Clown Loaches are no longer scavengers

[Gog77]

I'm not all that concerned about this but my Loaches never stay at the bottom of the tank. Feeding time they are the first to the surface to get food. Enough food should be hitting the bottom of the tank so they are not starving. I've recently bought floating pellets for my Bala, now the loaches have discovered them so I've had to put quite a few more pellets in each feed so they all get some. Feeding time is always fun to watch! It's funny to see the loaches get their pellets and rush to the bottom to eat them.

My main concern is should I not be encouraging them to come to the surface with the pellets and instead buy sinking ones for them? Or just let it go and enjoy their behavior.

 

[imrandome1]

I would of thought its okay, but i don't really now much about loaches, better wait for someone who has a better knowledge about them, must be fun to look at lol

 

[HannahJ]

I always gave my clown loaches sinking pellets, but then, they were the only ones in their tank so they had no one to scavenge from. Really, I would not treat them as scavengers at all, but rather sinking pellet and worm eaters that sometimes do a little cleaning up. If you do use a sinking food, try either shrimp pellets, or sinking bottom feeder (but not algae) wafers. Mine preferred the latter, and it was probably a more balanced, meal, too. Good luck with your loaches! They are some fun fish to watch.

 

[Shelby_Tempo_GT]

How old are they? How long have you had them?

 

[lovemybarbs]

Mine also come up to the top. I think they just follow the crowd.

Believe me it shows, they are getting quite plump.

 

[SeymourFRESH]

mine always eat flake food off the top LOL

they're just an odd fish. gotta love em

 

[lovemybarbs]

Click, click, click. I just gave mine some yellow squash, but watch the frog in the background. Now we know frogs don't eat squash, but he's a curious little guy.

 

[Zagz]

IMO as long as they are eating it doesn't matter if it is at the top or bottom. They do what they feel is best.

 

[Gog77]

How old are they? How long have you had them?

The biggest one I've had for around 4 -5 years. The smaller one probably 3.

 

[Zagz]

Let me clarify a bit. If your loaches eat at the top then stay at the top looking like they need air, that would be a problem. But if they come up to eat and then go on with their normal business, that is fine.

How big are they out of curiousity? I'd love to see a pic.

 

[Gog77]

Let me clarify a bit. If your loaches eat at the top then stay at the top looking like they need air, that would be a problem. But if they come up to eat and then go on with their normal business, that is fine.

How big are they out of curiousity? I'd love to see a pic.

Nah, they pretty much stay in a hollow "rock" formation. Soon as I go to feed them they rush out and hover around the middle and rush to the top when the food hits.

The older one is about 12 - 13 cm long while the younger one is about 7 - 8 cm long. I'll try and lure them out and get a pic of them both.

 

[Zagz]

I hope you can get a pic, I'd love to see them. Clowns are such hams.

 

[tropicfishman]

mine do that sometimes, I only have one right now nad I think he's pretty much dumb as a rock lol, when he comes to eat he stays under the lip of the plastic trim on the top with his head pointing up waiting on food, maybe the light is bright in his eyes???

 

[Gog77]

I hope you can get a pic, I'd love to see them. Clowns are such hams.

Very difficult task because they shoot off pretty quickly. I have managed to get a lot of tail fin shots. I'll plant a large piece of food at the bottom like the photos above and get a decent picture.

 

[Zagz]

LOL I know what you mean, fish can be rather stubborn about pics.

 

[RoK]

Most of my loaches have learned to eat from the top as well. My yoyo's are sometimes first to notice food at the top.