Loaches Online Forum

Hi guys,

After admiring clown loaches from a far for months, I decided to start off my new tank (48gallon) with a trio.

I followed the buyers guide on the site and put them into the tank last night.

They were clicking and swimming around and they seemed fine.

Now, I've not had experience with them before, but they don't seem to 'school' By this I mean that two of them are in one corner of the tank, and the other one is on its own in the opposite corner. And they are pretty lethargic vs last night.

I've read how sensitive they are to pretty much everything, so am I panicking, or should I be worried?

All my water parameters were fine... 7.5 PH, 80f, cycled tank.

Hi

Well, first of all, loaches don't like to be alone or in small groups. You shouldn't start a tank with loaches that has nothing in it, cycled or not, just because they're skiddish and need to see other fish.

THey should be in atleast a group of five. The more the merrier provided you have room, which you don't. You shouldn't put clowns in that small a tank. There are a tonne of other loaches you could have used instead- you'll have to remove those clowns when they grow.

You need to get more clowns, if you are planning on keeping them for any length of time, and add several other fish so the loaches see them.

Also, you should have a very strong current in your tank. A powerful HOB filter isn't going to do it. For clowns you need powerheads. There are some other loaches where you could get away with just powerful HOBs tumbling the water a round a lot but clowns really do need that stronger current.

angelfish83 wrote:Hi

Well, first of all, loaches don't like to be alone or in small groups. You shouldn't start a tank with loaches that has nothing in it, cycled or not, just because they're skiddish and need to see other fish.

THey should be in atleast a group of five. The more the merrier provided you have room, which you don't. You shouldn't put clowns in that small a tank. There are a tonne of other loaches you could have used instead- you'll have to remove those clowns when they grow.

You need to get more clowns, if you are planning on keeping them for any length of time, and add several other fish so the loaches see them.

Also, you should have a very strong current in your tank. A powerful HOB filter isn't going to do it. For clowns you need powerheads. There are some other loaches where you could get away with just powerful HOBs tumbling the water a round a lot but clowns really do need that stronger current.

Thanks for your response.

Not to worry, I have every intention of passing on the loaches when they reach about 4", which I understand takes a while (they are about 1.5 inches now). If I can keep them for 6-12 months I'm happy.

And it just worked out that I was picking up the loaches first. Don't worry, I am very anxious to add companions (especially because these guys are being kind of boring but I guess I erred in thinking that because loaches are the most easily stressed that I should put them in first.

Other then that, my main concern is whether or not they are healthy, though I gather you can't determine that based solely on the behaviour that I described?

Cheers,

Blizzack - How are the clowns doing?

I have 3 and one of them stays alone while the other two go out together. Every so often I see all 3 but not much. I had 5 but I lost 2 after a case of Ich, and I am not re-stocking just yet.

Let us know what's going on!

I have four in one tank wherein the larger one ventures out by himself all the time. One other will join him from time to time but I rarely see the other two unless there's food in the tank - like cukes, or zucchini.

In another tank I have another 4. I see the smallest one out all the time. I wormed him and he's lost the translucent coloration he had but hasn't fattened up much. The others live in the rock and come out only when fed.
These were meant to join the others but I put them in this tank to Q and now I can't catch them without tearing up the entire tank.