Clown Loaches (Not acting normally?)

Sarah Navarro wrote:

Dick, I also am curiuos about this. I have three clown loaches in a 100
gallon tank, along with a few miscellanous other fish. They are only about
4 or 5 inches long also. I have had them about a year and a half and they
just don't seem to grow any larger. I was told when I got them that they
needed to be in a very large tank because they would get very big, but it's
just not happening yet.

Patience. A clown has a life expectancy of about 30 years, and they grow
all the time, although growth slows down as they become older. What you
buy in a LFS is a toddler.

To OP: clowns tend to be quite shy and nocturnal at first, once they
have adapted to their new home they become bolder, especially if kept in
groups (5 to 6 is the minimum recommended). Clowns should always be
supplied with hide-outs like PVC pipes, coconut shells, peat wood and
the like. Note that clowns can recognise their keeper, when I had some
they would not mind my presence but vanish if a stranger entered the
room.

"Dr Engelbert Buxbaum" wrote in message
...
Note that clowns can recognise their keeper, when I had some
they would not mind my presence but vanish if a stranger entered the
room.
============================
My Malawi cichlids were the same way. Whenever a stranger came into the
house they'd vanish into the rockpile leaving what appeared to be an empty
tank. But if you looked close you could see their beady little eyes in the
darkness of the caves and crevices. They'd all be watching what was going
on from their hidey-holes.
--
Koi-Lo.... frugal ponding since 1995...
Aquariums since 1952
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
NEW PAGE: Aquariums:
http://bellsouthpwp.net/s/h/shastada...ium-Page4.html
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~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Hi..

[...Clown Loaches...]
Do you have any personal experience which causes your
caution about smaller tanks?

First contact: ~37 years ago. A few years later I started
keeping a group for some years in my at that time biggest
tank 140/40/40cm (~55/15/15"). These days I thaught their
maximal size were 13-15cm (~5-6"). Mine were finally 16+
cm (~7") when I read they grow up to 30cm (~ 12"). So I gave
them to a fish keeper who had a 2000 liter tank (~530g)
with some 7 years old Clowns of about 25cm (~10"). There
mine grew up to 21cm (~8"), but his Clowns up to 27cm
(~11"). It was too late for mine to reach a normal
(healthy) size. ;-(

Now I agree to keepers which demand a minimal tank of 150cm
(~60") or 500 liter (~132g) for a group of them.

That experience made me thoughtful so I stopped keeping
fish like Clowns and Goldfish.

We use a word named "Verbutterung". I don't know how to
translate. It describes what happens if fish is forced to
live in much to small tank: it will stay small(er), will be
less healthier and will get morphological and physiological
problems..

--
cu
Marco

"Marco Schwarz" wrote in message
...
We use a word named "Verbutterung". I don't know how to
translate. It describes what happens if fish is forced to
live in much to small tank: it will stay small(er), will be
less healthier and will get morphological and physiological
problems..
=================
I think we would call that "stunted."
--

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

Hi..

We use a word named "Verbutterung". I don't know how to
translate.
I think we would call that "stunted."

Thanks.
--
cu
Marco

I will toss in my 2 pennies in agreement with the others. Give the
fish a few days to become accustomed to the tank before you worry
about them behaviorally. Also, since clowns eventually reach a foot
long or more, your 20 gal tank is no more than a temporary home, and
with the other fish in that tank, it's already pretty overstocked in
my opinion. Test your water frequently and watch for trouble.

billy

--
¼á
"JeffinMississippi" wrote in message
...
So I put these Clown Loaches in the tank 2 days ago, 3 of them, to
eat the
snails. I was told per my previous posts to use three because they
like the
company of other Loaches and that they would eat the snails. Per
the
Petsmart instructions I am feeding them dried shrimp. So far they
dont seem
to be very active, they found tier holes inside of a few different
pieces of
tank decoration (Shells) and they pretty much stay there doing
nothing. They
definitly arent eating the snails and they just lay around doing
nothing and
dont interact at all.

