UH OH -_- PLEASE help!

[shazam26]

I'm in hot water here, guys. You're all going to FLATTEN me.
I come home to my current 20 g set up ( 5 kuhli's, my rainbow shark)...
and I spot something yellow in one of my logs. I figure maybe it's a glint on the sediment or something. Out darts a baby clown.
My family decides that two little clown loaches would tickle me pink.
Two unreturnable, unexpected clown loaches.
I guess I may be partly to blame- it's near Christmas, and I'm always going on and on about clowns- they must have assumed I was dropping hints.
So, here's the deal. I'm going to have to make an upgrade- a BIG one- how long do I have before the big growth spurts begin, and the tank becomes unsuitable for baby clowns? They're very, very small- about 2 inches at most. Nice and plump, a good sign at least.
Apparently they were kept on hold- picked up on Donna (the manager of the pet stores) warning about skinny, and gave them a few months before the big purchase.
I need EVERY and ALL bits of information that I NEED to know about clowns. I've got the brine shrimp, tubifex, bloodworms, etc...
I need to know every vital detail, I know that clowns are not the easiest fish. I need to know how often to upgrade and what's suitable to move into next- I can easily upgrade with my next few paychecks.
What type of powerhead is recommended, which plants they prefer, etc...
This is nothing short of an aquarium calamity, but I don't feel I can go wrong if I run things by the people here before I make decisions. I just hope I can provide them with the best. They're currently doing the typical loachy dance up and down together along the tank, poking in and out of plants, driftwood, and of course eating wildly.
PUH-LEASE lets hear everything that anyone has to share. I've read up their profile but of course there's always do's and don'ts to everything.
Even though they're about three months old, I'm still afraid of skinny. I've been looking carefully and inspecting each- one is skinnier tha the other. One of my clowns looks like a mini version of marge shapewise. The other is more typical baby clown, a bit thinner.
I think I may put them in a photo tank within the week, and see if there's anything you guys may be able to pick up on that I should take into consideration or be aware of, just to be safe, and make sure they look like healthy clowns. Hopefully, I can get at least one more partner of similar size for them, so they can make a miniscule group. Right now 20 isn't room enough for one, is it. X_X
Don't flatten me!

[mary.burns3]

Don't panic and enjoy your new clowns!! As soon as you can, get a 4' tank, around 50/75g. 4' wide gives them room to grow for a few years, upgrading to 100g/6' wide tank eventually. When you have a bigger tank, I would reccomend making the group at least 5 as they are very sociable and outgoing. Young clowns are not too bothered about tank lights, but do prefer subdued lighting as they get older. They need lots of places to hide, but do stay out all day when they feel safe. They love real plants, nibbling them , digging them up etc. Java fern is left alone a bit more, but they love playing with the roots. I accept my real plants just do their best and have to be replaced more than in my other tanks as the lights are not enough and bits go flying as my 17 clowns play very boisterously. They love a varied diet, all frozen food, catfish pellets etc. They love pieces of algae wafer, lots of clicking noises from all over the tank. Keep the nitrate low and regular water changes. My tank gets 50% a week and they are growing nicely as a result. Mine get 3 small meals a day as I'm at home and they are up from 6.30am to 8pm, still diurnal but maybe will be more nocturnal as they get older.

[shazam26]

LOL! I guess I should probably give myself a chance on this one.
I'm not that experiences but I do know an awful lot. I guess I just get nervous about making them unhappy- I know it's not hard to make a fish uncomfortable. I've been hearing them clicking loudly while swimming through the plants together, so I'm hoping they're enjoying themselves.
Other then how piggy my rainbow gets at feeding time (unless he's eats first, he's making sure that the food by his cave is his) they've been enjoying themselves. they've claimed the largest piece of wood in the tank, and frequently weave in and out of it. They also do quite a bit of swimming through the biggest plant in my tank- it stretches from the bottom up to the top and they love getting bits of food from it. I think they're happy to be out of the 10 gallon at the pet store.

[Martin Thoene]

Why flatten you? It's not your fault they're now yours is it? This probably just forced the issue. You'd have got around to Clowns eventually right?

Mary's advise is right, you can upgrade over time. I just finished this article yeaterday. It's one idea for the future.....let's you know what you're getting into.....

http://www.loaches.com/articles/my-clown-loach-aquarium

Martin.

[shazam26]

Ah ^_^ Yeah, I was planning an upgrade regardless. Very small mites now, but very glad they're in great shape. Lovely coloring and they're really enjoying the place- I added lots of extra decor for them! I'll give that article a going over.

[newshound]

I'm in hot water here, guys. You're all going to FLATTEN me.

Don't flatten me!

aren't you cute!!!
as been said "don't panic"
I have a single clown rescued from a bad situation. King of the tank
enjoy them and watch them grow.
"with time and water everything changes"

[Tiny]

i think thats nice of your family to surprise u like that


i know i would be pleasantly surprised if i was given some clown loaches for xmas

[shazam26]

I'll be sure to take good care of them. ^_^ I noticed Tanooki chased them quite a bit at first, but now he hangs out with them, or lets them dance up along the tank. He just ususally likes to indulge in the food by his cave first. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tickled pink to have them