Loaches Online Forum

Hello everyone, next month I will be upgrading from a 29 gallon to a 60 gallon tank. It is the same size as a 55 gallon, just 4" taller. My stocking will be:

2 Guppies
2 Platys
8-10 Dalmation Mollys
4 Angelfish
8 Cory Cats


Now, my question is, would it be okay for me to add 4 Clown Loaches, or 4 Angelicus Loaches with this stock list? The reason I'm asking is because I love these loaches, but clowns are only $3 at my Petsmart, and Angelicus are $22. So, with 4 Angelicus, that'd be close to $100.

I know most everyone says Clown Loaches get 8" or more, but most everyone's I've seen that they have had for years are only 4-5". A lot of people say a 60 gallon tank isn't too small for 4 clowns. They say that tank size doesn't stunt growth, but feeding and care is what does it. Now, I understand that if I DID get the clowns and they started getting too big, I could easily give them to my lfs and they would love to take them in.

I have also been told that Clown Loaches and Cory Cats do NOT get along. I've seen a lot of tanks with corys and clowns, so is this true? Id be feeding them plenty so that everyone could get food.

So, in a 60 gallon tank, will 8 Corys and 4 Clown Loaches be okay? And, if I could ever get price to come down, I would go for the Angelicus Loaches instead and not have to worry, but for close to $100 for 4-5 fish, I can't do that!

Please give me any and all info you have!

Just because you've been seeing small clown loaches, does not mean they don't get big. I would suggest that you contemplate your commitment to keeping the tank going for more than 4 or 5 years. Loaches require large water changes every week, which ends up being a fair amount of work to deal with. And they'll live for decades, not just a few years, if their needs are provided for.

Clown loaches are superb fish, but really plan it out before you buy some. You'll hear that advice wherever you go and there is a reason. And they will grow to be 12 inches, not 8. If you can't commit to caring for them and providing them with the space they require, they are a bad choice for your tank.

Just my opinion.

Welcome to Loaches Online.

The tank you are proposing may be ok for a small group of juvenile clowns, but they will rapidly outgrow it and require an upgrade. Eventually you'll need to provide them with a tank that measures at least 6ft x 2ft x2ft with decent filtration to match. Have a read through of our profile for a more in-depth look at their needs: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus Given the correct conditions, clown loaches do grow fast in their early years, that is a fact. Cramping them for too long will result in stunting and can shorten the life of your fish, so if you intend to take them on, you should be prepared to meet their needs. You know, I can't understand the thinking behind returning them to the store if they grew too big. Part of the enjoyment of keeping such a long-lived fish is watching them grow and thrive in the right conditions. You'd be better off choosing a smaller species such as the Botia kubotai (Angelicus) that you already mentioned, or others such as B. histrionica, B. striata, B. rostrata etc.

The livebearers will prefer much harder water to that of loaches and angelfish long-term, plus the mollies in particular would benefit from addition of aquarium salt, which the other fish won't tolerate, so you might need to have a bit of a rethink.

Corydoras can sometimes be shunted around by larger bottom dwellers such as clown loaches, and they may not get first pick of the food, but many people do keep corys and smaller loaches together very successfully.

Emma

I think I've decided I'm just gonna go with Angelicus Loaches. They are beautiful and I LOVE the polka dots. I actually like them better than clown loaches, but they're so expensive! With the above stock in my 60 gallon tank, how many could I keep at max? I will probably buy 2 at a time until I get the number up. Does anyone know where I can order them online for cheap in the US?


I've always kept my fish in regular tap water that has been dechlorinated, well filtered, and I do water changes every week. I have never added salt for my molly's, and they have always been fine and breed regularly. So, I guess I've been lucky?

I don't know about your Petsmart but ours will have the Angelicus Loaches on sale for $9.99 a couple times a year. You might ask at the store if they will go on sale anytime soon.

thanks!

hey don't bother to listen to what people have to say here. At the local petsmart they will tell you that clowns are good for a 10 gallon tank and that they grow according to the tank size.

Are you sure about that? I thought that too and have been told by almost everyone that that is false. Or, if they do grow to the tank, they will be very stunted and won't live long?

how would you like it if when you were a child you were thrown in a cage cause you apparently will only grow to that size? same thing, please dont put them in a 10 gallon.

so is the general consensus that I should NOT put them in my 60 gallon tank? They have very small clown loaches at my Petsmart. Petsmart isn't coming off the $22 a piece price of the Angelicus Loaches.

ya I was just beeing a smartasss
it might be $$$$$ but I would buy large kubs for $22 each personally.
Heck I have before

a_parker - You've already heard from me on AC (loaches r cool). Just wanted to add that you might look around a bit for Kubotai, I'm pretty sure I've seen em cheaper here at other LFS rather than Petsmart. Not sure why Petsmart is so pricey on them.

Well, Petsmart is my only LFS that carries any of these loaches. My Petsmart in North Little Rock has them for $22 as well. I'll keep looking!

at thos prices you'd prolly be better off ordering online since you can get the same fish for the same price [in the end] or maybe a little more which would be worth it cause youd get much healthier fish

I quite often find that my local Petsmart's prices are substantially higher than most other local shops. I can buy quite nice 1.5 to 2 inch Botia kubotai for CDN$9.99 or less in most places.

newshound wrote:

hey don't bother to listen to what people have to say here. At the local petsmart they will tell you that clowns are good for a 10 gallon tank and that they grow according to the tank size.

You know we appreciate humour here newshound, but you can't make a statement like that without making it clear that you're being flippant. It just confuses people who are looking for a serious answer to their question.

Martin.