medium SA/CA's and clown loaches?

debaric

debaric

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Does anyone know which SA cichlids would do well with a school of clown loaches? I have a 75 gallon and I was thinking along the lines of a blue acara or severum. I have a 125 ready to go for when these fish (clowns) get large.
Any suggestions?
 
Either of SA cichlids would produce similar results. Neither is really an ideal tank mate for the clown loaches. All of the fish you listed are primarily bottom dwellers, and all of them are territorial. They are all larger fish that produce lots of waste so you will need extremely good filtration and will have to do more water changes than normal. The Clown loaches will eventually need to be housed in a 180 gallon or larger aquarium, if you are not committed to purchasing an aquarium this large then you might want to consider getting some smaller loaches.
 
180 for clowns? i think thats a bit exaggerated. I would think at most 150 (2 feet wide tank) so they can turn easier.

Thanks for the advice though, im also torn on whether i will do plants which will also limit me with some SA's.
 
150 gallon aquarium is 72"L x 18"W x 28"H. This size aquarium does really not provide enough room for a 12" fish to turn around in. 150 gallon high aquarium is 48"L x 24W x 30"H. This size aquarium does not provide enough length for the powerful movements of the clown loach. 180 gallon aquarium is 72"L x 24"W x 24"H this should be considered the minimum for a full grown clown loach.
 
debaric said:
Does anyone know which SA cichlids would do well with a school of clown loaches? I have a 75 gallon and I was thinking along the lines of a blue acara or severum. I have a 125 ready to go for when these fish (clowns) get large.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
I have pretty mild cichlids with my clowns in a 75g tank. The clowns basically are ignored by my sev and all the others. The only fish I ever had that bothered the clowns was a macullipinis; he just seemed to hate clown loaches for some reason. I have to say, though, that my loaches were about 5" when I put them in the tank, so I can't swear that smaller ones will fare as well.
 
i bought mine at 2" and put them in an overstocked malawi tank with 4-5" africans. they did fine and are growning just fine now. they pay no attention to the clowns
 
I've kept clown loaches with a wide wide wide variety of South Americans and Africans. I would buy them about an inch long. I had one for 5 years in a 55 and it only grew to about 4-5 inches. So you have plenty of time to save for your 180 gallon tank. :dance2:
 
Clowns are some of the very best tankmates with cichlids, and work with all but the most aggressive ones. They are largely ignored. I house them with a large severum, very large oscar, Carpinte, and have had them with some more aggressive ones. They work great, and are very active in the tank with even the most boisterous cichlids. They do grow slow, so will be fine in a 125 for several years, and lage clowns actually are saleable because of the rarity of the big boys, so if they outgrew the 125 at some point, you can trade them with limited trouble. A very good choice. Keep the water clean and they will do well, and are a great addition.
BTW, the guy at cichlidscene (.com) has an incredible collection of clowns, kept with cichlids for the most part.
 
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