Newby

[Angel 2008]

Hi there i have just joined but i am with thetropicaltank.com and way today i was given a pair of Clown Loaches like that one up there and i have a 300L tank many people have said that the tank is was to small and the fish will kill them self from it is this true do the Clown loaches often get white spot or ich???

[Angel 2008]

ok i am getting a tad conserned but what do clown loaches eat ???

[Diana]

Hi Angel

Clown Loaches do seem to get Ich a little easier than many other fish, but in clean water and a quarantine tank it is not so much of a danger.

300 liters is not too small a tank, they will be fine in there until they reach about 6" (15cm). I have 3 in a 4' long (1.3m), 72 gallon tank (300 l). They are not quite 4" (10 cm) long (well, the biggest one might be). Ultimately they will move into a 6' long (1.8m), 125 gallon (500 l) tank.

Have a look at some of the articles, and the species profile for them. There is lots of info about optimum conditions for them.

http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus

I feed quite an assortment of foods. They do not come up to the top to eat floating foods, but anything that drifts down through the water is usually eaten, and things that fall to the bottom are grabbed quickly.

Favorite foods:
Live Pond Snails
Omega One Shrimp Pellets
Spectrum sinking pellets
Frozen foods of all sorts, Bloodworms, Brine Shrimp...
Freeze dried foods will work if they last long enough to sink, but there are other fish in the tank that eat it first.
Fresh vegetables, blanched until they sink. I feed a mix that all the fish eat; there are never leftovers.
I also make some homemade frozen food that all the fish like.
Here is one recipe:

http://www.loaches.com/articles/home-co ... n-fishfood

[starsplitter7]

I am a Newbie myself, so I just wanted to say hello and start by reading this: http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus
This article will answer just about everything you need to know.

You should also provide more info for the experts:
1.) What fish are in the tank with the Clowns?
2.) What is the decor? Hiding spaces? Plants
3.) How big are the Clowns?
4.) What is the tank temp?
5.) What are the tank perimeters? Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH, . . .?
6.) How long has it been set up?
7.) What kind of filter do you have?
8.) What is the substrate?
9.) How long have you had the clowns?

This will help them to help you.

I see Diana was writing when I was. Definitely listen to her.

[Angel 2008]

hi and thank you for the warm welcome

The other fishes in the tank are
3xAngel fish
6xBlue Rams
15x neon tetras
1x comon plec
2x pearl gouarmis
and some smaller fish

the decor is a planted tank that is taking off quite niceley it has been used for the last 6 months or so and have added more plants recentley looks kinda bare at the minuite

The clowns are about 2 inches long well give or take only 2 of them ( i know 6 or more is better but these were free ) the pet shop was making room for a new delievery

tank temp 27oC

No3 ....5
No2 ....0
Gh .....14od ( i know a tad high )
Kh ....6oD
Ph ....7.2 (Doing water change tommrow)

6 Months fully cycled and matured

Filter a Jpr 501 External filter 800L an hour (brilliant )

Substrate is Small ish yellow/ white stones (from pet shop )

About 8 hours

& i did leave them in the bag to a climatize to the water