Loaches Online Forum

What do most of you have your water temperature in your tanks for loaches. Should it temperature be set for the fish that requires the highest setting? Loaches.com suggest 78ºF to 87ºF (25-30°C) for clown loaches and 76ºF to 82ºF(22-27.7°C) for yoyos. Does anyone have theirs at 86ºF or 87ºF?

Thank you for your input,

I normally run my loach tank at 81-82 F. I have multiple species of loaches in the tank, including both clowns and yoyos. They all seem perfectly content at that temperature.

I have had the tank temp as high as 87 F when treating ich (which is long gone now, thankfully) and none of my fish seemed bothered by it, though they did act a bit hyper.

My tank is normally at 82F but its been at 86F for the last two weeks... been treating ich... I'll have it at 86F for probably anothet week and then gradually lower it back to 82F.

I keep clown loaches.

Surely even in nature fish don't have a constant temperature.
Anyway, my clowns are kept in the low range of 77-79 max and don't seem to be suffering at all or getting sick from anything despite what people say about lower temps for clown loaches, not even when I bought them.
So you can possibly keep the temperature something in between suitable for all loaches. If you keep higher temperatures make sure you've got the tank well oxygenated.
Or you can keep it for a few months at one range, then change it for another few months..
Higher temps increase the metabolism, and the fish will be more active, and eat more, but have lower life spans. But it's good for younger fish in order to grow faster and get all nutritients needed.

Thank you Arden and Loachloch for your posts. The reason I am asking this question is because two different people have told me that they keep their tanks with clown loaches at 87 degrees because of what they read on Loaches.com and saying at that temp. they will never have ick. I tried to tell them that it would increase the metabolism of the fish and shorten their life and they it might not be very good for the other type of fish in the tank. But it did not good.

I can't believe than 20+ people have read this and on 2 would post what temp. they keep their tanks.

Clown Loaches here at 80F

My water temps change depending on the season. I don't want to make my heaters or air conditioners work too much.
Winter: 78 -80F
Spring and Fall: 80-82F
Summer: 82-86F

78-80