Hello

[geekgirl101]

I've owned clown loaches for a couple of years after my husband was excited about having them. We didn't know at the time that they could grow massive and that our current tank would be far too small for them.

We originally started with 4 and they were only about an inch long at that time. but then we saw less and less of them and became convinced that there was only 1 left alive. Our suspicion was confirmed during a house move last month with just the 1 clown loach hiding inside a large house decoration.

Later we learned more about them and how big they could grow, so we decided to pick some barbs with similar markings in a hopes he'd come out and socialise with them. We introduced them just a few days ago after waiting 2 weeks for the tank to settle. They make the tank so alive chasing each other around, swimming in groups, chasing after tiny slices of cucumber. The clown loach still prefers to hide in his new home a large castle hidden behind plants, but he comes out now and then and does his little dance by the water filter and then disappears back inside his private place. He doesn't seem too interested in the other fish yet, probably been too used to being on his own and being 3x their size, but he does seem to be popping out of his castle more often and lately his new display is swimming out one hole in the castle and back in another, then popping out of another hole and weaving back round to another hole at high speed like he's on a rollercoaster ride.

Some day we'll have to move him on to a new home if and when he gets bigger to a loving family with a larger aquarium and existing clown loaches to hopefully socialise with. I don't know any people where I live who keep them so that'll be something to look out for in the near future when he's getting noticeably larger and posing a threat to the smaller fish. It'll be sad to see him go when he has to but we simply cannot afford a larger tank and the only size of clown loach you see in pet shops are around 1 inch size with no warnings about how big they can get or what size of tank is recommended for them.

 

[CoeurSauvage]

I worked in a pet shop for about a year and a half. I would tell people how big loaches get, but the owner would yell at me for telling them the truth because it cost them a sale! It's sad what people will do to make money, especially when it's the animals that suffer ! On the flip side, loaches can make very interesting additions to an aquarium the right size! I'm sorry to here what happened with your situation. I hope things improve!

 

[geekgirl101]

Yeah, I feel bad because it's a situation that could've been avoided and I don't think there's such things as fish sanctuaries. But he's doing ok for now, we'd love to see more of him but it's how he's been living the past couple of years after his friends died. We don't know why they died, water quality was fine and they were getting regular treats of blood worm every week. We didn't even know back then they could eat other things like cucumber and courgette so he's not too fond of it when we offer it to him. The barbs have no problem wolfing it all down themselves. Just speaking of which he's having a bit of a swim around now the lights are off and I can see him pecking around at some roots of the plants we only just put in a couple of weeks ago. The little sod has already torn up 2 of them. The barbs seem a bit warey of him, probably because of the size comparison. He actually looks a lot larger than he was just a few days ago, either that or the size comparison of the smaller fish makes him appear larger.

Oh.... I think he's gone to sleep! This isn't like him to be lying down in front of the front of the aquarium. The other fish are just huddling together and creeping up on him to investigate. Maybe things are beginning to look up for him.

 

[britt190]

I have two clowns which I absolutely adore. There such characters when there out. I recently bought my tank second hand and inherited them with it. I'd never even considered them before but I'm so glad I have them. There prob only about the 4inch mark and my tank is 190L. I think that's about 50 us gal. I fear someday though I'll have to re home these guys as there are lots of other fish in my tank and was unaware of the size they get until I saw one today actually that was at least 8inch! The first few days after I got them they would dance around the front of the glass but they don't do it so much any more but I do see both of them at least once a day. One is slightly smaller than the other and more sociable than the larger one but they both eat well so I just let them do there thing. Although they tend to let all the other fish go for the bloodworm when I put it in. I do see them digging through the gravel though. I guess that's just how these guys roll. I adore the clicking noise one does when he eats algae wafers. I'm considering getting some moon light effect LEDs to encourage them to come out more as I read they prefer dusk and evening.

 

[geekgirl101]

Oh that's cool, I didn't know those things existed. I could probably create a similar effect from this air bubble device I bought a few years ago. Blasted noisy thing but when removing the motor it just gives off a deep blue light. Might sound less noisy now I got a tonne of sand in there, I'd have to see if I still have it and if it still works.

 

[britt190]

Yea give it a go. It may work. And if nothing else, you will be able to see him sneaking around in the dark clearly