I have a 20 gallon tank with 18 fish (8 of them are Neon Tetras),
Gouramis,
3 Molly's, the Clown Loaches and others. The tanks strip readings
are all in
the normal range and the other fish are VERY active. Tank water
temp is 81
degrees F.

"Billy" wrote in message
. ..
I will toss in my 2 pennies in agreement with the others. Give the fish a
few days to become accustomed to the tank before you worry about them
behaviorally. Also, since clowns eventually reach a foot long or more, your
20 gal tank is no more than a temporary home, and with the other fish in
that tank, it's already pretty overstocked in my opinion. Test your water
frequently and watch for trouble.

billy

I definitly agree it looks overstocked. But on one of my previous
posts/questions I was told 1 fish per gallon of water. I figured the Neon
Tetras being so small wouldnt be a problem. I already knew about the
Loaches, temporary. It was suggested in this group that I put the loaches in
the tank, let them clean up the snails and possibly the fish store would buy
them back or I could sell them.

1 fish per gallon of water?!

I don't know who told you that, but I wouldn't take it. What kind of fish?
1 adult Oscar in 1 gallon of water? What about an Arawana, Bala Shark?
Tetra's may be a different story, but still...

Fishman

"Jeff" wrote in message
...

"Billy" wrote in message
. ..
I will toss in my 2 pennies in agreement with the others. Give the fish a
few days to become accustomed to the tank before you worry about them
behaviorally. Also, since clowns eventually reach a foot long or more,
your
20 gal tank is no more than a temporary home, and with the other fish in
that tank, it's already pretty overstocked in my opinion. Test your water
frequently and watch for trouble.

billy

I definitly agree it looks overstocked. But on one of my previous
posts/questions I was told 1 fish per gallon of water. I figured the Neon
Tetras being so small wouldnt be a problem. I already knew about the
Loaches, temporary. It was suggested in this group that I put the loaches
in
the tank, let them clean up the snails and possibly the fish store would
buy
them back or I could sell them.

On Thu, 29 Dec 2005 04:08:50 GMT, "Fishman" wrote:

1 fish per gallon of water?!

I don't know who told you that, but I wouldn't take it. What kind of fish?
1 adult Oscar in 1 gallon of water? What about an Arawana, Bala Shark?
Tetra's may be a different story, but still...

Fishman

I imagine he meant 1 fish-inch per gallon. I have exceeded this
measure with no problems. Frequent partial water changes over come
many problems in my opinion.

dick

"Jeff" wrote in message
. ..

"Billy" wrote in message
. ..
I will toss in my 2 pennies in agreement with the others. Give the fish a
few days to become accustomed to the tank before you worry about them
behaviorally. Also, since clowns eventually reach a foot long or more,
your
20 gal tank is no more than a temporary home, and with the other fish in
that tank, it's already pretty overstocked in my opinion. Test your water
frequently and watch for trouble.

billy

I definitly agree it looks overstocked. But on one of my previous
posts/questions I was told 1 fish per gallon of water. I figured the Neon
Tetras being so small wouldnt be a problem. I already knew about the
Loaches, temporary. It was suggested in this group that I put the loaches
in
the tank, let them clean up the snails and possibly the fish store would
buy
them back or I could sell them.

"Fishman" wrote in message
news:mjJsf.28955$x%2.4606@trnddc06...
1 fish per gallon of water?!

I don't know who told you that, but I wouldn't take it. What kind
of fish?
1 adult Oscar in 1 gallon of water? What about an Arawana, Bala
Shark?
Tetra's may be a different story, but still...


It's not a hard rule, just a guideline. Many fish would not tolerate
such conditions, such as large fish, or very aggressive fish. There
are no hard rules in aquaria, give me one, and I'm sure I could find
someone who has broken the rule and had good results. g

b