Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

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Loachloach
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Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:18 am

I went today to a local shop from which I never bought fish before. They normally have the same stuff all the time, mostly goldies and a few tetras that seem to last a life time in there. Today I saw a lonely large clown loach in one of the bottom tanks. I presume someone returned him. He was gorgeous. He looks very healthy and very inquisitive and despite the small tank in which he was housed with two other large fish, he came to even say hello and was very vibrant, barbels intact and everything in order, not a scratch on him. I was so tempted to buy him but he's 25 bucks because of his larger size(labelled XL but probably 5-6" max). I feel sorry for the poor thing being all alone and some newbie may buy him as a center piece fish, or to kill their snails, but I can't justify the money for him. My partner has given me a warning on fishie stuff and I'd need to employ convincing tactics :).
I've got 5 clown loaches of my own that are perfectly happy within their group and I am not sure whether adding another one wouldn't be actually worse? My question is, since he's slightly larger than my clown loaches, then I presume that may mean fights for dominance if I get him and put him with my clown loaches? I can maybe stress my own fish unintentionally like that? What are the pros and cons?

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redshark1
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by redshark1 » Tue Aug 13, 2013 4:45 pm

If you can be content with what you have you are a lucky man.
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Tue Aug 13, 2013 6:46 pm

redshark1 wrote:If you can be content with what you have you are a lucky man.
Ha, ha. But yes, not content myself as it's always been in the back of my head that 5 isn't the best number when it comes to clown loaches :D So far I was resisting the urge :lol:

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chefkeith
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by chefkeith » Tue Aug 13, 2013 8:24 pm

$25 seems like a very fair price. Clown loaches get pretty expensive once they get over 6 inches. About 8 years ago, I purchased a lone fat 6" clown for $40, which made him my largest clown in my tanks. He's been one of my most inquisitive/peaceful loaches too. He's grown a few inches since I got him, and I'd probably want at least $100 for him if I were selling him now.

That being said, this clown loach could be a good investment for you. In a few years, you could easily double your money if you were to sell him/her. If by small chance the clown loaches breed, you might make a small fortune.

Fishwife
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Fishwife » Sun Aug 18, 2013 3:47 pm

I would....I hate to think of some idiot buying him and stuffing him in a tiny tank all alone... That's a great price. And if your anything like me if you don't u will always wonder what became of her. Ive been told I'm a huge softie :)
http://www.bigfishcampaign.org/ .... Don't buy colored or tattooed fish! Let your LFS know you won't stand for it.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Wed Aug 21, 2013 4:45 am

Thanks for your replies guys. I still didn't go back to that shop in fear that next time I'll buy him/her no matter what. The only thing that puts me off at the moment is lack of suitable/unstressful quarantine place. I fear the dreaded ich although I've never ever dealt with it. When I bought my own clown loaches I didn't quarantine because the tank was lightly stocked and I had nothing much to lose. I wanted to give them unstressful start. And they turned out totally healthy but I won't be that lucky each time.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:09 am

Well, after typing all this I went to the shop. The clown loach was still there, good condition from what I could tell but alone in that small tank, greyed out/stressed and trying to hide behind the heater as that was the only decoration.
I bought him. He's now in a bucket drip acclimating from a TDS of 320ppm to my tank water which reads 270ppm. I think going down is a bit more risky, hopefully he'll be alright. He/she's a beauty but I couldn't get a good picture yet. I feel sorry for my own clowns. They were so happy looking today chilling at the front of the tank. But they'll finally have a boss :lol:

Here is the only decent picture I snapped. He's bigger than on the picture but I didn't want to stress him as I had to use the flash.
Wish me luck :| I think I did the right thing as I doubt it any clown loach keeper would have got him any sooner and he may have rotted in that 10G tank he was in.

Image
Last edited by Loachloach on Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:18 am, edited 1 time in total.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Wed Aug 21, 2013 7:18 am

I forgot to mention that the guy in the shop was very rude and wouldn't answer any of my questions. I asked if the two fish that were with the clown loach got sick and died by any chance and explained I can't quarantine him and he'll join my other 5 clown loaches and he said I am asking a lot of questions trying to laugh it off. He said it's not their policy to sell sick fish :lol: And that the clown loach has been fine while they had him. I hope he's right.

And another pics of while he was in the bag.

Image
Last edited by Loachloach on Sat Apr 26, 2014 3:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:57 am

Here he is a couple of minutes after I put him in the tank. The acclimation took 2 and a half hours until I matched the stats :shock: The video isn't great but I'll try a better one these days when he settles. He's huge compared to the rest of mine and from what I can measure he's nearly 6 inches. Mine are 4" the most, maybe the alfa is a bit bigger than that. At least he seems fine and isn't greyed out anymore, well not much... :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjrFGnm5BKs

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redshark1
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by redshark1 » Wed Aug 21, 2013 3:02 pm

:) What's with the "He" ? You some kind of expert at sexing Clown Loaches or something ?

