New fish, is it too big?

[imrandome1]

Hi all, i thought i would show you a pic of my new fish,a clown loach, its a very fun fish, well i got 3 because i thought 1 would get lonely,when i put him in the tank somehow it cut me, i looked at it and wonder how the heck it did it, funny though. But here is the things i got given a free angel fish from someone who was about to get ride of it because of the size, but i think he might be to big for my tank, its a 45gal but he is stressing a little, and has sadly got ich and fungus infection i think,well the clown loach has ick anyway, anyway is he ok in a 45 gal tank with clown loach and gourami? or should i try and find a bigger home for him?

 

[Jchillin]

You probably recieved the cut from it's barbels...they're pretty sharp.

You don't have a stocking problem, the angel fits in the tank. The issue may be with the gourami. He may not like having an angel with long fins "showing" him up.

 

[guppy12]

Hate to say it but those clown loaches get a foot. They grow really really slow

Here is a pic of a almost full grown one.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

As far as the ich in the tank goes... bump your temp up to about 86 degrees until you see the ich disappear then leave it up at that temp for another few days. YOu won't be able to use the salt method because the loach is scaleless and wont like you for it.

Your fish are all relatively new, which explains the loaches lack of color, and the angels behavior. Give them time they will warm up to you and each other. You might also want to try feeding the loach some color enhancing food... its amazing the color they can get when they are happy and well fed.

 

[joannde]

I think the right temp for ich treatment is 87 or 88 .... I'm pretty sure it can survive 86

 

[JustOneMore20]

The angel should be fine. It is ok for that size tank. Watcht the interactions between the angel and the gourami to make sure you don't have any problems. The clown loaches will outgrow the tank though. They grow pretty slow, so you shouldn't have to upgrade the tank or trade them in for 6 months or maybe more. If you plan on keeping them though, make plans to eventually upgrade the tank.

 

[Zagz]

I go with 87 for ich and keep the temp up for 2 weeks after you see the last spot of ich. Also add some aeration to the tank or lower the water level a bit to increase splash.

 

[imrandome1]

Hate to say it but those clown loaches get a foot. They grow really really slow

Here is a pic of a almost full grown one.

WOW i had no idea oh well hey 3 tanks is not over the top ( i think) lol

I think the right temp for ich treatment is 87 or 88 .... I'm pretty sure it can survive 86

i think il keep it at 88 may as well...

which explains the loaches lack of color

Oh thats cool, i fed them and they loved it all ate like crazy!
Thanks for all the info people

 

[Cinder]

Just thought I'd comment on why you probably got cut. Clown loaches have little knives by their eyes that they use if they feel threatened. See this link: http://aqualandpetsplus.com/Oddball, Clown Loaches.htm
It's good that you have three as they need each others company to be happy and healthy. As stated your tank is much too small for them but it sounds like you are ready to get a bigger tank. They need a 120 gln. tank so hope you can get that for them.

 

[lovemybarbs]

Yikes!! Now I'm afraid to clean the tank.

 

[jcarlilesiu]

there are some dangerous fish... i have a featherfin cat with barbels about 4 times the size of my loaches. I make sure he is away from me when doing maintance and cleaning. Im still scared of him, luckily he is still scared of me too

Your loach will color up.

Side note, how fast a fish grows is dependant on alot of factors, but I got my loach when he was about the size of yours, based on the pictures. He has grown by maybe 25% in a year. THey are very slow growers. He is also in my tank alone, and has been for a year, yet seems happy as a clam.

 

[imrandome1]

He has grown by maybe 25% in a year. THey are very slow growers.

Glad to have time to save for a big tank 200gal perhaps lol

Your loach will color up.

Yay.

Yikes!! Now I'm afraid to clean the tank.

Same they look so sweet and nice but they have a little mean side lol


Cheers Cinder for the great web site

 

[imrandome1]

Errmmmm this might be a stupid question but why do my clown's h8 each other, the just push each other around and chase each other, the fight like my dwarf gourami and its not like they a doing for fun!!!!! Btw they are all the same size? is the normal after 4 days of having them .......?

 

[Cinder]

Clown loaches do have a hierarchy and they seem to be still working out who's going to be the leader. Give them some more time as long as they are not really hurting each other. They should turn out to be best buddies pretty soon with only occasional squabbles.

 

[hsherman1986]

i agree with cinder. I have two right now, just added the second one on sunday. Once the two found each other, they have been inseperable. My original loach comes out much more now, which is really nice to see.

 

[imrandome1]

Well the clowns are happy BUT the big angel is getting soo mean to the little 1, if i got 2 or 3 would that help or make it hell?

Thanks in advance

 

[7Enigma]

I personally use 88 or 89F for treating Ich (currently treating for possible Ich). The concern I have is:

1. How accurate is the temperature guage your using (I would assume 1-2% is probably a common error rate for these cheap ones, even the digitals)

2. How far away from your light source is the temp guage, if close, you could be reading higher than the tank temp actually is!

3. How much flow is in the tank. You can wind up with hot or cold spots if the tank does not have adequate flow (ie near the heater will be hotter than near the temp guage)

If you use 88 or 89, you can be sure that the Ich will be killed, and as long as the fish are showing no signs of stress/oxygen deficiency, your doing good. But if you use 86-87, if the temp is slightly off, you might be too low to kill the Ich, and instead cause a much worse outbreak since you've sped up the life cycle of the parasite!

 

[imrandome1]

Errmm atm the tank is at 89-90 but and ihave 3 temp guage's at different places in the tank, and there is a high flow in the tank and they look happy other than the angel but errm i was not really asking that, lol, perhaps i was not clear i have one big angel fish and 1 small 1, the big 1 has got really mean like a gourami would to each other, anyway if i got perhaps 2 or 3 more angel fish would they calm down or would it make it even worse? Thanks anyway 7Enigma

 

[Cinder]

Yes adding another Angel or two will probably (notice the probably) reduce the aggression as the larger Angel will most likely divide his time between the other Angels instead of zeroing in on one.
However, having said that IMO your tank isn't large enough (or won't be in the not to distant future) to add more Angels. Having both the Clowns and Angels in there is just going to be too much as both get large. Generally you can have three or four Angels in a 55 gln. tank but that is only if you have a few smaller species with them (like a school of some tetra - not small enough to be eaten of course).
I think in your situation your best bet is to make sure there is plenty of plants, driftwood or other decorations to give the smaller Angel a place to hide. OR - get a larger tank

 

[imrandome1]

Hmmmmmm heck il just save and get a 3rd tank. Thanks for the help cinder!!