Phantomwicca - 2012-05-16 We bought 2 of these little clown loaches. They are Very colorful and we just fell in love with them. One though had a lighter black pattern then the other. They hide a lot. Unfortunately the lighter one was found dead under the ship, and we know it didn't fall on him or anything. Poor little guys tail fin was sticking out. My grandson said it fell on him like the house on the wicked witch. lol Any way, we looked him over for ich but didnt find any. My question is the mate is missing. Could he have burrowed to far into the sand and we will see him again? We have searched the entire tank. We also have 2 irredescent sharks, but they are babies, and one little tiny eel like fish that spends most fo its time wrapped around a rock in the sand, too. Just curious, we just set up a 90 gallon aquarium for the first time. Anything will be helpful.
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Jeremy Roche - 2012-05-17 Loaches need a very well established tank. Not a good fish for a newly established tank. It could have burrowed. Sometimes the filters can suck these guys in too.
Calvin - 2011-05-20 I have had my little clown loach for almost four months now and I will never forget his story. He was in a school of five when I saw him(or her) in the store and I immediately kept my eye on it. I've planned to buy all five in a week when I get home, but sadly, after the week has passed, he(or she) was the only one left. I still bought him, but I felt sad for him that he's alone and might not make it, so in a gambling effort, I bought with him 6 sumatra barbs, which endured with it the 3-hour trip home. At home in a matter of hours, they were really "at home" in my tank, with Loachie, schooling with the barbs. I also asked my brother to keep his eye on Loachie during the first week I'm not home for any signs of Ich. It was a miracle, all alone, yet Ich-free. He hasn't really grown today, but I heard they are slow-growing, so it's ok. But the end of my story, the best thing I ever did was buy those sumatra barbs, they are undoubtedly "the BEST" tankmates for clown loaches.
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Charlie Roche - 2011-05-20 Thank you for the information. I posted it as a great comment. I love the story and background. I am glad you are happy with them.
Ryan - 2012-04-07 The clown loach I had was by far my favorite fish ever.Try introducing some grey cory catfish as I noticed my clown loach enjoyed playing with the 2 I had. BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF ICK, my poor loach died from it.
Henry - 2011-05-27 By any chance is it true that a clown loach will directly get stunted if he's the only one of his kind in the aquarium? I have 1 in a 55 gallon tank, and like Calvin, he is with 6 tiger barbs. With that space, I assumed I can't house any more of his kind, and I'm just a kid so I can't afford a bigger tank. He's out all the time and hides only to sleep at night (quite frankly, he doesn't even hide when I make water changes). He is also a pig when it comes to eating, LOL. Under those conditions I immediately concluded that I really didn't need to buy any more of them. Right now he's only 1.75 inches, and has stayed with me for 3 months. I thought I was taking really good care of him until I read on some sites that keeping a clown loach alone will stunt it, which really alarmed me.
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Charlie Roche - 2011-05-27 You can have just one clown loach and they won't get stunted or die. It is OK. When you have more than one clown loach they are more active just because there are other loaches to play with. Sounds like yours is doing fine. There is no reason it should be stunted. That is dependent on food and size of tank.
Henry - 2011-05-28 Thank you so much! That's what I thought, too. I just really needed to confirm it from experienced individuals such as those from this site. I hope the other sites will be more careful with information. They may have right intentions, but everyone deserves to know the truth. I'm really happy and relieved. Thanks!!!
Makaila - 2011-08-18 A few years ago I'd have to pay soemnoe for this information.
ug - 2012-01-15 i really think it has something to do with its size. if the clown loach is bigger than the tiger barb it will still get provoked, but if the clown loach retaliates it will no longer attack. However, it is out numbered by other spieces so more than likely it will not come out of its hole, only if it is hungry. u will need to buy more loaches by the warmer season...
