Clown Loach with an attitude!

I bought a Clown Loach about 6 months ago. During the time I have had
him, he's been fun to watch and appears to be very healthy. I thought
he could use a buddy so I bought a second one. The first few days they
resembled two old dogs circling and sniffing each other out. It was
really a funny sight. The couldn't get enough of each other.

The first clown I purchased is about 2 inches long and the new one is
around an inch long. Something happened while my back was turned one day
because now when the little one trys to get near the larger clown, the
larger clown body slams the little one away. The larger one has snapped
(lurched) at the smaller clown to keep him away.

They both appear to be very healthy, have good appetites and get along
with the other fish, just not each other. I have them in a 20 long with
about a 70% load on the tank overall. Water parameters are just fine, I
do weekly water changes and clean the tank the same time I do a water
change. All the other fish interact just fine. This behaivor is not
typical of clown loaches that I'm aware of. Any thoughts?

Mark

Mark wrote:
change. All the other fish interact just fine. This behaivor is not
typical of clown loaches that I'm aware of. Any thoughts?

It's very typical for loaches to "fight" to determine who's boss. Also,
most loaches are social creatures and prefer to be in groups of at least
3. Five is better.

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
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"Mark" wrote in message
...
|| change. All the other fish interact just fine. This behaivor is
not
| typical of clown loaches that I'm aware of. Any thoughts?
|
| Mark

Could be due to only having two. I've always been told that you
should not keep less than three in a tank. I've always followed that
rule, so I've no info about the results of not doing so.

b

It's time for a trip to the store for about three more.

"Mark" wrote in message
...
I bought a Clown Loach about 6 months ago. During the time I have had
him, he's been fun to watch and appears to be very healthy. I thought
he could use a buddy so I bought a second one. The first few days they
resembled two old dogs circling and sniffing each other out. It was
really a funny sight. The couldn't get enough of each other.

The first clown I purchased is about 2 inches long and the new one is
around an inch long. Something happened while my back was turned one day
because now when the little one trys to get near the larger clown, the
larger clown body slams the little one away. The larger one has snapped
(lurched) at the smaller clown to keep him away.

They both appear to be very healthy, have good appetites and get along
with the other fish, just not each other. I have them in a 20 long with
about a 70% load on the tank overall. Water parameters are just fine, I
do weekly water changes and clean the tank the same time I do a water
change. All the other fish interact just fine. This behaivor is not
typical of clown loaches that I'm aware of. Any thoughts?

Mark

I recently added two smaller clown loaches to a community tank with about 60
fish, including a larger (3") clown loach. For the first couple days the
old fella varied between disinterested and aggressive. But they have
settled down now, and all are happy together, tho' the big guy likes the
other two to know who is boss. Interestingly, the large one has now started
making the clicking noises I have read about, but not previously heard. He
definately didn't do it before the new ones were added to the tank. I
suppose he is just letting the others know he is the top dog. Fish are
fascinating.

I would also like the whole world to know that for the first time I actually
kept the two little ones in a quarantine tank for the whole three weeks
which is commonly recommended. It was painful, but I did it.

On Thu, 01 Apr 2004 16:17:46 -0600, Mark wrote:
The first clown I purchased is about 2 inches long and the new one is
around an inch long. Something happened while my back was turned one day
because now when the little one trys to get near the larger clown, the
larger clown body slams the little one away. The larger one has snapped
(lurched) at the smaller clown to keep him away.

I had three, all small, one became the boss and acted like this
to the two others, particularly when food was around. Assuming
you have a long tank in order to keep clowns (which can grow to a
foot long), you can help by putting pellets at both ends so both
get some. The bossy one is now 4" and the others are around half
his size. Curiously when I was given another smaller clown as a
gift the big one accepted it, so they now go round in two pairs.

I would get at least one more clown so the bullied one has a friend.


--
Flash Wilson
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www.gorge.org/pylons has 34 countries covered - only 158 to go!

On Thu, 1 Apr 2004 17:35:30 -0800, "luminos" wrote:

It's time for a trip to the store for about three more.

