zach_fresh
Aquarium Advice Regular
i read that clowns have retractable spines on the snout that they can use to sting other fish, does anyone know if this is true??
self defense for clown loaches?
- Thread starter zach_fresh
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penpitt
Aquarium Advice Freak
Most, if not all, species of botias have the retractable spine for self-defense.
Snuffleupagus
Aquarium Advice Regular
Yep, they've got some nice little spines right under their eyes. They're not slash-happy though, if that's worrying you. In my experience they mostly just use them on each other when they fight over food or to figure out who's top dog. Though one of them MAY have sliced my finger when I stuck it into its cave one time. The cut could have come from elsewhere, though.
If you go here there's a thread showing how one lady's foot-long loach managed to raise just one spine and hold it there. It's got some good pictures. Normally the loaches raise both spines together, and I think it's generally more of a subconcious reaction.
Loaches are very cool, for this reason, for their snazzy clicking noises, and for their personalities. I think they're kind of like a puppy dog crossed with a hummingbird.
If you go here there's a thread showing how one lady's foot-long loach managed to raise just one spine and hold it there. It's got some good pictures. Normally the loaches raise both spines together, and I think it's generally more of a subconcious reaction.
Loaches are very cool, for this reason, for their snazzy clicking noises, and for their personalities. I think they're kind of like a puppy dog crossed with a hummingbird.
Snuffleupagus
Aquarium Advice Regular
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
Those are some cool pics! Thanks for the link. I didn't know what they would look like.
Lonewolfblue
Aquarium Advice Addict
I pet mine, hehe. My golden dojo loach comes right up to me. He's a character 
But I don't think they have the retracting spines like the yoyo's, clowns, etc.
But I don't think they have the retracting spines like the yoyo's, clowns, etc.
Hrafnkel
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yeah, dojos don't to my knowledge. Only botia loaches.
I like the comparison to puppies. My two clown loaches remind me of a couple of yellow lab pups! Mine are totally non-agressive (except to snails) and they're really busy scavengers. They do show up when frozen brine shrimp are offered.
Jason the Lost
Aquarium Advice Activist
I purchased my first loach Friday evening as I've developed a small snail outbreak from some plants I purchased. He as far as I can tell has not left this hollow resin driftwood piece with a cave entrance at the bottom. Do they always hide? I can't even spot him at night with the lunar led's on.
Satsumas
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Woah!! I love knowing fish can do this sort of thing.
I would love to have some clown loaches but my tank is too small for a school of them.
I was told that pleco's have a white "smoke screen" like powder that they release when they feel threatened. is this true? (Sorry for hijaking this thread, only i didnt think it was worth starting such a similair thread)
Im trying to persuade my brother to get his fairly large tank up and running but he dosent have anywhere to put it. Then he could have some clown loaches for me to watch lol
I would love to have some clown loaches but my tank is too small for a school of them.
I was told that pleco's have a white "smoke screen" like powder that they release when they feel threatened. is this true? (Sorry for hijaking this thread, only i didnt think it was worth starting such a similair thread)
Im trying to persuade my brother to get his fairly large tank up and running but he dosent have anywhere to put it. Then he could have some clown loaches for me to watch lol
Snuffleupagus
Aquarium Advice Regular
Satsumas said:
I have no idea about the plecos, but I agree with you about the coolness of things like the loaches' eye spines. Here's a picture of my finger where I think one of my larger (though still relatively small) loaches slashed me when I poked my finger into his cave in the process of rearranging things. Even though we're good buddies, I guess I surprised him into thinking I was a giant, invading worm. I understand this is a very rare occurrence.
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Snuffleupagus
Aquarium Advice Regular
Jason the Lost said:
If you search, you ought to be able to find quite a few threads and articles here and elsewhere about clown loaches' behavior, but the short answer is that they tend te be fairly shy and nocturnal by nature. No matter what, they will pretty much be incredibly shy at first. With time, they often become more bold, but that depends on a lot -- some of the main things that will bring the clowns out more during the day and in general are:
1) Friends -- they're social fish, and one loach will usually be sad and hide all the time.
2) Enough hiding places so they feel secure venturing out, knowing they'll have somewhere to duck into should the need arise, even if they're on the other side of the tank.
3) Reasonably low light levels -- even though they're fairly active during the day compared to many loaches, they still aren't fond of bright lights glaring into their sensitive eyes.
4) Dither fish -- other active critters zipping about casually, to convince them there are no predators in the area.
Certainly there are other factors and enticements, but if you can manage those, you'll be much more likely to see them snuffling about and messing around.
Jason the Lost
Aquarium Advice Activist
Snuffleupagus said:
1) Friends -- they're social fish, and one loach will usually be sad and hide all the time.
This is a problem, he IS alone, but my tank is pretty maxed out bioload wise.
2) Enough hiding places so they feel secure venturing out, knowing they'll have somewhere to duck into should the need arise, even if they're on the other side of the tank.
Its a pretty heavily planted low light tank, tons of leafy stuff to hide around.
3) Reasonably low light levels -- even though they're fairly active during the day compared to many loaches, they still aren't fond of bright lights glaring into their sensitive eyes.
Not sure if its too bright or not, but a 55 gal 80w tank with some surface vegetation and pneltny of undergrowth seems pretty non glaring to me
4) Dither fish -- other active critters zipping about casually, to convince them there are no predators in the area.
the tank is stocked with a dozen zebra danios, 6 red eye, 6 ornate cory, an angel, 2 gourami and a couple swords so its a pretty busy tank without anyone zipping back and forth...theyre all pretty mellow.
I don't mind the guy being shy and taking his time....my main concern is that hes dead inside the driftwood piece....its one of those resin ones with the little cave entrance at the bottom. Taking that thing out of the tank would be a massive undertaking.
Big C
Aquarium Advice Freak
I got three Clowns a week ago. They were in hidding most of the week. One came out a couple of days ago, one died yesterday , and the other one came out today. Always before the lights go on. Once the tank is lit, they hide again.
A good example of Snuffle's comment that they're always shy at the beginnig.
, and the other one came out today. Always before the lights go on. Once the tank is lit, they hide again.A good example of Snuffle's comment that they're always shy at the beginnig.
zach_fresh
Aquarium Advice Regular
ive got one clown loach with my 5 cory cats. he schools with them, hides alot wit the corys under a piece of driftwood. but he does venture out into the tank often.
