XXXL clown

[bob d]

Took a quick phone pic of this beauty at a LFS. It would have to be around 12" long and a beautifully calm loach. Unfortunately it and some smaller buddies were sold as soon as they were traded.

Bob D

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[bob d]

Sorry if I wasn't clear but they were all snapped up by the same person AFAIK so they will be able to stick together. The tank wasn't huge but it was adequate as a holding tank and I must say the tanks were all in beautiful condition. I hadn't been there before (other side of town) and it's a credit to the owners.

[Ashleigh]

Those are some stunning clowns Nice to hear that they are all still together-why on earth someone would want to rehome these is beyond me, if I didn't have room, Id make room


Ashleigh

[bob d]

Yeah who knows. Maybe they had to move into a flat (apartment) or something. I'd certainly hate to wave them goodbye.

[LeStat]

That big 'un is beautiful, I cannot understand how someone could trade in a lifelong pet like her? One can only assume they had just cause!!

[soul-hugger]

Perhaps the owner died???

Whoever had them before must have had a very good reason to trade them in. Whenever I have seen clowns at any of the stores I have visited, they have only been about 2" long. Only once had I ever seen one larger, and he was again, only 4" long. This one was in the only locally owned pet store in my city, and I think he was one of the owners' pets.

Anyone who could house a clown loach well enough and for long enough for it to grow to such a size had obvoiusly taken good care of it. It looks very healthy.

He is so big the stripes on him have taken on a different appearance, being split in the centre.

I'm sorry it wasn't you who got to take them home!

[raving_wayne]

they are lovely,

there are 2 large clowns at one of my local shops but they asking way to much for them otherwise i would have snapped them up they want £50 each for them at just 8inches,

the ones pictured above are gorgeous

rave

[Marcos Mataratzis]

He is so big the stripes on him have taken on a different appearance, being split in the centre.

That´s normal for elder clown loaches. 3 of mine 23 clown has already started developing this splitted black belt.

Marcos

[jwyfk]

That´s normal for elder clown loaches. 3 of mine 23 clown has already started developing this splitted black belt.

Marcos, from what I've seen, all of your clown loaches still have great color. All of the really big clowns I've seen lose most of their color, like the ones above. Does this occur after they start to develop the split?

[Marcos Mataratzis]

Take a look at this picture:


This is my #3 in size. Note that it has already started developping the central stripe but her colors are still strong.

Now, on this second picture you can see from back to front, Mr. Big Botia, #2 and #3:

Mr. Big Botia looks like the one wich colors has paled more:


I do have another CL (my #4 in size - 3 to 4 years old and 13-14cm) wich colors are very strong, actually as strong as small ones. She seams to have some skin pigmentation problem because I never saw her graying out even during pecking disputes like this:




Notice other CL totaly grayed out but not her. She never pales her colors. So... unless she really have some pigmentation isue I´m not sure this fading colors theory is right. Even my #3 and #2 (which is now 8 years old and 16 to 17 cm long) are still not pale.

[chefkeith]

Bob D. - Those clowns sure do get big in your neck of the woods.

So how's Basil and the rest of your loaches doing?

[LeStat]

raving_wayne

Where in Kent are you? you say your lfs has a pair of clowns at 8" and I am interested in getting a couple of bigger clowns to keep my big fella company in my new 140G tank.

I am in Hants so the journey wouldn't be too long or stressful on them.

AD

[Ashleigh]

£50 is an awful lot to pay for an 8 inch cl, considering I bough 6inchers at £18.95 a couple of years ago.
Although I don't agreee in selling fish in this way really, but on ebay a good lot of large clown loach have been coming up in the kent/london area over the past few weeks, at 6 inches, they seem to be going for £40ish a pair. Collection only obviously. Its a good way to get some large, healthy clown loach w/o the extra $$ the lfs throws on them It is certainlly worth to keep checking
Aquarist classified online seems to have a number of 5inch + cl for 10-20 each around london area aswell


Ashleigh

[bob d]

loaches are all good chefkeith, except for Basil who remains skinny. I tried everything I know and nothing worked. The odd thing is she has a good appetite, still has plenty of attitude and isn't getting any skinnier. I am just enjoying her now and hoping she has a good few years left in her. Regarding the biggy pictured above, I would love to give her a good home but want to keep my current pack with plenty of elbow room (so to speak) and wouldn't like to split up the shop clowns. They apparently sold for an average of A$143 each.

[jwyfk]

Marcos, thanks for the pictures and explanation!

Bob D, I apologize for the thread jack!