Clown Loaches won't eat Top Fin shrimp pellets??

I ruined my 4 year old 20 gallon tank I think (Big hairy Algae problem)
Haven't been paying attention to the tank enough. My 3" clowns don't
seem to like the aformentioned FFood. (Granules de Crevette?) There
is a picture of a clown on the label, so I don't get it. Assuming the hairy
algae appeared this spring because of "overfeeding" I'd like to ask you
folks..

1) Has anyone else noticed clown loaches disdain for this type of FF?

2) Is there any good URL's to help me get rid of this green hair?

PS) I did give away my ordinary 31/2" pleco about the same time and
replaced it with a 3/4" dancing pleco- was the big one eating all the hair??

Appreciate replies! Aloha!

Lopaka
------------

10 neons, 3 flashlights, 3 blackskirt tetras
2 albino cats
2 Clowns 3"
1 dancing pleco
20 gal aquaclear 150 & undergravel filters.
I feed them color bits normally with bloodworms once a week, but my
Island has no bits lately and the only food I have is Hartz flakes and
pleco pellets. I want my Color Bits back! Guess I'd better order my own
thru
the Inet postman.

On Thu, 03 Jun 2004 04:33:12 GMT, "Lopaka" wrote:

I ruined my 4 year old 20 gallon tank I think (Big hairy Algae problem)
Haven't been paying attention to the tank enough. My 3" clowns don't
seem to like the aformentioned FFood. (Granules de Crevette?) There
is a picture of a clown on the label, so I don't get it. Assuming the hairy
algae appeared this spring because of "overfeeding" I'd like to ask you
folks..

1) Has anyone else noticed clown loaches disdain for this type of FF?

2) Is there any good URL's to help me get rid of this green hair?

PS) I did give away my ordinary 31/2" pleco about the same time and
replaced it with a 3/4" dancing pleco- was the big one eating all the hair??

Appreciate replies! Aloha!

Lopaka
------------

10 neons, 3 flashlights, 3 blackskirt tetras
2 albino cats
2 Clowns 3"
1 dancing pleco
20 gal aquaclear 150 & undergravel filters.
I feed them color bits normally with bloodworms once a week, but my
Island has no bits lately and the only food I have is Hartz flakes and
pleco pellets. I want my Color Bits back! Guess I'd better order my own
thru
the Inet postman.


I buy everything over the internet: fish, plants, food, medicine and
all the hardware including the tanks. Your own limitation is your
ability to "google." It beats the selection fish stores can carry.

I have 12 Clown Loaches in tanks varying from 75 to 10 gallons, yep 10
gallons. They vary from one inch (my runt, almost died) to 4 inches.
I only feed my fish TetraMin tropical flakes. Clowns are my favorite
fish. The runt has lived in my 10 gallon quarantine tank until
recently. He had grown a bit and was eating with a good appetite, so
I moved him to a 10 gallon tank that was infested with small snails.
He cleaned house. He adjusted easily from flake to snail.


I am sorry you have the hair problem. When I first set up my 75
gallon tank it was covered with hair. It took me months to clear it
up. I can only guess as to what fixed the problem as I did many
things at the same time not being interested in doing an experiment.
I just want to get rid of the stuff.

I took out all plants that had hair on them, and removed gravel that
had hair. I bought known hair eaters Siamese Algae Eaters. I also
added more platties and mollies as I could see they pecked at the new
hair growth. I planted very heavily. The new plants were "low light"
species to match my light output. I put the tank on a time to reduce
the hours of light and programmed a two hour outage mid day.

The tank stayed hairless. It has been a year since I had the problem.
It can be solved.

I would also consider cutting back on food. I feed slowly and stop
when I see the flakes are reaching the bottom. My fish feed at
different levels, some catch the floating flakes others stay mid tank
and many are bottom feeders. When they are hungry none of the flakes
(well maybe a few) reach the bottom. I figure that when the first
flakes do reach the bottom is time to stop as there will be more at
the top that will now reach the bottom. That is fine since the bottom
feeders clean up what gets there. I think over feeding is to be
avoided. Excess encourages algae. (my opinion)

One fish I don't have, but want to have when my tank population goes
down is the "American Flag" fish. It has a good reputation for eating
algae and doesn't grow over 2 inches. I went over board with the
Siamese Algae Eaters not noting how large they grow. I have 20 of the
critters in my 5 tanks. I like to watch them, but as with the Clowns,
they do get big. I have several that are now 4 inches.

One fish I don't have, but want to have when my tank population goes
down is the "American Flag" fish. It has a good reputation for eating
algae and doesn't grow over 2 inches. I went over board with the
Siamese Algae Eaters not noting how large they grow. I have 20 of the
critters in my 5 tanks. I like to watch them, but as with the Clowns,
they do get big. I have several that are now 4 inches.

