Clown Loach Growth Rate

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Marcos Mataratzis
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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Marcos Mataratzis » Sat Dec 22, 2012 12:52 pm

But you still have bright lights in the tank and that is the possible explanation for their low activity during that period.
My 450L Loaches tank
31 clown, 5 morleti, 2 sidthimunki

Loachloach
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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Loachloach » Sat Dec 22, 2012 1:17 pm

Yes, the bright lights are definately spooking them. I've got a lot of floating plants growing only recently but once they cover the surface it will block quite a bit of light. There are shady areas too and the clown loaches started to get out from time to time when the lights are on, even chilling at the front of the tank or in between the plants so little by little I'll try to balance both. They actually love swimming through the plants and picking the odd surviving snail. The lights are on only for 8hrs a day, so they have 16 hours in the dark every 24hours and that's when they are out the most playing. I don't think they are stressed because they retain their black stripe colouration, just not brave enough to come out too often when the lights are on but they do come out when the lights are off and room lights are on for example. I am just trying to make it as shady as I can with the lights on so I can see them more often myself. They do hate me too, if I approach the tank they are gone.

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Marcos Mataratzis
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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Marcos Mataratzis » Sat Dec 22, 2012 6:24 pm

Why don´t you replace the lamps for others less brighter?
My 450L Loaches tank
31 clown, 5 morleti, 2 sidthimunki

Loachloach
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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Loachloach » Sun Dec 23, 2012 7:40 am

I actually did quite recently but made a bad job out of it picking them. They are just slightly less brighter than the previous set. I am not sure what to look for when selecting the type to make sure the plants will be ok and also the light is as dim as possible. I don't even like bright lit tanks myself.

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Marcos Mataratzis
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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Marcos Mataratzis » Sun Dec 23, 2012 10:15 am

Loachloach wrote:I don't even like bright lit tanks myself.
Well, well, well...

You don´t like bright lit tanks, Clown loaches don´t like bright lit tanks... maybe it´s now time to make choices. :roll:

There are lots of plant species that can do well in low light conditions, like Java fern, giant Anubias and so on. Maybe you could change some of the plants and then lower the lights. In most cases I would not use more than 0.3 watts of light per liter of water.
My 450L Loaches tank
31 clown, 5 morleti, 2 sidthimunki

Loachloach
Posts: 787
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:11 pm

Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Loachloach » Sun Dec 23, 2012 11:48 am

I just calculated, and I actually have 0.35W of light per litre, so not much at all. It's just too bright for such a low light. Don't know what lights to buy really. Most plants I have like low light but the tank is deep and not everything at the bottom will get enough if I decrease it further which is about the minimum of light I can afford. The clowns are actually out at the moment with the lights on digging around the place. They did become a bit better recently. I don't know if it's the recent addition of platies that made them a bit more comfy or maybe the constant supply of tiny fry that the clowns could be snacking on and keeps them interested. The floating plants are really spreading fast too and I can tell there's shade on the sand in places. The other reason they are skittish is maybe because the tank is in the sitting room, so gets a bit of noise and movement outside which scares them. My pleco used to be darting into hiding in the past if I came close to the tank but as time passed and he saw I am no danger I suppose, he now doesn't take any notice to the outside world and even comes to me if I am holding a peace of veg, doesn't get scared if I touch him too. Sometimes I go and sit by the tank and he comes at the front with his head turned straight at me, like looking at me... It took him a year to become more docile and he used to live prior to that in another tank, having the same skittish behaviour. So I think the clown loaches may need more time to feel comfortable with everything.
I've even noticed differences in behaviour between store bought fish who may have experienced stress in their previous lifes and fish I've bred myself, from the same species, living in the same tank. The parents who I bought were afraid of me, the kids were the most social fish ever, completely different behaviour. These are only my observations

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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Loachloach » Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:05 pm

Hi Marcos,
I thought I'd pop in because I think I accidentally found out what the problem with my shy clown loaches was.
I was fighting green spot algae for ages and in the process I ended up turning off the koralia powerhead as it was doing mechanical damage to the plants that it was blowing at, causing excess algae. Well I have no idea why, but since then they haven't stopped playing around the place. I thought clown loaches love more flow but mine don't :D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YimKHvcYCAI

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Marcos Mataratzis
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Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Marcos Mataratzis » Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:36 pm

It´s good to know that the problem is solved, even in the exotic way! :mrgreen:

Congrats!
My 450L Loaches tank
31 clown, 5 morleti, 2 sidthimunki

Loachloach
Posts: 787
Joined: Mon Nov 05, 2012 10:11 pm

Re: Clown Loach Growth Rate

Post by Loachloach » Wed Feb 27, 2013 8:55 pm

Odd isn't it :D
There's no way I would have tried that if it wasn't for the algae. Poor clowns love some sunny wheather. The hurricane is over :lol:

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