I'm pretty mad about you going against my advice :x I don't know why I bother! :lol:

But at least ich is easily cured. Let's hope the behaviour works out fine too.

Fingers crossed for success :wink:
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

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chefkeith
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by chefkeith » Thu Aug 22, 2013 12:02 am

Congrats!

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Thu Aug 22, 2013 3:59 am

What's with the "He" ? You some kind of expert at sexing Clown Loaches or something ?
Ha, ha. I wish :lol: I've no idea how to sex loaches :mrgreen:

It looks size don't matter to loaches too :lol: "He's" been following my loaches which are all smaller than "him" and even cuddled with them in their cave but "he" hasn't questioned anyone's authority yet. Now, I keep calling "him" "he" because he looks more elongated and not like my biggest loach who is very chunky and seems to be a female. But maybe he needs to fatten up.. "He" also stopped and looked out the tank with curiousity a few times when we were sitting there. He doesn't seem afraid of us. The corys were spawning yesterday and were flying around the tank very fast and he was so funny turning his neck up to check what the fuss was all about. It seemed very exciting to him, or at least "he's" got very inquisitive face. I also wonder what age "he" is but I guess I'll never know. All I could get out from the shop assistant's mouth was that someone brought him in because "he" was too big and I presume it had been a while since "he" last saw other loaches judging by that. They all seem to have fallen in love instantly because all 6 of them are playing together this very moment. And it's very funny when they stop to "rest" because they like laying on top of each other and he does that too not realizing his size in comparisson with the others :lol:
But at least ich is easily cured. Let's hope the behaviour works out fine too.


What can I say....I am dreading that famous ich. I was reading yesterday that ich can't do much to a healthy fish with good immune system and even if one accidentally introduces a cyst or a parasite they can't easilty infect well cared for fish. As long as he's already infected, it should be ok unless something in my tank stresses him out. He was in the shop for a week before I bought him and was still looking healthy yesterday despite a little bit more stressed than the first time I saw him. Fingers crossed.
Congrats!
Thanks chefkeith. It's an exciting moment getting a new clown loach :) I had seen many of them in the shops without getting tempted but this one found a soft spot :lol:

I'm pretty mad about you going against my advice :x I don't know why I bother!
He, he. When I see your post next time I'll just scroll down without looking :lol: :D It took me an entire afternoong acclimating this loach. Please don't mention the word "content" anymore :lol:
Last edited by Loachloach on Thu Aug 22, 2013 4:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Thu Aug 22, 2013 4:36 am

Here's a picture of him below. Please excuse the dirty glass. He actually washed my face and splashed water all over the tank(and the neighbouring tank too) while I was trying to move him from the bucket to the tank, and I didn't bother cleaning it in order not to stress him any further because my other clowns normally hate the sight of me :lol:
What do you think? A boy or a girl? Actually does anyone have any good guide how to sex clown loaches as I never thought about doing that :roll:

Image

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redshark1
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by redshark1 » Thu Aug 22, 2013 1:17 pm

With my six the females were the bigger dominant ones from very early on.

:D I calmed down a bit now and am happy for your loaches :lol:
6 x Clown Loaches all 30 years of age on 01.01.2024, largest 11.5", 2 large females, 4 smaller males, aquarium 6' x 18" x 18" 400 ltr/90 uk gal/110 US gal. approx.

Loachloach
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Re: Buy an extra clown loach, yey or ney.

Post by Loachloach » Fri Aug 23, 2013 3:09 pm

Mr Clown Loach is getting on great. He's settled for one particular pipe but spends some time with a couple of other loaches in a position ham sandwitch in another cave :lol: He's very active. He's the first to come out(out most of the time and races up and down the glass the same way my other 5 love to play. For now there's no ich signs at all but I noticed his nose is kind of "worn out", as if he has no colour on the tip of his nose...I looked at him closely and there's nothing indicating infection or fungus. It just looks like he had been scraping his nose on to something. It's only visible with bright light on. I was wondering if anyone has experienced something like that? Should I worry or maybe he was kept in a small tank where he tried to go through the glass :roll: I took a few pictures, but they aren't very good..Behaviour wise he seems perfect to me based on my experience with clowns. He doesn't isolate himself. He's active. He was out with the rest of the clowns all morning and lunch and then when they retreated for the light period, he kept coming out on and off despite a little greyed out because of the bright lights. He's playing now around the tank.

Image

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Last edited by Loachloach on Sat Apr 26, 2014 3:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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