Loaches Online Forum

I currently have 5 yoyo loaches in my heavily planted 75 gallon community tank. they are all between 1.5"-2" I want to rehouse them sooner rather than later before they get too large. I set up a 55 gallon tank over the weekend that is about half planted at the moment. my question is, should I add 3 more yoyo's for a total of 8 OR should I add 5 clown loaches. I have always wanted clown loaches but I have heard not to mix yoyo's and clowns.

I could also leave the loaches in the 75 and move all other fish in my tank (tetras and corys) to the 55 gallon with sand substrate to give the loaches more room. again, if I leave the yoyo loaches in the 75, can I get more yoyo's or could I stay with 5 and get a school of maybe 5-6 clowns?

*also, worried about the loaches destroying and uprooting plants. the yoyo's dig constantly so I cant imagine any plants staying put in that 55 gallon with sand substrate.

75 gallon, heavily planted, 585GPH filtration (2 canister filters) + 1 sponge filter, seachem fluorite substrate
55 gallon, 500GPH filtration (brand new aquaclear 110) + 1 sponge filter, caribsea sand

all opinions and ideas are welcome.

***I have no idea how to upload pictures to this thread***

In fairness, I would not add clown loaches as both your tanks are not suitable long term. Also, I found out that when my clowns got older, they definitely destroyed all plants. They'd generally damage the leaves by biting them but it's enough to put the plants in distress, algae issues resulting from that too.

I'd stick to a larger school of yoyos if it were me. As far as loaches go, the more the better so if you have room for more yoyos, increase the school. They'd be way happier fish.

Yeah, I vote more yoyos in a 75g. I've tried to keep clowns in that size tank & it's a short term solution at best. I haven't kept yoyos, but I'd go with 7 or 8 without other loaches.

As LL said, clowns do eat plants. Mine were small-ish (6 + inches). The plant eating was less when I fed veggies like romaine & zucchini. Other loaches may eat (or taste) a few plants, but not like clowns did!

So I should move all other fish to the 55 and keep ONLY yoyo's in the 75? I would think the 55 with sand substrate would better for a yoyo ONLY tank.

In addition to yoyos you could have some (non-loach or other bottom feeders) tankmates. Maybe denisonii barbs or similar large-ish schoolers. Rainbows? I haven't kept them or yoyos, so I'm just guessing.

First thing I need to do is figure out which tank to house the yoyo's in before I worry about tank mates. They are currently in the 75 with tetras and corys and there are no issues... but in a couple months when they get to 3"-4", there could be issues.

And with how much they dig, I would have to move all the plants from the 55 to the 75 because I can imagine any plants will stay rooted in sand with those damn yoyo's constantly digging around lol

In answer to the original question, you need to buy a 150 gallon tank and keep six Clown Loaches with a shoal of dither fish. If Clown Loaches are the fish you want to keep I don't know why you would do anything else.

not doing clown loaches. maybe after I move next year.

If its only 1 year wait till then. Simples.

If you're not patient then Clown Loaches are not for you.

I think I've decided. I'm going to move the 5 yoyo's to the 55 gallon, remove all the plants and add more bogwood and rocks for hiding places. I think the yoyo's will enjoy the sand substrate and having an entire tank to themselves. I also plan to get 1-3 more yoyo's. Now the hard part... catch them without destroying everything in my 75 lol

I've had some success catching my clown loaches with a jug, cornering and herding them into it. That way they also remain in water and are not as stressed.