World's oldest Clown Loaches reach 30 years of age.

[redshark1]

Wow! My six Clown Loaches have made it to 30 years of age!

I joined Loaches Online Forum on Dec 26, 2010 and back then I didn't know if my Clown Loaches would even make it to 20 years of age as one of the established members here lost their old Clown Loach which was 19 years of age. But they did and they became ever more valuable to me.



When I bought them in January 1995 people claimed to know they lived around 10 years. Even today some websites still say this and there is a lot of incorrect information on the internet.

Many people don't really know how old their Clown Loaches are as they are not the first owner but I've been lucky enough to rear these from their purchase as (I believe) one year old imported specimens.



I have never lapsed in their care.

The only thing that threatened them was the Whitespot that they brought with them when I first took them home.

These were the fish I always wanted since I saw them in a book when I was a child.

It's a great milestone.

But there is hopefully more. The journey goes on.

Happy New Year to you all and I wish you all the best with your Loaches.

[NancyD]

Happy Birthday & Happy New Year to Athina & all your clowns. 30 years is a major achievement no matter the fish or species...but of course, we all love your clowns. I always think it's cute that, like horses, your loaches have the same "birthday" of Jan. 1.

Best wishes!

[redshark1]

Thanks Nancy, maybe I should enter them in the Kentucky Derby!

I bought them throughout the month of January 1995.

I was going to buy the whole shoal straight after the New Year holiday from the first LFS I ever visited. Here they presented and supplied high quality fish. I rang in advance to check they were in stock. However, the 200 or so Clown Loaches they had were a very dull pale grey in colour and I was so disappointed I bought only one. This fish turned out to be a very small fish too, probably from a population distant from the colourful fish we all know.

So I went elsewhere for the rest but the next shop had such tiny skinny ones of 3cm I only took the deal of 3 for £10.

My remaining fish came from yet another shop but these were bigger and fatter and the vibrant colour that we all know and love.

I may have lost the tiny emaciated three to Whitespot/Ich but luckily they all pulled through. Half dose for scaleless fish didn't do the trick, so I upped the dose. For the last fish it was a desperate triple dose in quarantine (margarine tub floated in the main tank). As the fish continued to eat live bloodworm it was able to overcome the disease and I have it today.