On Tue, 11 May 2004 14:23:12 +0200, "Ali Day"
wrote:


"Glenn Woodell" wrote in message
news:283oc.2$65.0@lakeread06...
I introduced a clown loach to my tank a few weeks ago and my lone serpae
tetra
immediately started to pester him. It would follow him all over the tank
and
nudge him although the loach never seemed to even notice. There was never
any
fin nipping but just annoying nudging and it's still going on.

Now I've figured out what is happening. The loach actually follows the
tetra
all around the tank while the tetra nudges the loach occasionally,
especially
while the loach is trying to search for food. It's as if they've become
best
buddies. It's hard to find the serpae without the clown nearby unless the
latter is resting on the back of the tank.

Not really surprising, if your clown is on its own. I had a mass death a
couple of years back due to hot weather, and lost all but one loach, and the
difference when he was on his own was incredible.

I would suggest at least four more clown loaches for him to hang round with.

Cheers

A

I have one runt Clown Loach. I pulled him out of my 75 gallon tank as
he was not doing well. I put him in a 10 gallon tank and he still
seemed to be pestered by the SAEs. So, I finally moved him to my
quaranteen tank in which I keep everything going with some Black
Mollies and one large female platty with a large growth behind her
right eye. Anyway, the Clown started eating and grew a bit and made
up with the platty. That lasted for months, but now the Clown is
staying to himself. I tried moving him back to the 10 gallon
community tank and he dug a cave under some rocks, so I moved him back
to the Q tank where he seems quite content.

One size does not fit all. I am constantly amazed how many variations
on a behavioral theme exist. I have two Clowns in another 10 gallon
tank and they are tight buds, active, healthy and ignore the rest of
the fish completely. I would never separate the pair as I would fear
I would lose both. In my 75 gallon tank I have 8 Clowns. They rarely
interact whereas in a 29 gallon tank I have 3 Clowns that stay
together much of the time.