Loaches Online Forum

For some reason, Snap (one of my two original clowns) has decided to claim a certain cave for himself-ONLY. He is just slightly larger than Crackle...both are quite a bit larger than little Pop, who we added a bit later. Snap also tries to direct the others in recent loachy dances, chases the others if he suddenly feels bothered by them, tears up the plants more, heckles the pleco, etc. Poor Crackle has been slightly grayed-out the past few days, spending a lot of time just sort of hanging half-in and half-out of the community cave the three of them used to share...with little Pop hovering sympatheically (completly outside the cave, as Crackle is blocking the entrance). Could it be that some fish are bullies, much like people are, or should I be concerned about something else going on here?

Kate

I have individuals in my group that suddenly get cranky with everyone else. Sometimes fighting goes on (on and off) for days, then it all settles down again.

Martin.

tariesindanrie,

as you might know, the only thing that a bully respects is another bully which he deems to be stronger.
So .. take a net, get Snap out of the tank and give him a good ol' fashioned beating! Make sure the others watch this - voila, problem solved.

Apart from that, adding more clowns (I understood you have only 3?) and more places to hide might help.

-Connor

I'd recommend adding more clown loaches to the group. This will help to spread any bouts of aggression coming from the Alpha loach.

Emma

Connor,
Exactly what do you beat a loach with?? LOL

this reminds me of this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ_b5eH-b9M

lol..funny video.. i agree with the others...more loaches, more hiding places... if i were you i'd teach him by adding an even bigger clown.. that would be funny...

Thanks all, for the advice...and special thanks to mg for the funny, lol.

Right now, more clowns isn't working...but-the plan is to definitely get more clowns, but it will have to wait just a couple months until I can get a larger tank (75 gal+, dedicated to loaches) set up...funding issues plus not sure where it will end up when the renovations in the house here get finished. The short-term plan is to give all a little more breathing room; by moving the smaller 8 tetras into a 15-gal tank, now under construction.

Currently, in the 33-gal, are the 3 clowns (3 to 5 inches), a large pleco, 5 black skirt tetras ranging in 1-2 inch size, 3 neons, 4 black neons and 1 which was sold to me as a black neon, but upon closer inspection, I believe may be Rasbora borapetensis, or False Magnificent Rasbora...no matter, he fits in and shoals nicely with the blacks anyhow. None of them seems to know or acknowledge the difference.

After the loach tank gets established, the tetras can go back to their 33 gal home and I'll use the 15 gal for QT, etc.

Kate