clown loaches.........fighting or establishing pecking order?

kooter

kooter

AquaMan
Dec 14, 2003
701
13
18
Mission, BC
I started with 2 clowns and after 3 months I got 2 more. The first 2 clowns were always fine with each other and grew to the same size. When I got the other 2 (which are much smaller of course) they were ok at first but now they are fighting? The older, bigger clowns leave the little ones alone and don't even seem to realize that they are there. The 2 smaller ones are always running around the tank scrounging for food until they meet up with one another then they start this weird upside down dance and rub against each other then nip one another.... any thoughts?
 
I re-read my first post and noticed it was a little confusing. My 2 big clowns are ok and leave the 2 little ones alone. It's the 2 little ones that fight each other.
 
When I had 5 clown loaches (Ick and velvet unfortunatley killed a couple) the two largest clowns would often engage in behaviour like you described and from what I can tell it was just natural squabbling over food. I've only seen clowns actually fight a couple of times and a bone like blade will pop out just under their eyes when this happens. Unless one of the clowns looks like he's sustaining serious injury I wouldent worry about it.
 
ok, thx. I can't see any wounds or physical inactivity from either one, so I guess they are just "rough housing". Especially when the food comes out, they really go at it, even with the big guys! They are very comical, one of my best fish to date! :dive2: :clap:
 
I have clowns and kuhlis. When I feed them, I break up the algae wafers and spread around the tank so if someone is kept away from one chunk of food they can find another. If I put veggies in, instead of 1 lg piece, put in 2 small...or feed peas and add several. Just to diminish squabbling over food.
 
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