Terrorizing Clown Loaches

cbster

cbster

AC Members
Nov 16, 2003
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Freeburg, IL
My clown loaches have been nipping my angelfishes fins off. the first one I put in solitary confinement for a day and it seemed like it mite have worked but it didn't. awhile later I looked in the tank and both clown loaches were going nuts on him and he died. and now it just happened again. I put the angelfish in it's own en closer but don't know if he is going to make it. so what do i do now? I am lost here. I thought clown loaches were peaceful fish but now I am not so sure. any help would be appreciated.
 
wow, i have NEVER heard of clown loaches doing this.

My clown loaches nip at each other because their trying to get their pecking order.

Moving clowns is the worst way to do things, because once again, they are trying to get their pecking order, and will fight for food and stuff.

And what do you mean by "the clown loaches were going nuts, and one died"??

did a clown loach die, or your angle?

also, are you 100% sure it is your clown loaches??
 
victimizati0n:

one of the angels died and yes i am sure it was the clowns they started it as soon as i put the angels in the tank and one hide and the other just couldn't get away at first but then he did so i thought every thing was alright but i guess it wasn't. so i replaced the angel and every thing has been fine until today the angel looked great this morning and then this afternoon i walked in and both of them were on the angel so i scooped him up and it is a veiled angel and all the fins are tore up. I have always read good things about clowns so I am dumbstruck on the situation.
 
are the clowns babies?

Also, how long are they??

They probably see the angel as a threat and are picking on it.

How many clowns do you have? You should have at least 3 - 5 because they like to school.

Also, my clown loaches are only about 1.5" long, and they are getting their pecking order, and will try to get our pleco away from the food.

My alpha clown loach chases all the other clowns away from the food that he doesnt get to eat the food at all.
 
I'll try to look at it from the Clown Loaches point of view.

Clown loaches don't want to be a community fish. They really like to have alot of space to themselves in the bottom of the tank. They prefer to live with other clown loaches. The larger the group of clown loaches the better. (In their natural environment they'll shoal with hundreds and even thousands of clowns.) Only having 2 is obviosly causing problems. They need plenty of hiding places where they won't be bothered at all from other fish because they need their 8 hours of sleep per day. They prefer a low light environment and the water temp to be around 80F. They love to eat more than anything else, but they need a variety of foods.

Perhaps you should sell the clowns back to the LFS, they'll easily outgrow your tank in a few years if you can keep them that long.

Clown loaches can adapt to almost any tank condition, but it doesn't mean they'll be happy. To me, clown loaches arn't fish, they're family. I have 2 tanks that are dedicated to them.
 
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Originally posted by chefkeith
I'll try to look at it from the Clown Loaches point of view.

Clown loaches don't want to be a community fish. They really like to have alot of space to themselves in the bottom of the tank. They prefer to live with other clown loaches. The larger the group of clown loaches the better. (In their natural environment they'll shoal with hundreds and even thousands of clowns.) Only having 2 is obviosly causing problems. They need plenty of hiding places where they won't be bothered at all from other fish because they need their 8 hours of sleep per day. They prefer a low light environment and the water temp to be around 80F. They love to eat more than anything else, but they need a variety of foods.

Perhaps you should sell the clowns back to the LFS, they'll easily outgrow your tank in a few years if you can keep them that long.

Clown loaches can adapt to almost any tank condition, but it doesn't mean they'll be happy. To me, clown loaches arn't fish, they're family. I have 2 tanks that are dedicated to them.
Click to expand...

clown loaches wolnt outgrow a 55 gallon.

I have 2 that are 6" and 7" and they have been living there for atl east 10 years, and noe we just got 3 more at about 1.5"

But hopefully we can transfer them to a new 60 gallon im gonna get.
 
Originally posted by victimizati0n


clown loaches wolnt outgrow a 55 gallon.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but Clown Loaches will even outgrow a 180 g tank if given the chance. They'll get well over 14". There are several internet sources that will confirm this. Such as Capitol Aquarium Pic's , they keep their clown loaches in a 2000 gallon tank. I've been told At another forum, that these clowns are over 40 years old and 18" to 24" long.

For my clowns, I plan on building 2- 500 gallon indoor ponds.

Here's some more big loaches-Bob's Loaches
 
Last edited:
Originally posted by chefkeith

Sorry, but Clown Loaches will even outgrow a 180 g tank if given the chance. They'll get well over 14". There are several internet sources that will confirm this. Such as Capitol Aquarium Pic's , they keep their clown loaches in a 2000 gallon tank. I've been told At another forum, that these clowns are over 40 years old and 18" to 24" long.

For my clowns, I plan on building 2- 500 gallon indoor ponds.

Here's some more big loaches-Bob's Loaches
Click to expand...

That's a 2000 gallon tank. Clown loaches wolnt get 24" in a 55 gallon.
 
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