clown loach questions

[Snoozy]

I "inherited" a clown loach from a friend who was moving and couldn't bear to return him to a fish store. Lucky me, I got her 55 gallon tank and all the stuff. I also got the castle he lived in for 5+ years. He would wedge himself into a vertical turret and after three years he got too big. One day I found he had scratches on his skin and I knew the ugly thing had to go. The paint was peeling off and I was glad to throw it away. I have since gotten another loach almost his size, 7 inches, and two more tiny loaches. He still seems to miss his castle. I have other hiding places for him but he wants to be vertical. I see him attempting to hover, upright, in the corners of the tank. I have been trying to find a plastic tube for him to wedge himself into. I have tubes that are too small and too big but the problem is that they are plastic tubes and don't provide any surface for him to grab on to. Any ideas? I read that clowns can live for 20 years or more and mine is at least 10 years old. I want to make him happy.

Snoozy

 

[YoFishboy]

How about a "teepee" made of rocks, or a flower pot? Clown loaches are fantastic, by the way!

 

[chefkeith]

Where on earth did you find another large clown loach? I'm a little jealous here.

Anyways, I think the large clowns will be in serious need of some more space soon.

Here's some links to the best Loach sites on the net-

Loaches Anonymous

http://loaches.com/

I'll think about how to build a safe verticle cave for now. I'll check back later.

 

[Haggisman]

Why not try a strawberry pot, my clowns love to pile in them at night.As for big clowns, getting them is easier than you think, theres a shop in that orders them in and ships them cheaply(UK).Someone I know on another forum just got two 8 inchers.

Any pics of these loaches?

 

[mcps95]

I know what you mean about clown loaches liking to rest in vertical spaces. I have three who love this resin wood decoration I got at Petsmart because there's a hole in the top that they always are peeping out of or sticking their tail out of.

Have you considered using PVC and covering it with gravel/sand (using silicone or another aquarium-safe product)? This would give them a surface to "grab" on to. Also, terra cotta pots seem to work well. You can cut one in half and create a cave or simply drill the hole in the base large enough for the loach and place it in the tank upside-down.

 

[kamla]

i love Clown loaches too... i am planning to get some for my 72 gal tank, do they need any hiding spots, what could i use for them, i have some driftwood and stones...
plus i have a planted tank, will they be o.k. in it or destroy my plants..

thax for any help..

 

[chefkeith]

Clown Loaches will eventually (8 years perhaps) get too big for 72g tank. Clown loaches love caves. Here's a huge cave I have in one of my tanks-

 

[5150_bronco]

I just bought 4 clown loaches this past weekend and they were alittle shy to come out a cave i have for them but since they got used to the tank they have began to come out alittle more but at night when i turn the light off they are all over the place. They like really dark place to hide from other fish. :troll:

 

[kamla]

how to Clown loches fair in a planted tank, will they uproot my plants...

The clown loches i am looking @ are about 1 ~ 1.5 inches..
i have a72 gal tank...

 

[Mooch28]

how to Clown loches fair in a planted tank, will they uproot my plants...

The clown loches i am looking @ are about 1 ~ 1.5 inches..
i have a72 gal tank...

Depends on their personality. For the most part they wont, but it is possible. I have three of them in my heavily planted 72 gallon, and they never uproot any plants. Also they dont dig, and just go through the top of the gravel looking for food. Also, if you have a planted tank, make sure you give them some vegtables like cucumber regularily, otherwise they may decide too snack on your plants. Especially swords......