mediterranean clown loaches- normal clown loaches HELP PLZ

[qwertie]

I have just bought my first fish tetras and clown loaches.
LMW80 and servum momma sp?? have told me that they grow up to a foot long. this information is not the same as what the lfs worker told me they said it would only grow a bit bigger, they are now 5cm (approx 2 inch) he said they would only grow *that much bigger* about 2.5 centre meters (another inch) so apparently they would only grow up to 7.5 cm max (3 inches)
However- the tank label said mediterranean clown loach not just clown loach, this name might make them different.
I have tried google and LMW80 has tried to find something about them but we couldnt find anything.
any help would be apprieciated as I really like my loaches just after a day.
thanks.
I have also noticed a difference in the apperance of my loaches an when I type clown loach in on google images I will post two pictures- the first of google's clown loach the seccond of my clown loach

 

[severum mama]

I have never heard of Mediterranean clown loaches. Yours look to me like the ones in the Google pic. The max size of clown loaches has been the only thing that's kept me from getting some, I really don't have the tank space for them. If they outgrow your tank you could always just trade them in at your LFS.

Forgot to add: If you really want to keep loaches, I believe that kuhli loaches and yo yo loaches stay small enough for your tank and will eat snails.

 

[qwertie]

but i like the clowns well .... Ive just had an Idea that they might be a hybrid between a clown loach and a smaller loach (maybe from the mediterranean countries)

 

[Felf]

but i like the clowns well .... Ive just had an Idea that they might be a hybrid between a clown loach and a smaller loach (maybe from the mediterranean countries)

i know how you feel. my clowns are one of the reasons i started getting into this hobby but if i dont get a bigger tank soon i'll have to trade/give them away btw yours dont look different from the one in the google pic

 

[Guest]

I think yours look different because of the lighting in the picture, other than that, they look like normal clown loaches, but they take a LONG time to get big, so you will enjoy them for a while, and also.... if you want to keep them... save up for a bigger tank in the meantime

 

[mattrox]

I believe that loaches are of asian origin and none are found in the mediterrainean.

 

[qwertie]

even when you turn the lights off in the tank they are yellow, ill post another picture later

 

[qwertie]

I still think they are hybrids- but ill have to see

 

[Blazeherd2306]

I agree with everyone else, they are normal clown loaches. They look exactly like mine and mine are 6 inches long.

 

[qwertie]

well next time I go ill tell all of you what the workers say. not that I believe the workers more, but I will ask them what the breeders say etc.... ect.... etc... lol

 

[Fruitbat]

A couple of comments here:

1) The clown loach, Chromobotia macracantha, is strictly an Asian fish. There are no similar loaches in the Mediterranean region.
2) There are loaches found throughout Europe and Asia (and even in the Middle East) but none of the European types (Noemacheilus, Cobitis, etc.) would hybridize with the Clown Loach.
3) The fish illustrated in qwertie's post looks to me (as others have already observed) to be a standard Chromobotia macracantha.

-Joe

 

[qwertie]

well ill ask the fish store and if it is a normal clown loachthen ill ask for more than a refund, ill want a tripple refund, lying staff should not be tolerated. It made my day that 'meditarranean clown loach' obnly grew to 3 inches approx but now it is becomming more and more obvious that they do not exist. the question that im asking is why would they want to label them 'meditarranean clown loaches'?