Question about loaches long term care

[Calypso mermaid]

Hi,
I've posted here about my loaches a few times while struggling to clear up some initial illness and since I think I've cleared all that up, I'm now curious about what the future holds.
I've seen some people post here about 10-14 year old loaches, so I'm wondering if they've had these the duration of the loaches lives? What size tank is required for loaches this large and old? Did you start off with a smaller tank and work up to a larger tank? How many loaches do you keep on average and how many have you had for years together.
I'm curious because while I have 4 loaches in a 30 gallon right now, I'm moving soon and was planning on upgrading. I don't plan on constantly buying more fish to stock my tank, but hopefully having these guys in a decent size tank they can grow into and hopefully thrive in for years to come.
I also have a pleco and want to do the same for him. I'm just curious because I've seen some post about giving their large fishes to "sanctuaries" and hadn't even heard of such a thing. Is it truly impossible to provide decent, long term care for these animals? Or is it just expensive and time consuming and so people dump their fish when they get too big for their existing tanks?

[Mark in Vancouver]

If you're going to upgrade for clown loaches (well, any upgrade really), go as big as you can afford. Clown loaches are said to live for decades, not just into their teens. Kuhlis, as well, can live for a very long time if they're provided for.

I think the biggest consideration is whether you can realistically commit to doing the work involved in keeping them healthy. Aside from fish food and dechlorinator, it does not have to be expensive. But changing all that water is a giant task that you have to work into your weekly routine. Also consider if you might be away a lot, if there is someone you trust who can come and feed/care for them.

A lot of clown loaches get returned to shops when people realize how big they can become. We've always wanted people to know before they purchase loaches which ones may be more suitable to limited space.

But in that way, it's also like getting a puppy - you have to understand what you're getting yourself into before you bring it home.

[Emma Turner]

I've had some of my clowns for 14 years or so, others I've 'rescued' from smaller tanks over the years. My loaches started off in a 4ft tank, then moved up to a wider 5ft tank, and are now in a 1000 litre 7ft tank (extra wide and deep). Most of them have been living together for over a decade. A year and a half ago, we rehomed Marge & Stripes (who at the time measured 11.5" and 10.5"). These are now part of the family and give us such immense pleasure.

It is unfortunate that most stores do not realise how big these fish get, and the care that is required. Many of these unscrupulous places will import and sell clowns which only measure a couple of centimetres. Clown loaches of this size do not usually fare very well and millions are exported all over the world every year. I cannot believe that even a small percentage of these will go on to live to their full potential in the conditions they require, and I wish more could be done about it. I display a poster in store to inform customers how big these fish get (it was the inspiration behind Martin's clown poster available to print off from this website) and we never sell clown loaches for tanks under 4ft long, also explaining their eventual requirements so people know what they are getting themselves into.

I can see my clowns needing an upgrade in a few years time, which is only going to be possible if we either move house or get an extension built. Partial water changes are carried out 2 or 3 times a week (more in the summer) using RO water from our own unit. This is easily done with the help of a submersible pond pump placed in the RO collection container and can be pumped across without effort. Filtration can be pretty costly - the larger the fish, and the more fish you have, the more filtration you will need. We have 3 Eheim externals on our tank, two of which are the Professionel 3's, plus 2 large Aquaclear powerheads for even more current.

Emma