Hello all, Got a question about clown loaches for ya. I know they can get to like a foot long but from what I've been reading they rarely reach that size in captivity, I've heard they get like 6in usually. Do you think that putting a few clown loaches in a 75 gallon would be all right. I don't want to do the wrong thing if the tank won't be big enough. I don't know if there would be growth stunting, or if them only getting 6in is just from them being in captivity. I just want to hear some opinions on this, thanks.
Clown Loaches
- Thread starter yellow tang
- Start date
75gal should be able to cope with them yeh.
Id go for more like 8" in captivity.
Please remember though that they do like being in groups... 4-5 is good...
To be honest I'd rather go for smaller, more intersting loaches myself... such as the Schistura sp. which is a great looking fish... smaller and best kept without more of the same loaches.
Id go for more like 8" in captivity.
Please remember though that they do like being in groups... 4-5 is good...
To be honest I'd rather go for smaller, more intersting loaches myself... such as the Schistura sp. which is a great looking fish... smaller and best kept without more of the same loaches.
thanks for the quick reply, I was gonna check in to some other loaches too, see if I like them too, but good to hear a 75 gallon could handle them.
I remember a guy who posted here in AC who had an 11-inch clown loach. What I don't know if he bought it at that size or if it grew that big in captivity. He also had some pics.
Here's the link in case you are interested.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125441
Here's the link in case you are interested.
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125441
clown loaches shouldnt be in anything less than a 180. they live for quite a long time and have the potential to pass up 12 inches. plus, they need to be ing roups of five or more. a 75 gallon wouldnt be enough for long.
Clown loaches grow pretty slowly. I have a couple in my 72 gallon to keep the snails in check. I will then move them to my 55 gallon to do a number on the snails there. Then back to the 72. If they start getting to large, I will trade them in at my LFS for smaller ones. Mine were about 3 inches when I bought them 2 years ago and they are probably around 4 inches now.
I have 6 clowns in my 75. Some I have had for about 6 years and got em at 3+ inch size. I desperately need a bigger tank for them. The largest is about 8 inches nose to tail. They do get bigger, but not if they dont have adequate space. They hit a point where they gain in girth as much or more than length. The image link below is to a pic of Bob Darnell's clowns posted at Loaches.com ( http://www.loaches.com/ )
This pic is why I got clowns http://www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/c/chromobotia_macracanthus_group04.jpg/image
This pic is why I got clowns http://www.loaches.com/species-index/photos/c/chromobotia_macracanthus_group04.jpg/image
Mine are almost two years old and I bought them when they were probably 1.5 inches long. They are four inches long now.