View Full Version : question about clown loaches
I'm not sure if this belongs in this forum or the bottom feeder one. I have two clown loaches, among other fish. I've heard that they like to be in pairs of more than two, so I went and bought two more today. After about 20 minutes, one of the new ones is in the group, and the three of them are swimming around exploring. The fourth one, which is an original one, is at the top of the tank and won't come near the other ones. Does anyone know if this is abnormal, or he'll come around after awhile. My tank is a 90 gallon, ph around 8.0, ammonia and nitrites around 0, and temp at 80. thanks.
Cichlid Woman
01-11-2003, 8:37 PM
Is he the same size as the others?
NJ Devils Fan
01-11-2003, 10:18 PM
Maybe one of the new ones said something about the old guy's mom. ;)
What other fish are in the tank?
Yeah, he's the same size. I have three plecos, two platy's, 4 rainbows, 6 giant danios, and now 4 clown loaches.
koolkatzfish
01-12-2003, 4:09 AM
Clowns stress easily, turn off the lights, to reduce stress. Make sure you have plenty of caves. Its most likely adjustment and all will be fine, but watch closely for signs of stress.
I would also reccommend you get a quarantine tank, clowns are very prone to ich, so a 3 week quarantine is a really good idea. In a 90 gallon tank, you have to much money invested not to have a quarantine tank.
I actually bought a quarantine tank yesterday, and I put him in there. I don't he's gonna make it, he looks totally wasted away. His bottom and sides are totally sunken in. great.
Skittyfish
01-12-2003, 1:40 PM
I am a Clown Loach mass murderer!
I had six prett good sized loaches that swam up into a fake hollow log while doing tank cleaning. When I finished I turned the log bach upright and trapped the fish unknowingly....death in a few days (I didn't miss them for a few days since they had numerous hide outs)
Boy I miss my Clown Loaches:( .
Clownloach458
01-14-2003, 11:05 AM
Clonws are like , if they got fired from Mcdonalds, theyd kill them selves. Ive got some clowns in my 20gallon. my rts hangsout with them too. one has been exiled curently. from its tunnel that the other loach and rts are in. he moved to a little rock fort, i decided to see what was wrong with the little guy. lifted up the top of his house and looked, with the light fully on he didnt move at all.i even could touch him and kinda like "pet"him., i thought something was wrong here, cause yuor never able to touch a fish without it being trained. and i hadnt trained these guys at all so i reduced lighting, and he mad a dash from his old home, so mabey you need to reduce lighting, or your others just dont like him. IF hes stressed buy something like pices-plus, it gives fish back thier NATURAL slime-coating, wich will reduce thier stress tremendously.
JamisonBWolsh
01-14-2003, 12:26 PM
I always heard your supposed have a "odd" number fish when they are in small groups....
I put 6 clown loaches in my 120 two weeks ago and have only seen one poke his nose out of the hollow long that they must be hiding in.
I guess it is in their nature just to be shy until they acclimate to their surroundings. They ate all my convict fry so at some point they had to come out but I never see them.
Well, he's been in my 10 gallon q-tank for two days, with no improvement. He's still not eating, looks wasted away, and is staying at the top. I've looked into internal parasites, but the info I found said the medicine doesn't work above PH 7.0. Mine's at 8.0. Anyone know if that's true? I don't think he's gonna make it.
Clownloach458
01-16-2003, 5:31 PM
man, poor little guy :( i wish i could help, id be that way if it were my clowns to :(:confused:
Hoplosternum
01-17-2003, 7:36 AM
Hello,
Clown loaches don't do well on their own and I doubt that the quarentine tank is doing him a lot of good, especially as this is one of your original loaches not a new one. Unless you see some evidence of disease I would put him back in. If you keep him seperate make sure he has cover in the Q-tank if you haven't already and make sure it is in a quiet location.
Clowns will have disputes and this one might have been the boss and has just been suplanted by one of the new ones. You might try rearranging the cover or even add some more hiding places so that each has a place.
A Clown will easily go without eating food you add to the tank for a few days or even weeks. I would happily leave even my small ones (1.5") for a week or so if I was away. Are you sure he is not eating? Are your other Clowns quite plump (especially your other original)? If not maybe you could try and increase the amount of catfish pellets / their favourite food. Remember your Rianbows and plecs will be going for their food to. Clowns, especially sulking ones, are quite bashful and he may not eat while you are there.
Good luck I hope it works out!
Well, that's it. I came home from work today and found him wrapped around the filter intake. This sucks, I think I like the clowns the most out of my fish. Thanks for all the help everybody.