Sophie Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) Here are my 3 little Clown Loaches, I got them yesterday afternoon but they seem to have settled right in already! I saw them this morning, playing with the Blue Tetra. They're so cute and lively, I'd recommend them for any community tank! Edited November 25, 2010 by Sophie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 They're adorable! But I was told they're not very hardy fish and needs strong current + really really really good water quality. I've being avoiding them coz I don't know if I can provide the right conditions for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delyall Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 And they get huuuge. 30cm I think... theyre awesome though, Id love to have some one day if I have a tank big enough :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishbites Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 my 2 yo clown loach is about 5" long... to get to 12" would take a lot of feeding or a long time.... They are sociable fish and do better in groups of 5+.... they are good snail killers and even better fry hunters.... will clean up a batch of fry very quickly (lost a whole batch of bn fry once to a pair of clowns).... Have they done their 'we're pretending to be dead trick' on you yet? Scared the hell out of me when i went to get the dead loach from the tank and it took off at a great pace! They have a habit of laying on their sides looking dead just to fool you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophie Posted November 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 (edited) Joan - I Know, they're so cute! Well, I heard settling them in can take longer than some hardy species (like BN's), but to be honest mine seem to be right at home already. Apparently once they are comfortable they can cope with most water parameters, within reason. They prefer a pH of 5.5-8.5 and a temp of 24 - 30 but that suits the other fish in my tank equally, and a hardness of very soft to medium-hard. In my opinion that's pretty easy going, compared to some fish. Delyall - Yeah, supposedly they have been seen at 30cm in the wild, but the largest in aquariums is roughly 20cm according to google & a very trust worthy LFS. I can't wait to have them cruising around at that size haha, I'll never see a snail again! They're an awsome addition to my tank, and at the end of the year I'll be getting a bigger tank, and 3 more Clowns! Wayne- Yeah, i reckon they'd have to be very old to get that size. I have a couple of Cherry Shrimp left over from when i sold all mine off (i though i caught them all, sneaky buggers!) I expected to see the Clowns snap them up straight away, but so far they have only eaten one tiny one, between three of them! I suspect as they get bigger the Shrimp population will suddenly drop. Yeah i heard you shouldn't have any less than 3 at a time, but preferably more. So i decided i would get three now, to start getting rid of a ridiculous amount of snails, and then when i get a bigger tank in Dec then I'll get at least 3 more. When i read up about them people said they sleep on they're side, i thought i wouldn't see it for a while as i only got them yesterday, but sure enough - i switched on the tank light this morning and there was one, upside down between the heater and the glass haha. It was definitely a shock! Edited November 25, 2010 by Sophie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 We had one I named Nemo (after finding Nemo, then I couln't tell the difference - "no, it has strips, it must be a Nemo fish"). He lived for 12.5 years, and grew about 20cm. We only had one though. Yes, he did sleep on his side, so many times we thought he was dead. Seemed pretty hardy to me.. he survived many disease outbreaks. Yes, sure did clean up lots of fry. He loved to hide in his ship, and at dusk I would wait to see him come out, and he would swim, prance (like only a fish can) and spin in circles. I loved it. Sadly, he died sometime late last year. We had had him since a little fry, only a cm long.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophie Posted November 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Aww it sounds like he was very well loved to live so long, and grow nice and big. So sorry you lost him, He sounds like he had quite the character. I hope mine will live that long. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarah Posted November 25, 2010 Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Thanks. Yes, every fish has their own special personality. I would say he died of old age, he did live a long time. Good luck with yours, I hope they grow really big for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophie Posted November 25, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2010 Thanks very much! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGirl13 Posted November 26, 2010 Report Share Posted November 26, 2010 What beautiful little guys, hope you get years of enjoyment from them, our little gang were an absolute crack-up sometimes and are greatly missed. When I get a bigger tank again I'm gonna get me some more!! By the way mine aren't dead but the tank they were in is, they've gone to live with friends whose daughter has autism. Jesse loves my clowns and watching them calms her so we'll leave them in their new home :bighug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sophie Posted November 27, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2010 Thanks very much, I hope so to! They sound great, and it seems they're in the perfect new home then! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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