still looking and I can't decide. I want something that will like a lot of flow, 26 degrees temperature, is very peaceful, doesn't eat plants, shoals around the place without any frantic or stressing behaviour, is not famous for bringing diseases, and preferably has nice colours :D
Also, how many should I get, would around 10-12 suffice?

FishFanatic245
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Location: Pilot Mound, Mb

Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by FishFanatic245 » Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:17 am

if you want i really nice passive, un-destructive, shoaling tetra, i would go for the glowlight tetra, or the bleeding hearts. also have you thought about danios? mine loves to play in the out-put of my aqua-clear 70 HOB filter. danios do seem to be slightly more ''panicky'' than the other 2 tetras but you can get some really passive ones (not sure the type at the moment).
I am a wildlife warrior, and i will fight, fight to the death for wildlife- Steve Irwin

Bombadil
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Location: Oxfordshire

Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Bombadil » Sat Nov 17, 2012 11:44 am

Thanks folks. I have really enjoyed reading these posts. I have provided a super cave for my loaches in a tank that has been running for a few months, designed for clowns.

However, a few of the tips above have led me to a few suggestions that might help them come out with a bit more confidence. Thanks.

One thing that no one seems to have mentioned is the moonlight effect neons. I thought that this might be my next step. Any thoughts?

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Sat Nov 17, 2012 6:47 pm

Can you post a few pictures of your setup? What type of cave do you have? :D The clowns definately don't like the bright white type of lights but I thought the moonlight is only for us to see them after lights are off, not for the clowns benefit as they'll probably prefer no light at all.
My two small clowns have been out and about for several days now, playing together on their own and even during the water change today. The three bigger clowns would just join individually from time to time, seldom five of them are out together but the two small ones are particularly not that shy. I thought they were hungrier, that's why they are out more than the others but they stay out playing a lot as well. The two biggest are the ones that come out the least. I am wondering why is that? I also don't know which one is the alpha of the two, there's no bullying during feeding time at all and and I am not sure what signs to look out for? Certainly one of the bigger ones is the alpha, because they are the ones that fought a few times. The bigger of the two that I can't even take a picture of( I think it's over 4 inches), comes out rarely. Would the alpha be the one that stays inside the most maybe or is this clown just too skittish?

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:59 am

I got a couple of flowerpots as I couldn't get PVC pipes(imagine). I used some silicone and sand to cover the outside so they blend with the sand, looks nice enough. They are cured and in the tank since yesterday. Let's see if it makes a difference. I had to move the female platies in the tank as well because I need the other one for grown up cory fry. I also found a bunch of baby platies too while changing the gravel to sand. One of my female platies is nearly as big as one of the small clown loaches :D, maybe a cm less in lenght but way chunkier than him.

starsplitter7
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by starsplitter7 » Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:48 am

How are they doing? Everyone settling in well?

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Sat Nov 24, 2012 9:07 pm

No great change. They do come out for a while after I turn the lights off in the evening and they were out during the night when I stayed up a few days, also up until lunch the next day. During the day I can see the two small clown loaches from time to time browsing around but the bigger ones wait until is dark. The pleco and the other fish are very interested in the flower pots, but the clown loaches refuse to appreciate my hard work :D Here is a picture with the pots.

Image

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Sat Nov 24, 2012 11:49 pm

Here are a couple of terrible pictures but couldn't get any better in the dark:

Image

Image

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Sat Dec 01, 2012 9:59 am

What a bunch of copy cats the clowns are. You know how hungry platies are and bunch up the moment you approach the tank. Now the clowns also started coming up to the surface amongst the platies and the moment I open the lid at feeding time, they rush to the surface as well. If the clowns start behaving like my bold platies, then all will be good :lol:

Loachloach
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Tue Dec 18, 2012 11:15 am

I thought I'll update the thread because I got progress. It seems adding the platies after all did have some effect.
If you've kept livebearers you know how they bunch up to the glass and top of the tank begging for food everytime you pass by. Well, the clown loaches started doing the same. They see the platies bunching up and they come to check out what the fuss is about. Seems it makes them more outgoing and they come out with the lights on, chilling at the front of the tank or in between the plants or on a stone. They come out solo a lot too browsing around not being that skittish of when I approach.
I also added a couple of DIY pipes a week ago made from an old siphon and siliconed sand but these quickly became the favourite hiding places for the platies and corys instead. I suppose it helps the clowns feel comfortable too as I saw them swimming through them. I even got my filter flow sorted so the floating plants stopped committing suicide inside the filter intakes.
They even started coming out during water change copying the bunching platies being less afraid of me too. They've got a long way to go yet to eat from my hand but it's a big progress.

So here is a video of a solo clown I accidentally caught playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO661UUgUoU


And a picture of 4 of them chilling during the day.

Image

My corys adoring their new hiding places:

Image

Loachloach
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Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:11 pm

Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by Loachloach » Sat Feb 02, 2013 7:31 pm

I got 10 blue-eyed forktail rainbows as dither. They surely swim at the top :D But they are still babies so they need to grow a bit first. They were in the tank for a few hours only and when I came back I saw everyone out being very excited, out and swimming around the place, including the corys. The clown loaches of course hid the moment I walked through the door but that's another story :lol:

Not a great picture, but these are my new fish:

Image

glenna
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Re: New loach lover. Some pics and videos

Post by glenna » Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:18 pm

I used silicone sealant to glue gravel to PVC and it looked okay, but still somewhat fake. I still have that cave in one of my tanks since the fish love it so much. I wish I could find a more "natural" looking safe tube like structure that naturally sinks.
I recently bought some "cichlid stones" that are made like hollow rock caves and look really nice. They are made out of a pottery material but not shiny at all, like pottery would be. They have a rough exterior surface and blend in quite well with a natural aquarium. Plus they come in a variety of sizes with big enough, safe openings. Like Starsplitter, I have had some almost- tragedies with unsafe aquarium decor where the big, ft fish got stuck.
glenna

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