Clown Loach Tank Size

[aussieJJDude]

I have posted before about my inadequate setup for my clown loach and have managed to persuade my parents to get a bigger tank. However, I will have to buy it with my own money - which isn't a problem - so I looking for a job. My parents also had a condition that 6 x 2 x 2 would be pushing it and they would feel happier with a 5 x 2 x 2... So is that ok for a clown loach - and maybe 3 - 5 other buddies? Or would it be better to get the 6ft?

Thanks guys.

[Loachloach]

Maybe if you can only get a 5f, try to get one that is wider and deeper. This will give bigger water volume too. I know most are 2x2 but if you find a wider or custom made then even better. Maybe your parents won't notice it's still a bigger tank
I've had mine for around 3 years and all I've seen is a "vertical" game up and down the glass rather than swimming fast from one side to the other. They only rush from one side to the other when I scare them and they try to run away from me but when relaxed they browse around or go up and down the glass. So I think having enough height is as important, plus being wide gives them more room too to explore. They aren't race horses at the end of the day. The problem is they will eventually in years grow big and require large water volume which only certain size tanks can give.

[aussieJJDude]

Thanks Loachloach!
I still have a little time before I get the funds to get the tank, so I kind of thinking ahead!

[redshark1]

I have 6ft x 18 x 18 and although I was poorly advised when purchasing the aquarium (the correct advice was not available anywhere back then) at least the length is useful so the fish can have a burst of speed on occasion.

But despite being relatively big chunky fish mine are still 8-9 inches only at 20 years of age and do not approach the apparent maximum size of 16 inches as given on this site. That's stunted however you look at it.

[Loachloach]

Why would they be stunted redshark1?
There're probably the odd jumbo ones with the most famous one being Marge but where's the evidence that each one of them reaches that size? Plus without being disrespectful what age was Marge when she died? The same age as your "stunted" ones

Take for example discus fish. With lots of water changes and huge overfeeding they grow jumbo sizes. People like them looking like that so that's accepted as the right way to keep them. In nature they never grow that big.

Guppy fry for example, up the temperatures, overfeed them massively and do big water changes to avoid the unavoidable water quality issues resulting from this and you get adult size fish in minimum of time.

Cory fry, with daily large water changes and massive amounts of food they grow very quickly.

A cat, overfeed it and it will get a jumbo size too

Now who has tried this same tactic with clown loaches that remain fry for years so to speak? I think the size of the tank doesn't have much to do with growth rates. It's to do with overfeeding, overfiltering and massive water changes for the period of time they are in fast growing stage e.g "fry" stage. If you want jumbo fish, apply jumbo tactics and you'll have them.

[Bas Pels]

Now who has tried this same tactic with clown loaches that remain fry for years so to speak? I think the size of the tank doesn't have much to do with growth rates. It's to do with overfeeding, overfiltering and massive water changes for the period of time they are in fast growing stage e.g "fry" stage. If you want jumbo fish, apply jumbo tactics and you'll have them.

Overfiltering is not possible, Neither is too much water change.

I think one can say nature is perfect. Nature has, perhaps I should say had, clean water, with a lot of movement - that is loads of oxygen. But, in nature hunger ius also normal

I once heard someone being very proud of how she raised her angelfish. They had reached 6 cm in 5 months. Later I read angelfish in nature take a year to grow to the same 6 cm. Her angelfish were, in other words, exploded and thus not good.

But would a clown loach, in nature, stop growing @ 15 cm/ 6 inches? If this was normal, we would know it. But still, clown loaches, as active as they are, would still require 10 times their bodylength. That is 150 cm for 15 cm fish, or 60 inches (5 feet) for 6 inch fishes.

So, assuming al boks are terrible wrong, and clown loaches will reach only half what we expect, the suggestet 5 feet tank would still only fit marginally

I have a few good suggestions for this 5 feet tank. 1 of them is using it to keep Botia striata.

[Loachloach]

But would a clown loach, in nature, stop growing @ 15 cm/ 6 inches? If this was normal, we would know it. But still, clown loaches, as active as they are, would still require 10 times their bodylength. That is 150 cm for 15 cm fish, or 60 inches (5 feet) for 6 inch fishes.

I was watching a video recently taken in nature. A certain type of appistogramma cichlid in nature protects a 6 feet area around her when looking after the fry.
I am yet to see a 6f tank setup just for a pair of cichlids.
My small otocinclus for example are like aeroplanes in a big tank. Yet not an insignificant amount of people keep them in 5g boxes.
We are all guilty of keeping fish in less than ideal conditions.

In regards to clown loaches, I maintain the idea that if you are to give the perfect minimum length, then provide the minimum height too which isn't just a 60cm tall tank, even 75 won't do it.
My 6-7 inch loach gets spooked when he suddenly finds himself outside the water while playing with the bunch of smaller clowns up and down the glass which is their favourite thing.
If I have to speculate, besides playing by swimming vertically, the clowns also love staying up vertical, either wedging themselves in vertical tubes or narrow spaces like between the glass and an internal filter.
When waiting for food in the morning they swim vertical looking up at the surface as if waiting for the food to fall from the sky.
So to me it seems they are quite the "vertical" explorer as well as length because of the sizes they reach.
I honestly think nearly no one has given them that benefit and the fish are actually still suffering in a 6x2x2 tanks when reached adult size.

[Bas Pels]

I honestly think nearly no one has given them that benefit and the fish are actually still suffering in a 6x2x2 tanks when reached adult size.

I am considering turning my 4 meters * 1 meter * 70 cm - that is slghtly more than 13 feet long - into a tank for clown loaches. In my view a 6*2*2 tank is way too small for this species.

[Loachloach]

This sounds a bit better
Please open a thread once you do

[redshark1]

I must report that my Clown Loaches at 20 years of age are very horizontally bias.

Virtually all movements are along the bottom or just over the top of decor. When very excited (i.e. spawning behaviour) more vertical escape movements occur but 18" appear more than sufficient.

I would value the length of the tank far more than the height. With young ones (under 10 years of age) this was different with more loachy dancing going on but this is now a distant memory.

[Loachloach]

Well, that's good to know because I'll hardly have a 1m tall tank I suppose unless I kick out half the family. At this stage mine are very "vertical" but I've only had them for 3 years so it's a long way to go. I'll report back in 20 years

[aussieJJDude]

Wow, thank guys for all the info, it really giving me something to think about!
However, Bas Pels, I don't think my parents would let me get a tank that big! They already not liking the idea of upgrading...