Clown Loach

[GuZZiZZiT]

Ok, Everytime i got to the LFS i love to watch the clown loaches. I've never bought any because i never thought i had a big enough tank for them. Now that i have a 125 gallon tank i'd like to get a small schoal (3-5, unless more or less would be better) if they would thrive in my tank. specificaly i was wondering:

1. I know clown loaches eat snails, would they eat ghost shrimp?
2. Do they get along well with my other favorite fish, corey cats?
3. I know they can get as large as 12 inches, but when they get that large will they eat smaller tank mates?
4. Are there any special water perameters they require? (hardness, Ph, temp)

I've done quite a bit of research on them already, but much of the information is conflicting. If anyone has personal experiance with them i would appreciate your input.

Thanks
Guzz

 

[TwoTankAmin]

1. I know clown loaches eat snails, would they eat ghost shrimp?
-Proabably- they eat anything they can. I keep clowns but not shrimp.

2. Do they get along well with my other favorite fish, corey cats?
- Bigger clowns tend to bulldoze smaller bottom feeders such as corys or small plecos. When smalls clowns and corys work OK together, as the clowns get larger you may find corys start to vanish. I lost a few sterbais and bristlenose when kept with bigger clowns.

3. I know they can get as large as 12 inches, but when they get that large will they eat smaller tank mates?
- You don't have to worry about having a 12 inch clown umless you are planning to buy 11 inchers to start. My clowns at about 8 years of age are about 7 inches.

4. Are there any special water perameters they require?
(hardness, Ph, temp)
- Ph between 6.5 and 7.5 should be fine, they can take temps from about 76 - 85 just fine. They tend to prefer lower DOCs so keep the water clean.

 

[CaptnDan]

Now that i have a 125 gallon tank i'd like to get a small schoal (3-5, unless more or less would be better) if they would thrive in my tank. specificaly i was wondering:

1. I know clown loaches eat snails, would they eat ghost shrimp?
2. Do they get along well with my other favorite fish, corey cats?
3. I know they can get as large as 12 inches, but when they get that large will they eat smaller tank mates?
4. Are there any special water perameters they require? (hardness, Ph, temp)

In my experience, six is the magic number. They sleep in a pile and play tag all over the tank. After some died following a hurricane, they are not very active at all. I added some Black Skirts to the tank, and that seems to have helped, they shoal with them a bit. That thing about them looking dead, laying on their sides is true. They do it all the time. They have a reputation for bringing ick to a tank, but I didn't have a problem with mine.

1. I feed ghost shrimp to their tankmates, they don't seem interested.
2. They seem very social, and have never harassed any of my bottom fish.
3. Never saw them try to eat anybody, but mine aren't that big either.
4. They seem to do well in whatever water you put them in, but they do seem to lose color a bit if you let the tank get a bit dirty.

 

[H3D]

1. I know clown loaches eat snails, would they eat ghost shrimp? Yes.

2. Do they get along well with my other favorite fish, corey cats? Will get too large to keep with corys eventually.

3. I know they can get as large as 12 inches, but when they get that large will they eat smaller tank mates? Yes.

4. Are there any special water perameters they require? (hardness, Ph, temp) Keep tank around 80 degrees.

Remember they will outgrow a 125 and evetually need a 180 gallon at minimum for a small group.

 

[Cory Lover]

Hello,

Most Clown Loaches do not do well with Cories. They tend to bully and harass them. A smaller kind of loach like the Dwarf Loach would to good with Cories.

Cory Lover

 

[GuZZiZZiT]

Thanks guys

You've given me alot of good info. I may have to reconsider these fish. There cool fish and i love to watch them cruise around the bottom but if they wont be happy in my set up it,s not fair to them.

Guzz

 

[clayt101]

Remember they will outgrow a 125 and evetually need a 180 gallon at minimum for a small group.

IMO, A 125 is fine to house several of them (5 or 6). If you get some, you better turn up the heat on them in the beginning because they almost always have ich.

 

[H3D]

IMO, A 125 is fine to house several of them (5 or 6). If you get some, you better turn up the heat on them in the beginning because they almost always have ich.

It is fine to house them there till they reach about 8" after that they will require a bigger aquarium. It may take them 5 years to gorw this large, but they will at some point need a much larger aquarium.