Are clown loaches compatible with ciclids? I just started my 60 gal. tank and I have about 4 baby loaches, about 4" in length, but I also want to mix some cichlids but am not sure whether they are compatible. I prefer to have cichlids no bigger than 6-7 inches and I like colors. Hopefully before they even get to that length, I would have upgraded to a 100 gal. tank.
Clown Loaches and Cichlids
- Thread starter joscadi
- Start date
you can deff mix them with cichlids but it just depends on what kind of cichlid we are talking about. If you stick to the more dosil types you loaches will appriciate it, and also do not forget clown loaches grow very very slowly so they probably will not get a ton bigger in any time soon.
Go to www.cichlidscene.com
This website shows you that you can mix clown loaches with Midas, Red Devil, and etc.
This website shows you that you can mix clown loaches with Midas, Red Devil, and etc.
Most cichlids tend to ignore the bottom dwellers (loaches). Of course this is not an ironclad rule and I wouldn't trust the larger, more aggressive/territorial cichlids with MY clown loaches. I have 13 clowns in a 125 with several medium size cichlids with no problems whatsoever. I also have 4 other tanks with other types of loaches and other types of cichlids with no problems. Of course you never know; there is always the chance you get that one cichlid that is just a pest and messes with every tankmate. Best of luck! The peacocks are beautiful colored cichlids and tend to be rather mild and shouldn't bother your clowns.
i have 3 clown loaches mixed with my tanganikian cichlids. they dont pay any attention to each other, there even allowed to swim within terrotories of breeding fish.
For the most part they are fine, I have seen my big cichlids push my clowns about but no real damage done.I have also seen my clowns try to pick at the gills of my larger cichlids but they usually just move away from the loaches.
I had a trio of clown loaches with a variety of cichlids, they survived with them for three years until I accidently flooded our house and had to move tanks to replace the flooring. The move was too much for the clown loach and blue channel cat fish, they all parished. But, they were in with Jack Demsey, Red Zebras, Blue Acara, tiawan reef, blue scolofi, nicragnese, and many other fish including tinfoil barbs, silver dollars, and bala sharks. They are all housed in 168 gallon tank. No problems with this mixture at all.
I started my 75 with clown loaches, then moved on to cichlids. I've got 4 yellow labs (about 3-4" lg), 4 "blue neon" peacock's (3-4" lg.), and 2 Julidochromis (4" lg). Never had any problems with the cichlids messing with the loaches (1-4" lg, and 2-2" lg). Actually the loaches seem to be the ones that keep the peace. The bigger of the trios makes sure that everybody stays in line. And like mentioned earlier, they are permitted to go in any territory.