Ryan - 2012-04-07 I don't know, but i had a clown loach in a 10 gallon with cory cats and some others. He was only a couple inches long and then I moved him to my dads 75 gallon tank that had a wide vareity of fish some being agressive but he held his own. I don't know if he was stunted cause he was the only one or if there wasnt enough space or if it was just his max size but after about 4 years he died at about 4-5 inches from ick.
fish_are_awesome - 2011-10-05 Can I keep 4 clown loaches with 2 firemouth cichlids in a 55 gallon tank? Thanks for your responses!
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Charlie Roche - 2011-10-05 Rule of thumb is one usable gallon for every inch your adult fish is going to be. You have to subtract gallons for plants, gravel, filter, decorations etc. The clown loache is going to go about 12 inches. You would need about a 60 gallon tank for the 4 loaches. The loaches when they get a little bigger will also probably kill/attack the cichlids.
fish_are_awesome - 2011-10-06 Thanks, aren't the cichlids more aggresive than the loaches?
Ryan - 2012-04-07 Fish will generally grow to their environment, meaning that if you put a clown loach in a 10 gallon tank then it's not gonna get to 12 inches. I'm not saying cram your tank full of fish. The one gallon per inch is a great rule of thumb. But the clown loaches attacking other fish is exetremely unlikely because I have had them before and they are really freindly active fish.
Michael Mclure - 2007-01-01 i just bought 4 clown loaches. they all ae great but they keep hiding in the treasure chest, only coming out for food when it comes down.
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E T G - 2012-03-08 I also bought the same fish two they went in too hiding it's been over a week or two. When do they come out and stay out it would be nice to see them more
Elaine Taylor Gray - 2012-03-08 I also bought the same fish to. They went into hiding. It's been over a week or two when do they come out and stay out? It would be nice to see them more what make them hide out
fishy - 2010-04-14 i bought 2 clown loaches yesterday 1 of them is active n keeps swimming but the other one just stays at 1 place it only moves when I bang my palm on the glass of my aquarium plz tell me is he fine or is he sick?
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spencer - 2010-11-16 Fishy. If your clown loach is like that, you check if it has white spots all over its body. If it has, your loach has ich which is a disease common among tropical fishes, especially clown loach. If not treated, it could kill your fish. I would recommend adding in medicine that is used to treat white spots/ich and get a heater to heat the water temperature to 30 degrees-spencer.
HANDSOME - 2012-01-25 I think it is sick.Is there any white spots?They are prone to ich.
Alex Burleson - 2012-02-02 You should never tap the glass. This, stresses the fish out. He could be adjusting to the aquarium, give him a few days.
spencer - 2010-11-21 Hiho. When I kept clown loaches for the first time, I thought 2 would be enough but after reading this website and learn how to quarantine them, I now keep 6 clown loaches with 6 tiger barbs and they shoal together along with 3 bala sharks in a 12 GALLON AND 2 FEET tank although they say they must be kept in tanks around 5 feet or larger tanks. Thanks Dr Jungle for this info! Keep it up!
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Toby Jungle - 2011-09-13 Do you mean a 12 gallon or 120 gallon? If you have all those fish in a 12 gallong, they will stunt and probably die. Read the attached article on the Cloan Loach - please OK? We would want your fish to be healthy and remain healthy.
spencer - 2010-11-20 Love this website as when I learn what temperature, ph value, water hardness and amount of medicine should put in, my clown loach survived from ich during quarantine and now they are shoaling with my tiger barbs and come to think of it, tiger barbs are the best tankmates for clown loaches as you can see obvious interaction between them. Now a days, I check out this website every time I go online as this website is one of the best fishkeeping instructions websites (although it does not mention some fishes such as rainbow sharks).
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Sean - 2010-12-17 A future hint, ich parasites cannot live in temperatures over 83 degrees. Keep your tank above 84 and grab a bottle of coppersafe(r) you'll be okay on 2 weeks...guaranteed from personal experience.
david - 2011-07-14 You should never use coppersafe with any scaleless fish (loaches, knifefish, mormyrids, etc) because it contains copper, which is extremely harmful to scaleless fish.
