Clown Loaches...

N

number1sixerfan

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Sep 11, 2006
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I've seen clown loaches successfully kept in 55 and 75 gallon tanks. When I say successful I mean they look very happy, have grown to a reasonable size, and are very healthy/active. Just because a fish does not grow to it's full potential size does not mean that it isn't healthy or happy. In comparison, we as humans do not all grow to be 6 feet and 230 pounds of muscle. However, we can still be healthy and happy.

Sometimes it seems that some people just can't wait to say, "you need a bigger tank or you need to get rid of him". I mean for the person that has a couple clown loaches in a 75gal tank, do they really need to go get a bigger tank? Shouldn't it all come down to the health of the fish?

Plecos are a different story all together and I believe it is the lfs's fault for not letting people know this.

The reason I bring this up is because I once again saw some clown loaches in a discus show tank at my lfs. I believe it was a 75gallon tank and they were about 8 inches, fat, and very active. I've always thought that I could never house clown loaches and that they should only be housed in a 125gallon or more tank. I'm not so shure now..

Another thing to think about is that fishkeeping of all sorts and sizes is in essence limiting their existence compared to their natural habitats. In the wild, these fish have thousands of gallons to explore and live. So even when keeping say a tetra in a 55gallon tank, it is still "caged" compared to when it was in the amazon. As a fishkeeper how do you justify this?


Just thought I'd spark some interesting conversation and learn a thing or two. Thanks to everyone who contributes to this forum. I have learned everything I know about aquarius here.
 
clowns CAN get big. most grow VERY slow. i have had mine for over a year and they are only 3" by next year i expect 4"
 
kcooley said:
clowns CAN get big. most grow VERY slow. i have had mine for over a year and they are only 3" by next year i expect 4"
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What tank would you say is sufficient for their needs?
 
i have a 75 gallon with over 30 2-7" african cichlids and a bala shark (they say needs a bigger tank) and 2 loaches. that is plenty of room for them.

if it is under stocked i would say 2 clownloaches could live in a 35-40Gmin. anything smaller than that and theywont have a chance to grow out and will be unhealthy.
 
Hi,

I agree with you. Some of my Cories are not that big, but they have some of the longest whiskers I have ever seen and look very happy. So they might not be as big as their suppose to get, but it's not just the size that makes your fish healthy or not healthy.

Cory Lover
 
number1sixerfan said:
I've seen clown loaches successfully kept in 55 and 75 gallon tanks. When I say successful I mean they look very happy, have grown to a reasonable size, and are very healthy/active. Just because a fish does not grow to it's full potential size does not mean that it isn't healthy or happy.
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It is doubtful that a clown loach would be to live its potential life span of 25+ years in an aquarium this small.


number1sixerfan said:
Sometimes it seems that some people just can't wait to say, "you need a bigger tank or you need to get rid of him". I mean for the person that has a couple clown loaches in a 75gal tank, do they really need to go get a bigger tank? Shouldn't it all come down to the health of the fish?
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Stunting a fish is not healthy for it. Yes clown loaches need LARGE aquariums.

number1sixerfan said:
The reason I bring this up is because I once again saw some clown loaches in a discus show tank at my lfs. I believe it was a 75gallon tank and they were about 8 inches, fat, and very active. I've always thought that I could never house clown loaches and that they should only be housed in a 125gallon or more tank. I'm not so shure now..
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Clown loaches can be housed in smaller aquariums when they are little but eventually will need a 180 gallon aquarium or larger.
 
I have a clown loach, a pleco, a raphael catfish, 2 tinfoil barbs and 2 blood parrots in a 90 gallon tank....
after watching that video....u guys think maybe I should get another clown loach for mine to swim with....or is my 90 gallon tank too small????
 
H3D said:
It is doubtful that a clown loach would be to live its potential life span of 25+ years in an aquarium this small.

Stunting a fish is not healthy for it. Yes clown loaches need LARGE aquariums.

Clown loaches can be housed in smaller aquariums when they are little but eventually will need a 180 gallon aquarium or larger.
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Most aquarium fish's life spans are shortened compared to their living in the wild, that does not make it wrong in my opinion as long as they live a healthy and happy life.

Clown loaches can get even bigger in the wild then they can in a 180gal aquarium. Agree? So, keeping a clown loach in even a 180g tank is "stunting" it in regards to how they grow in the wild. I think in most cases that aquarium keeping in general tends to stunt some fish. That is why when you view fish profiles, they mention that in the wild they reach a much larger size then even the largest of aquariums.
 
alergic__1 said:
I have a clown loach, a pleco, a raphael catfish, 2 tinfoil barbs and 2 blood parrots in a 90 gallon tank....
after watching that video....u guys think maybe I should get another clown loach for mine to swim with....or is my 90 gallon tank too small????
Click to expand...
I would add about 4 more if you plan to get them a much bigger aquarium when they need it.
 
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