Any ideas what size they will go to in the tank, 5"? how long did it take? I
bought 5 a month or so back, as my last aqaurium finished with a beard
problem (just because I didn't keep it as clean as I should have, with the
house move and new aquarium being delivered). I decided that prevention
would be good and get some of these bad boys in just to keep on top of
everything.

Cheers

A

"Lopaka" wrote in message news:...
I ruined my 4 year old 20 gallon tank I think (Big hairy Algae problem)
Haven't been paying attention to the tank enough. My 3" clowns don't
seem to like the aformentioned FFood. (Granules de Crevette?) There
is a picture of a clown on the label, so I don't get it. Assuming the
hairy
algae appeared this spring because of "overfeeding" I'd like to ask you
folks..

1) Has anyone else noticed clown loaches disdain for this type of FF?

2) Is there any good URL's to help me get rid of this green hair?

PS) I did give away my ordinary 31/2" pleco about the same time and
replaced it with a 3/4" dancing pleco- was the big one eating all the
hair??

Appreciate replies! Aloha!

Lopaka
------------

10 neons, 3 flashlights, 3 blackskirt tetras
2 albino cats
2 Clowns 3"
1 dancing pleco
20 gal aquaclear 150 & undergravel filters.
I feed them color bits normally with bloodworms once a week, but my
Island has no bits lately and the only food I have is Hartz flakes and
pleco pellets. I want my Color Bits back! Guess I'd better order my own
thru
the Inet postman.

On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 14:09:06 +0200, "Ali Day"
wrote:

One fish I don't have, but want to have when my tank population goes
down is the "American Flag" fish. It has a good reputation for eating
algae and doesn't grow over 2 inches. I went over board with the
Siamese Algae Eaters not noting how large they grow. I have 20 of the
critters in my 5 tanks. I like to watch them, but as with the Clowns,
they do get big. I have several that are now 4 inches.

Any ideas what size they will go to in the tank, 5"? how long did it take? I
bought 5 a month or so back, as my last aqaurium finished with a beard
problem (just because I didn't keep it as clean as I should have, with the
house move and new aquarium being delivered). I decided that prevention
would be good and get some of these bad boys in just to keep on top of
everything.

Cheers

A

I don't think either of us can know how big our fish will get in our
tanks. Too many variables. I am hoping the fact that I have not
noticed any size increase in the last few months may indicate they
will not become much larger. I mentioned Clowns and SAEs. Which do
you have? I guess SAEs since Clowns don't eat algae that I know of.
However, my Clowns do enjoy algae flakes.

I sure believe in weekly water changes. I change 20% every week.

"Dick" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 14:09:06 +0200, "Ali Day"
wrote:

I don't think either of us can know how big our fish will get in our
tanks. Too many variables. I am hoping the fact that I have not
noticed any size increase in the last few months may indicate they
will not become much larger. I mentioned Clowns and SAEs. Which do
you have?

9 Rummy nosed tetras, 1.5"
8 Clowns - that I never see, between, 3 - 5" but they were all the same size
when I got them.
6 Glass catfish - that never go any where, 3"
5 SAEs - mad, new additions into the new tank, 2"
2 Discus - a couple, 5"
2 Plec's - lazy hence the SAEs, fully grown 6"

At the moment thinking about whether to go for a couple more discus or as
Netmax has suggested let the new plants grow a bit and then get some silver
dollars in there.

Cheers

A

A

On Fri, 4 Jun 2004 15:27:11 +0200, "Ali Day"
wrote:


"Dick" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 3 Jun 2004 14:09:06 +0200, "Ali Day"
wrote:

I don't think either of us can know how big our fish will get in our
tanks. Too many variables. I am hoping the fact that I have not
noticed any size increase in the last few months may indicate they
will not become much larger. I mentioned Clowns and SAEs. Which do
you have?

9 Rummy nosed tetras, 1.5"
8 Clowns - that I never see, between, 3 - 5" but they were all the same size
when I got them.
6 Glass catfish - that never go any where, 3"
5 SAEs - mad, new additions into the new tank, 2"
2 Discus - a couple, 5"
2 Plec's - lazy hence the SAEs, fully grown 6"

At the moment thinking about whether to go for a couple more discus or as
Netmax has suggested let the new plants grow a bit and then get some silver
dollars in there.

