Clown loaches suddenly nowhere to be seen

On Fri, 01 Jun 2007 08:48:34 -0700, Tynk wrote:

On Jun 1, 7:16?am, Dick wrote:
On Thu, 31 May 2007 18:57:08 -0400, wrote:
In .com, on 05/10/07
at 10:16 PM, said:

Thanks to all for the great advice. I'm please to say that in the week
since my posting, I've seen both of them out and about--not nearly as
much as they were before, but they're healthy and somewhat active. I've
read quite a lot online about loaches and have discovered that two really
isn't enough, so I plan on adding two more.

Not sure why they got so shy so suddenly. But I guess that's just the way
it goes with fish sometimes.

If there is room in your tank to add more fish, I'd add three clown
loaches. hey're happiest in small schools. hey're expensive, but they
live a long time if properly cared for.

Here's a good loach site: ,oachesonline.com

Alan

I have 3 CL in a 29 and 9 in a 75 gallon tank. see the 3 much more
than the 9. he 75 gallon has heavy bottom growth and they hide. or
a couple of years I rarely saw the 75 CLs, then I moved a very big CL
from the 29 and since then I see more of them, mostly for the morning
feeding.

I have had my CLs for 4 years.
t one time I thought the Siamese
algae Eaters may have been a threat, but moving the Big Guy left 3 CLs
to 6 SAEs and yet the CLs swim about more without Big Guy.

In the morning, the 75 gallon tank is swarming with fish mostly
clustered where I put the food. obody seems afraid and no signs of
attacks.
t the afternoon feeding the CLs seem to not think it worth
the effort to get food, while the rest of the community does.

Who can say what goes on in the fish mind?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

I stumbled on a little trick to get Clown Loaches to warm up to me and
in no time they were actually out and begging for attention, or food
just like the rest of the fish in the tank were.
I had never seen anything like it from a CL, and I've had several
throughout the yrs.
When I added Dwarf African Frogs to the tank that also housed CL's and
Angelfish I had to hand feed the Froggies....otherwise they would have
starved in that tank. CL's and Angel's are piggies.
I would feed the frogs with a medicine type dropper that had
bloodworms in it.
The Clowns quickly picked up on this (the angels had to be swooshes
away from the start of course). In no time the clowns were coming up
to the dropper as soon as it hit the water. In no time they weren't
shy a bit and were and about all the time.
They only acted like shy clowns when we had people over, or my
daughter had a bunch of kids over.
Who wouldn't want to hide with a bunch of kids running around, lol.
I've tamed several different Clowns this way and in all cases none
acted shy anymore.

I have had a similar experience with Plecos, I found they could learn
to come to the surface and feed on flake food even from my finger.
I might try enticing the Clowns with flake food. In the morning they
seem very daring.

On Jun 2, 6:56?am, Dick wrote:


I have had a similar experience with Plecos, I found they could learn
to come to the surface and feed on flake food even from my finger.
I might try enticing the Clowns with flake food. In the morning they
seem very daring.-

Do you have any frozen foods such as Bloodworms or Brine Shrimp?
Flake, let's face it, is a bit boring for fish.
Anyone who feeds both knows the difference between how the fish go
after flake vs bloodworms or brine, etc.
If you have anything like that, try it.
Another note, if they're aldready shy, trying it at the surface may
not help at all with the situation.
You have to coax them out when you are moving about the
tank ...something that might usually freak them out a bit.
With a feeding instrument (be it medicine dropper or an actual feeding
tube used in marine set ups) you'll be able to get them coming out to
grab food and they'll get used to you. Gettting them to come to you
when there isn't any food takes a little time.
My Clowns would be at the front of the tank begging for attention
anytime I went to or walked past the tank.
It was the coolest thing. There were Angels, female bettas and my
clowns...all going back and forth trying to get my attention.
Careful of those eye spines though. Sometimes they'll get into a
feeding frenzy and if you have the food in your fingers, just be
careful.

On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 05:54:17 -0700, Tynk wrote:

On Jun 2, 6:56?am, Dick wrote:


I have had a similar experience with Plecos, I found they could learn
to come to the surface and feed on flake food even from my finger.
I might try enticing the Clowns with flake food. In the morning they
seem very daring.-

Do you have any frozen foods such as Bloodworms or Brine Shrimp?
Flake, let's face it, is a bit boring for fish.

Don't tell my fish, flake is all they get and they couldn't get more
active in the morning.

Anyone who feeds both knows the difference between how the fish go
after flake vs bloodworms or brine, etc.
If you have anything like that, try it.
Another note, if they're aldready shy, trying it at the surface may
not help at all with the situation.
You have to coax them out when you are moving about the
tank ...something that might usually freak them out a bit.
With a feeding instrument (be it medicine dropper or an actual feeding
tube used in marine set ups) you'll be able to get them coming out to
grab food and they'll get used to you. Gettting them to come to you
when there isn't any food takes a little time.
My Clowns would be at the front of the tank begging for attention
anytime I went to or walked past the tank.

I have a chair next to my 75 gallon tank that I use for part of my
morning exercise. When I sit there bobbing up and down I have a rapt
audience! g

It was the coolest thing. There were Angels, female bettas and my
clowns...all going back and forth trying to get my attention.
Careful of those eye spines though. Sometimes they'll get into a
feeding frenzy and if you have the food in your fingers, just be
careful.


I would see more of my fish if I weeded the live plant growth more.
The SAEs rest on top of the growth while the CLs rest under it. Very
little bare gravel. I have 4 Cory cats that I almost never see,
whereas the 2 Plecos roost more near the top of the tank.

Everything aquatic comes via internet orders. Flake food is very
handy and my fish do well. I don't cook steaks for myself. We all
compromise one way or another. As my current stock of fish die, I
plan to retire all of my tanks but the 75. I want to outlive my fish
and 2 dogs so I can take care of them. I am worried that the SAEs and
the CLs and Plecos may live too long and I will reach the "finish
line" before them! g