Anonymous - 2010-02-09 I have 2 clown loaches in a 29 gal with 3 platys 2 danios 1 algae eater and 3 kulhili loaches. Is the tank too small for the clown loaches or just fine? Any suggestions would be great. They are the coolest fish to watch and stand out the most. I would reccomend them to any one wanting a pure fresh water tank.
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Katie - 2010-03-05 I would upgrade your tank to anywhere from a 32 gallon to a 240 depending on the kind of algae eater you have. But, your tank is already slightly overstocked regardless.
The Clown Loach is a very popular fish, loved for its bright colors and is one of the more outgoing loach personalities!
We bought 2 of these little clown loaches. They are Very colorful and we just fell in love with them. One though had a lighter black pattern then the other. They hide a lot. Unfortunately the lighter one was found dead under the ship, and we know it didn't fall on him or anything. Poor little guys tail fin was sticking out. My grandson said it fell on him like the house on the wicked witch. lol Any way, we looked him over for ich but didnt find any. My question is the mate is missing. Could he have burrowed to far into the sand and we will see him again? We have searched the entire tank. We also have 2 irredescent sharks, but they are babies, and one little tiny eel like fish that spends most fo its time wrapped around a rock in the sand, too. Just curious, we just set up a 90 gallon aquarium for the first time. Anything will be helpful.
Loaches need a very well established tank. Not a good fish for a newly established tank. It could have burrowed. Sometimes the filters can suck these guys in too.
I have had my little clown loach for almost four months now and I will never forget his story. He was in a school of five when I saw him(or her) in the store and I immediately kept my eye on it. I've planned to buy all five in a week when I get home, but sadly, after the week has passed, he(or she) was the only one left. I still bought him, but I felt sad for him that he's alone and might not make it, so in a gambling effort, I bought with him 6 sumatra barbs, which endured with it the 3-hour trip home. At home in a matter of hours, they were really "at home" in my tank, with Loachie, schooling with the barbs. I also asked my brother to keep his eye on Loachie during the first week I'm not home for any signs of Ich. It was a miracle, all alone, yet Ich-free. He hasn't really grown today, but I heard they are slow-growing, so it's ok. But the end of my story, the best thing I ever did was buy those sumatra barbs, they are undoubtedly "the BEST" tankmates for clown loaches.
Thank you for the information. I posted it as a great comment. I love the story and background. I am glad you are happy with them.
The clown loach I had was by far my favorite fish ever.Try introducing some grey cory catfish as I noticed my clown loach enjoyed playing with the 2 I had. BE VERY CAUTIOUS OF ICK, my poor loach died from it.
By any chance is it true that a clown loach will directly get stunted if he's the only one of his kind in the aquarium? I have 1 in a 55 gallon tank, and like Calvin, he is with 6 tiger barbs. With that space, I assumed I can't house any more of his kind, and I'm just a kid so I can't afford a bigger tank. He's out all the time and hides only to sleep at night (quite frankly, he doesn't even hide when I make water changes). He is also a pig when it comes to eating, LOL. Under those conditions I immediately concluded that I really didn't need to buy any more of them. Right now he's only 1.75 inches, and has stayed with me for 3 months. I thought I was taking really good care of him until I read on some sites that keeping a clown loach alone will stunt it, which really alarmed me.
You can have just one clown loach and they won't get stunted or die. It is OK. When you have more than one clown loach they are more active just because there are other loaches to play with. Sounds like yours is doing fine. There is no reason it should be stunted. That is dependent on food and size of tank.
Thank you so much! That's what I thought, too. I just really needed to confirm it from experienced individuals such as those from this site. I hope the other sites will be more careful with information. They may have right intentions, but everyone deserves to know the truth. I'm really happy and relieved. Thanks!!!
A few years ago I'd have to pay soemnoe for this information.
i really think it has something to do with its size. if the clown loach is bigger than the tiger barb it will still get provoked, but if the clown loach retaliates it will no longer attack. However, it is out numbered by other spieces so more than likely it will not come out of its hole, only if it is hungry. u will need to buy more loaches by the warmer season...