Cheers

A

A


My Plecos are a bout 4"

I have had bad luck with Plecos except in my 75 gallon tank. Since
the source was the same for those I put in smaller tanks, I guess the
food supply was inadequate, especially in the 10 gallons. As I type
this it doesn't make sense. I know the Plecos eat the flake food that
gets to the bottom. I guess, I just had some bad luck. I like Plecos
and happy the 3 in the 75 gallon are thriving. I only have on other
that is in a 29 gallon tank. His mate died a few months back. The
remaining is about 3" and remains out of sight and not active at all
whereas the 75 gallon brood are often swimming about. So strike any
new Plecos, long live the Clowns and SAE, well maybe no "long" live,
but "not short live!"

My clown loaches were not to thrilled with the top fin shrimp pellets at
first either. They would ignore them and eventually the gouramis and live
bearers would come down and slowly eat them. I would feed the clown loaches
bits of frozen shrimp and frozen blood worms instead. Then, after a while,
they decided they liked it and eat them daily. It is quite amusing to watch
a clown loach swim around with a shrimp pellet sticking out of his mouth. My
pleco loves it too. He just sucks on it like a popsicle. Also my khuli
loaches and all the other fish like to nibble on them as well. My
suggestion is keep trying them only put one or two in per day. Sooner or
later they will get hungry and adventurous enough to try them. Maybe if you
try a bit of frozen shrimp the loaches will develop a better taste for
shrimp and be more receptive to the shrimp pellets

On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 03:46:26 GMT, "BigBadGourami"
wrote:

My clown loaches were not to thrilled with the top fin shrimp pellets at
first either. They would ignore them and eventually the gouramis and live
bearers would come down and slowly eat them. I would feed the clown loaches
bits of frozen shrimp and frozen blood worms instead. Then, after a while,
they decided they liked it and eat them daily. It is quite amusing to watch
a clown loach swim around with a shrimp pellet sticking out of his mouth. My
pleco loves it too. He just sucks on it like a popsicle. Also my khuli
loaches and all the other fish like to nibble on them as well. My
suggestion is keep trying them only put one or two in per day. Sooner or
later they will get hungry and adventurous enough to try them. Maybe if you
try a bit of frozen shrimp the loaches will develop a better taste for
shrimp and be more receptive to the shrimp pellets

I wonder if the reported large size of Clown Loaches is due to a rich
diet. I only feed flake food which they eat readilly, swimming up to
the top and practically jerking food out of other mouths. I have many
Clowns and none larger than 4 inches. I am glad they are not growing
as I have no room to have more tanks. Clowns add activity and color
and often strange behavior. Mine used to "die" for hours on end. For
awhile, those in my 75 gallon tank, formed a daisy chain around one
plant and "died." I used to worry about the dead, now I miss the
behavior. I only wish they were not so good at concealment. I have 6
in my 75 gallon tank and there are hours when I can't spot even one.
I do a count at fish time just to reassure myself. g

"Dick" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 03:46:26 GMT, "BigBadGourami"
wrote:

My clown loaches were not to thrilled with the top fin shrimp pellets at
first either. They would ignore them and eventually the gouramis and
live
bearers would come down and slowly eat them. I would feed the clown
loaches
bits of frozen shrimp and frozen blood worms instead. Then, after a
while,
they decided they liked it and eat them daily. It is quite amusing to
watch
a clown loach swim around with a shrimp pellet sticking out of his mouth.
My
pleco loves it too. He just sucks on it like a popsicle. Also my khuli
loaches and all the other fish like to nibble on them as well. My
suggestion is keep trying them only put one or two in per day. Sooner or
later they will get hungry and adventurous enough to try them. Maybe if
you
try a bit of frozen shrimp the loaches will develop a better taste for
shrimp and be more receptive to the shrimp pellets

I wonder if the reported large size of Clown Loaches is due to a rich
diet. I only feed flake food which they eat readilly, swimming up to
the top and practically jerking food out of other mouths. I have many
Clowns and none larger than 4 inches. I am glad they are not growing
as I have no room to have more tanks. Clowns add activity and color
and often strange behavior. Mine used to "die" for hours on end. For
awhile, those in my 75 gallon tank, formed a daisy chain around one
plant and "died." I used to worry about the dead, now I miss the
behavior. I only wish they were not so good at concealment. I have 6
in my 75 gallon tank and there are hours when I can't spot even one.
I do a count at fish time just to reassure myself. g

My 2 albino cats will nibble unenthusiastically at shrimp pellets, but my 3"
clowns would rather starve. They also lose out to the very fast black skirt
tetras
when it comes to flake food. I think my whole hairy green algae episode was
the
result of overfeeding with the flakes as my fish just disintegrate them into
particles
too small even for the Neons (within 2-3 minutes).
So, flakes suck for my combination of fish. Back to the color bits, they
don't melt
and the loaches and tetras love it.

Lo