Clown Loaches for my cats...OK?

[[email protected]]

Hi Fish Group,

Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
they get stressed out from cats toying with them?

Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with him
soon, I got a 35 gal used set up (tank, filter, florescent hood/lamp,
gravel, stand, live plants, and fish that I don't want) for $50 (is
that good deal? Seems pretty good), I want to put at least 6 small
Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats have gotten used to
chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and above) so I want them
to have fun while I'm at work. No, the cats can not get into the tank.
Will the school of Clown Loaches hold up well under this type of
stress? I don't want the fish to suffer and perish either so are these
fish, in a group as they like to be, Ok to handle this?

The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
at walmart, is it junk? I may be getting a nice one later.

I usually hang out in the pinball group so thanks for allowing me to
"visit".

Happy New Year! Karl.
honda ruehs at cox dot net (aol email is off for spam magnet)

[Steve]

wrote:
> Hi Fish Group,
>
> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?
>
> Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with him
> soon, I got a 35 gal used set up (tank, filter, florescent hood/lamp,
> gravel, stand, live plants, and fish that I don't want) for $50 (is
> that good deal? Seems pretty good), I want to put at least 6 small
> Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats have gotten used to
> chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and above) so I want them
> to have fun while I'm at work. No, the cats can not get into the tank.
> Will the school of Clown Loaches hold up well under this type of
> stress? I don't want the fish to suffer and perish either so are these
> fish, in a group as they like to be, Ok to handle this?
>
> The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
> at walmart, is it junk? I may be getting a nice one later.
>
> I usually hang out in the pinball group so thanks for allowing me to
> "visit".
>
> Happy New Year! Karl.
> honda ruehs at cox dot net (aol email is off for spam magnet)
>
My cats like to lie on top of the warm aquarium light canopies. They
also watch the fish a lot but chase them only slightly maybe they're too
old :) ?

6 clown loaches in 35 gallons should be ok, but you need to "cycle" the
aquarium throughly first. Can you get the media from your roomie's
existing aquarium filter to seed yours with necessary helpful bacteria?
Plants would also be good- for the water quality and for fish to hide in.

Put a bunch of sawed-of lengths of abs sewer pipe in the aquarium for
the clowns to hide in when they want to get away. Thay like to hide
anyway, in my experience.
Steve

[Daniel Morrow]

Mid posted.
wrote:
> Hi Fish Group,
>
> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?
>
> Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with
> him soon, I got a 35 gal used set up (tank, filter, florescent
> hood/lamp, gravel, stand, live plants, and fish that I don't want)
> for $50 (is that good deal? Seems pretty good), I want to put at
> least 6 small Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats
> have gotten used to chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and
> above) so I want them to have fun while I'm at work. No, the cats
> can not get into the tank. Will the school of Clown Loaches hold up
> well under this type of stress? I don't want the fish to suffer and
> perish either so are these fish, in a group as they like to be, Ok to
> handle this?
>
> The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
> at walmart, is it junk?

It is a good filter, just make sure it moves a lot of water and use a good
sponge as part of its filtration media so that it biologically filters your
water properly. Everyone here says aquaclears are one of the best filters
you can get, they are good workhorses (the filters). They (the filters,
aquaclear) are inexpensive but have higher flow rates relatively speaking
compared to it's competitors. Good luck and later!

I may be getting a nice one later.
>
> I usually hang out in the pinball group so thanks for allowing me to
> "visit".
>
> Happy New Year! Karl.
> honda ruehs at cox dot net (aol email is off for spam magnet)

[Steve]

wrote:

> Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with him
> soon, I got a 35 gal used set up ...
>
> The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
> at walmart, is it junk? I may be getting a nice one later.
>
>

The AquaClear is a very good filter, and it has re-useable sponge media
(also good). "50" probably stands for 50 gallons so the filter should be
big enough. It's also relatively new - my older ones are called "200"
and "350" for their optimistic gallons pumped per hour rating.
Steve

[Steve]

Steve wrote:
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Fish Group,
>>
>> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
>> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?
>>
>> Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with him
>> soon, I got a 35 gal used set up (tank, filter, florescent hood/lamp,
>> gravel, stand, live plants, and fish that I don't want) for $50 (is
>> that good deal? Seems pretty good), I want to put at least 6 small
>> Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats have gotten used to
>> chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and above) so I want them
>> to have fun while I'm at work. No, the cats can not get into the tank.
>> Will the school of Clown Loaches hold up well under this type of
>> stress? I don't want the fish to suffer and perish either so are these
>> fish, in a group as they like to be, Ok to handle this?
>>
>> The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
>> at walmart, is it junk? I may be getting a nice one later.
>>
>> I usually hang out in the pinball group so thanks for allowing me to
>> "visit".
>>
>> Happy New Year! Karl.
>> honda ruehs at cox dot net (aol email is off for spam magnet)
>>
> My cats like to lie on top of the warm aquarium light canopies. They
> also watch the fish a lot but chase them only slightly maybe they're too
> old :) ?
>
> 6 clown loaches in 35 gallons should be ok, but you need to "cycle" the
> aquarium throughly first. Can you get the media from your roomie's
> existing aquarium filter to seed yours with necessary helpful bacteria?
> Plants would also be good- for the water quality and for fish to hide in.
>
> Put a bunch of sawed-of lengths of abs sewer pipe in the aquarium for
> the clowns to hide in when they want to get away. Thay like to hide
> anyway, in my experience.
> Steve
Whoops - sounds like your tank is already cycled. Good luck.
Steve

[[email protected]]

Steve wrote:
> 6 clown loaches in 35 gallons should be ok,

Cool! I'll still add them only two at a time a few weeks appart just to
be safe.

but you need to "cycle" the
> aquarium throughly first.