I don't know, but i had a clown loach in a 10 gallon with cory cats and some others. He was only a couple inches long and then I moved him to my dads 75 gallon tank that had a wide vareity of fish some being agressive but he held his own. I don't know if he was stunted cause he was the only one or if there wasnt enough space or if it was just his max size but after about 4 years he died at about 4-5 inches from ick.
Can I keep 4 clown loaches with 2 firemouth cichlids in a 55 gallon tank?
Thanks for your responses!
Rule of thumb is one usable gallon for every inch your adult fish is going to be. You have to subtract gallons for plants, gravel, filter, decorations etc. The clown loache is going to go about 12 inches. You would need about a 60 gallon tank for the 4 loaches. The loaches when they get a little bigger will also probably kill/attack the cichlids.
Thanks, aren't the cichlids more aggresive than the loaches?
Fish will generally grow to their environment, meaning that if you put a clown loach in a 10 gallon tank then it's not gonna get to 12 inches. I'm not saying cram your tank full of fish. The one gallon per inch is a great rule of thumb. But the clown loaches attacking other fish is exetremely unlikely because I have had them before and they are really freindly active fish.
i just bought 4 clown loaches. they all ae great but they keep hiding in the treasure chest, only coming out for food when it comes down.
I also bought the same fish two they went in too hiding it's been over a week or two. When do they come out and stay out it would be nice to see them more
I also bought the same fish to. They went into hiding. It's been over a week or two when do they come out and stay out? It would be nice to see them more what make them hide out
i bought 2 clown loaches yesterday 1 of them is active n keeps swimming but the other one just stays at 1 place it only moves when I bang my palm on the glass of my aquarium plz tell me is he fine or is he sick?
Fishy. If your clown loach is like that, you check if it has white spots all over its body. If it has, your loach has ich which is a disease common among tropical fishes, especially clown loach. If not treated, it could kill your fish. I would recommend adding in medicine that is used to treat white spots/ich and get a heater to heat the water temperature to 30 degrees-spencer.
I think it is sick.Is there any white spots?They are prone to ich.
You should never tap the glass. This, stresses the fish out. He could be adjusting to the aquarium, give him a few days.
I have recently bought 3 clown loaches but I don't seem to see much of them is this normal at first?
No, check your water ph high nitrates maybe.
Hiho.
When I kept clown loaches for the first time, I thought 2 would be enough but after reading this website and learn how to quarantine them, I now keep 6 clown loaches with 6 tiger barbs and they shoal together along with 3 bala sharks in a 12 GALLON AND 2 FEET tank although they say they must be kept in tanks around 5 feet or larger tanks.
Thanks Dr Jungle for this info! Keep it up!
Do you mean a 12 gallon or 120 gallon? If you have all those fish in a 12 gallong, they will stunt and probably die. Read the attached article on the Cloan Loach - please OK? We would want your fish to be healthy and remain healthy.
Love this website as when I learn what temperature, ph value, water hardness and amount of medicine should put in, my clown loach survived from ich during quarantine and now they are shoaling with my tiger barbs and come to think of it, tiger barbs are the best tankmates for clown loaches as you can see obvious interaction between them. Now a days, I check out this website every time I go online as this website is one of the best fishkeeping instructions websites (although it does not mention some fishes such as rainbow sharks).
A future hint, ich parasites cannot live in temperatures over 83 degrees. Keep your tank above 84 and grab a bottle of coppersafe(r) you'll be okay on 2 weeks...guaranteed from personal experience.
You should never use coppersafe with any scaleless fish (loaches, knifefish, mormyrids, etc) because it contains copper, which is extremely harmful to scaleless fish.
I have 2 clown loaches in a 29 gal with 3 platys 2 danios 1 algae eater and 3 kulhili loaches. Is the tank too small for the clown loaches or just fine? Any suggestions would be great. They are the coolest fish to watch and stand out the most. I would reccomend them to any one wanting a pure fresh water tank.
I would upgrade your tank to anywhere from a 32 gallon to a 240 depending on the kind of algae eater you have. But, your tank is already slightly overstocked regardless.