clown loaches with malawi cichlids
- Thread starter dax29
- Start date
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Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
I was under the impression that the cichlids would attack the loaches?
I'm not too sure. Loaches can be tough customers and generally can fend for themselves fairly well. Most of the time my cichlids that I currently own ignore loaches in general. Someone from the loach forum (loaches online) indicated that they kept clown loaches with malawi cichlids with no problems. Having enough hiding structure is probably important. I'm more worried about the hard water parameters needed for the malawi cichlids. Clown loaches are reported to tolerate a hardness range of 8 - 12 dH. Many malawi tanks are above that.
Zagz
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'd love to put my loaches in my 125 gal with my cichlids but have not received any good reports of success. If you have any, hear of any good successes, let me know. My tank is still cycling so I can't even entertain the prospect right now.
mattrox
Aquarium Advice Addict
I have seen CLown loaches in African tanks before. I have specifically seen 2 X 12"+ clowns in a huge African tank. They seemed to be doing well.
Most people at loaches online seem to be open to the idea. I will acclimatize them 1st in a quarantine that begins with tap water and gradually increase the hardness to that of the main tank. It will probably be a 3 wk process. During that time they will be heat and salt treated for ick. Or, I could put them in the tank as soon as it is cycled and let them be the first inhabitants. Then I could treat them in there and gradually bring the hardness up.
I just given this link by one of the moderators on the cichlid forum.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/clown_loach.php
So Zagz, fear not about putting clown loaches in malawi tanks.
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/clown_loach.php
So Zagz, fear not about putting clown loaches in malawi tanks.
MaryPa
Aquarium Advice Regular
Loaches love soft slightly acid water. Just remember they`re not aggressive at all so i`d worry about them being bullies. Under stress Clown Loaches can get ick very easily :? I vote NO.
loaches and malami cichlids
I've got a couple small (about 3 inche) clowns in my 125 with assorted peacocks and mbunas and have no trouble at all.
Only the males showing off for breeding ready females cause any problems, but they chase every fish till they "get the girl", then all is fine again.
HTH
I've got a couple small (about 3 inche) clowns in my 125 with assorted peacocks and mbunas and have no trouble at all.
Only the males showing off for breeding ready females cause any problems, but they chase every fish till they "get the girl", then all is fine again.
HTH
loaches and malami cichlids
I've got a couple small (about 3 inche) clowns in my 125 with assorted peacocks and mbunas and have no trouble at all.
Only the males showing off for breeding ready females cause any problems, but they chase every fish till they "get the girl", then all is fine again.
HTH
I've got a couple small (about 3 inche) clowns in my 125 with assorted peacocks and mbunas and have no trouble at all.
Only the males showing off for breeding ready females cause any problems, but they chase every fish till they "get the girl", then all is fine again.
HTH
tetrin
Aquarium Advice FINatic
no problems there dax. just make sure the loaches are around 2" when you add them. and i'd add them first to the tank (use some media from a cycled tank). the reason being - they easily get ich in a new environment. i've never had a clown who hasn't suffered from it. but once they get settled, they are tough little buggers.
ph of the water is not an issue. i have mine in ph 7.6+ (don't know exactly
). besides remember about the spines under the eyes 
.
ph of the water is not an issue. i have mine in ph 7.6+ (don't know exactly
). besides remember about the spines under the eyes .Good point. I had thought of getting good-sized clown loaches and putting them in first and treating them for ich (heat and salt) before I added any more fish. I have fought ich successfully with clown loaches before too. I'm planning a short cycle with sand and gravel from the 29 gallon tank that I'm planning on turning into either a sump for a wet/dry or a QT. I'm gonna use both filters from that tank to kinda jump start things with this new 180 gallon that I'm planning. So with the substrate and the filters from an old tank, cycling this new one will be a snap. Especially if I take some old floss from some other filters and put them in the wet/dry. Generally when I do this I'll add straight ammonia for a few days and watch the levels until they go down daily after adding some ammonia the previous day.