Actually the tank still has all the old fish and I used the same filter
media as was there before, so other than an 80% water change (to move
the tank) every thing is established same as previous owner had it. I
had fish before so know not to chage every thing at once or the system
will "collapse".

> Plants would also be good- for the water quality and for fish to hide in.

Cool, got several live plants.

> Put a bunch of sawed-of lengths of abs sewer pipe in the aquarium for
> the clowns to hide in when they want to get away.

I hope I can find something a bit more "ornamental"! :)

Thay like to hide
> anyway, in my experience.

Yes, what if they hide TOO much?

> Steve

Thanks group for the very fast help!
Karl.

Question: here in Phoenix AZ, the water tastes like cement and nobody
drinks it, lots of minerals... If I use "Water store" (RO and filtered)
water how much should I mix with tap water for needed minerals? Do I
need all that water testing jazz?

[Victor Martinez]

wrote:
> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?

My loaches (some clowns, but specially one angelicus) *love* to tease my
cats. I'm guessing they're not stressed... :)

> that good deal? Seems pretty good), I want to put at least 6 small
> Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats have gotten used to
> chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and above) so I want them

For such a small tank, I would not recommend clown loaches.


--
Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam here:
Email me here:

[Koi-lo]

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi Fish Group,
>
> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?

They may. You can paint 3 sides of the tank to give them some feeling of
security and plenty of hiding places. The cats will probably grow bored
with them soon anyway. At least my cats did. They realized they couldn't
get them so lost interest.

> Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with him
> soon, I got a 35 gal used set up (tank, filter, florescent hood/lamp,
> gravel, stand, live plants, and fish that I don't want) for $50 (is
> that good deal? Seems pretty good),

It's an excellent deal! :-))

I want to put at least 6 small
> Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats have gotten used to
> chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and above) so I want them
> to have fun while I'm at work.

My cats favorite pastime was watching the birds on the feeders outside -
from a large sunny window sill.

No, the cats can not get into the tank.
> Will the school of Clown Loaches hold up well under this type of
> stress? I don't want the fish to suffer and perish either so are these
> fish, in a group as they like to be, Ok to handle this?

I would paint or cover 3 sides of the tank.

> The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
> at walmart, is it junk? I may be getting a nice one later.

These are very good quality filters!!! I have some for over 15 years and
they're still running. I replace the sponges as needed - about once a year
or so. I also use the "seeded" sponge from one to seed another when setting
up a new or another tank.

> I usually hang out in the pinball group so thanks for allowing me to
> "visit".

Do come back often. :-)
--

Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy/Aquarium-Page4.html
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastadaisy
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Elaine T]

wrote:
> Hi Fish Group,
>
> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?
>
> Details: My roomie has moved out and is taking his 10 gal tank with him
> soon, I got a 35 gal used set up (tank, filter, florescent hood/lamp,
> gravel, stand, live plants, and fish that I don't want) for $50 (is
> that good deal? Seems pretty good), I want to put at least 6 small
> Clown Loaches in there a couple at a time. The cats have gotten used to
> chasing the fish around (from under, sides, and above) so I want them
> to have fun while I'm at work. No, the cats can not get into the tank.
> Will the school of Clown Loaches hold up well under this type of
> stress? I don't want the fish to suffer and perish either so are these
> fish, in a group as they like to be, Ok to handle this?
>
> The tank has a "Aqua Clear 50" filter, it looks like one you would get
> at walmart, is it junk? I may be getting a nice one later.
>
> I usually hang out in the pinball group so thanks for allowing me to
> "visit".
>
> Happy New Year! Karl.
> honda ruehs at cox dot net (aol email is off for spam magnet)

Sounds like a good deal to me. As for the filter, I use Aqua Clears on
all of my smaller tanks, and I think they're very good filters. They
have lots of media volume, are very flexible, and are reasonably slow to
clog. An Aqua Clear 50 is the right size for your tank. You'll need to
buy fresh carbon for it at a fish store.

I've watched cats watch fish. That sounds odd... Anyway, the loaches
tended to hide when the cats pawed the bottom of the tank. I don't
think they were actually stressed because they were healthy and hungry.

Medium sized, active fish seem to be the cats' favorite. They often
pawed at our big, male Red Irian rainbow and the gold angelfish.
Neither were afraid of the cat, and the angel tended to try to convince
the cat to feed it. Active fish like rosy barbs would probably also be
good for entertaining cats.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[David Zopf]

"Steve" > wrote in message
. ..
> wrote:
>> Hi Fish Group,
>>
>> Are Clown loaches in a "species" tank OK for cats entertainment? Will
>> they get stressed out from cats toying with them?
snip
> My cats like to lie on top of the warm aquarium light canopies.

Ahh, the "cat as heat sink" canopy upgrade. :-) I have that "feature",
myself... An excellent use for a cat, IMO

DaveZ
Atom Weaver

[Steve]

wrote:
> Steve wrote:
>
>>6 clown loaches in 35 gallons should be ok,
>
> Question: here in Phoenix AZ, the water tastes like cement and nobody
> drinks it, lots of minerals... If I use "Water store" (RO and filtered)
> water how much should I mix with tap water for needed minerals? Do I
> need all that water testing jazz?
>
If you're successfully keeping fish now in your town water, then the
clown loaches may be ok too. My clown loaches arrived when I had very
hard (CaCo3-rich) well water, and they did ok. Now I've moved to a town
with soft water and the same loaches are still ok. In both places the
water tasted ok, though.

You could ask your town's water supply utility for a typical chemical
analysis report - perhaps it's on the city website somewhere. If the
water's considered ok for humans to drink, then it'll likely not be
toxic to fish (?)
Steve