"Mark" wrote in message
...
I bought a Clown Loach about 6 months ago. During the time I have had
him, he's been fun to watch and appears to be very healthy. I thought
he could use a buddy so I bought a second one. The first few days they
resembled two old dogs circling and sniffing each other out. It was
really a funny sight. The couldn't get enough of each other.

The first clown I purchased is about 2 inches long and the new one is
around an inch long. Something happened while my back was turned one day
because now when the little one trys to get near the larger clown, the
larger clown body slams the little one away. The larger one has snapped
(lurched) at the smaller clown to keep him away.

They both appear to be very healthy, have good appetites and get along
with the other fish, just not each other. I have them in a 20 long with
about a 70% load on the tank overall. Water parameters are just fine, I
do weekly water changes and clean the tank the same time I do a water
change. All the other fish interact just fine. This behaivor is not
typical of clown loaches that I'm aware of. Any thoughts?

Mark

I have clowns in 4 tanks. They really do vary in behavior. I have
one alone in my quarantine tank. He is a runt and I put him there to
try and save him as he was being bullied and not eating in another 10
gallon tank. He is happy in the Q tank along with 5 black mollies
and one large platty. I moved him back to his original tank for a
week and he actually dug a cave under a rock and stayed there. I
moved him back and he returned to his socializing with the mollies.

In a 75 gallon tank I have 7 clowns. I have seen the aggressive
action happen for a few days. Most of the time the 7 go their
separate ways, but at times most of the fish (about 60 fish total)
like to swarm. The 7 clowns are right in with the rest. Funny, when
these clowns first arrived they were really tight. One time 5 of them
formed a circle around the base of a plant and looked dead. As time
passes they spend less time together and no more buddy sleeps.

In another 10 gallon I have 2 clowns that do swim around together,
but not real tight.

My summary is clowns are not all the same. Their behaviors is not
always the same. They are a healthy and amusing fish to have around
and they do control the snails. I can believe any story about their
social behavior, but rarely see mine acting in real continuing
closeness. I keep one in one tank, two in another, 3 in a third and
the 7 in the 75 gallon.

One thing I do worry about is what will their final size be? My
largest is only 3 inches now. They are all about the same age, say
one year. I picture the day when they will all have to be in the 75
or in the 29 gallon tank. That will be crowded. In adding more
consider the future possibilities as well as the immediate.

"Mark" wrote in message
...
I bought a Clown Loach about 6 months ago. During the time I have had
him, he's been fun to watch and appears to be very healthy. I thought
he could use a buddy so I bought a second one. The first few days they
resembled two old dogs circling and sniffing each other out. It was
really a funny sight. The couldn't get enough of each other.

The first clown I purchased is about 2 inches long and the new one is
around an inch long. Something happened while my back was turned one day
because now when the little one trys to get near the larger clown, the
larger clown body slams the little one away. The larger one has snapped
(lurched) at the smaller clown to keep him away.

Clown loaches are very social fish, but they do form 'gangs'.

Two clowns will argue endlessly, 3 clowns will leave an odd man out. Best
bet is a minimum of 5 clown loaches who will either get together or form two
groups.

The 5 Clowns in my 55 gal are around 5 inch each and swim together.


G.

Graham Broadbridge wrote:
Two clowns will argue endlessly, 3 clowns will leave an odd man out. Best
bet is a minimum of 5 clown loaches who will either get together or form two
groups.

I agree. I have 7 clowns and they all used to squeeze into one slate
cave to sleep together. Now they don't all fit and they've divided in
two groups for sleeping. The largest clown is about 4", the smallest one
is 2".

--
Victor Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
Send your spam he
Email me he

The first clown I purchased is about 2 inches long and the new one is
around an inch long. Something happened while my back was turned one

Not sure if anyone would believe, but I'd say it's a size difference... We
see it in cichlids, the same breed but in two different sizes will result in
a dominance war or sorts....the larger will beat up on the smaller ones to
bully and establish their dominance, leaving the rest to either follow or
get beat up more...

My advice would be to get more of similar size, closer to the first
purchased clown.... and be careful about getting such dramatically
differering sized clown loaches.

--
RedForeman ©® future fabricator and creator of a ratbike
streetfighter!!!

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