something my clown loaches do

[Tiny]

Hi, this is my first post here.


i have 3 clown loaches which i have been keeping for over a year now and i notice something they do quite regularly - They stretch their mouths wide from time to time (it's like they are yawning).

It's quite funny to watch them do that, but i was just wondering could it mean that they are having breathing problems? even when i change the water they still do it. Or do all clown loach often do it?

thanks to anyone who replies.

[angelfish83]

They're just yawning. They do it all the time.
You should have way more than three though. One person here has an eight foot tank with about forty.

Although I think thats 'really loving loaches' a little much personally, in a huge tank theres no reason you shouldnt have atleast eight...

[shazam26]

Hey, I've seen my weather loaches do this from time to time. They stretch their mouthes wide and then make a munching-like motion which flicks their barbels. It looks hilarious but I hope it's not an indication of anything bad- are they just yawning as well?

[angelfish83]

Yep.
SHazaam- your aquarium's supposed to soothe a rough stomach not cause one ya know You worry an awful lot

[Emma Turner]

One person here has an eight foot tank with about forty.
Although I think thats 'really loving loaches' a little much personally

You can keep your opinions regarding my fish to yourself, angelfish83. This is a specialised loach forum, what do you expect?

Tiny - most species of Botia 'yawn' from time-to-time. Providing that you have good aeration and filtration, the water quality is excellent, the fish are receiving a good varied diet and look healthy, then there is nothing to worry about. You really want to add more clowns to your group as they are incredibly social creatures that do best in larger numbers (5 would be the absolute minimum).

Emma

[Glostik]

I have 17 clowns in my tank, and i do really love loaches =)

[mamaschild]

I have 11 in mine....Yep, it's TRUE LOVE

[Tiny]

thanks for replying. It's nice to see that i'm not the only loach lover


i thought of buying more but am hesistant to do so because when u add new clown loach to the tank, theres a chance that the new ones may bring that dreaded 'white spot' disease.

Thats what happened to my previous 3 loaches, when one of my relatives bought another 3 clown loach for my fishtank, all 6 died because the new ones had the disease, which then spread. even the so-called 'treatment' failed to work.


Thats the only down-side about clown loach, they are very fragile and sensitive towards illnesses.

[angelfish83]

You can keep your opinions regarding my fish to yourself, angelfish83. This is a specialised loach forum, what do you expect?

It was sarcasm. I like your loaches. They look great. I wouldn't have 40 but I think its great that you do. I was being sarcastic about it... No need to be offended.

[TammyLiz]

Tiny, you are right that it is a bad idea to add new loaches to a tank without taking precautions to ensure that they are in good health. Generally the best way to go about getting new ones is to set up a quarantine tank and keep them in that for a few weeks. If you do it, make sure you add mature filter media to the quarantine tank to avoid exposing the new loaches to ammonia.

[Dave_2133]

I have five clowns. In my first tank i had 4 that were close to 5" and one that was 4", i then added a sixth one and guess what.................it had the dreeded white spot, i treated the whole tank with treatments and nothing would work for them and they sadly all died. But now i use a Q-tank to try and stop it when i buy new fish.

Good luck with yours matey.

[shazam26]

Yep.
SHazaam- your aquarium's supposed to soothe a rough stomach not cause one ya know You worry an awful lot

I KNOW!! I'm sorry, it's my mother hen nature. I notice EVERYTHING about every animal I own. Like the fact that my new baby weather loach Sir Loin (don't ask) always plops down after having a spazz swim. (This is what I call the typical weather loach swimming) He'll swim around, then come to the cobra-like yoga pose that weather loaches always do, then eventually spread both front fins out like eagles wings and plop, resting on the bottom. Indie J has never done this. The same baby also always lands on one fin with the other stuck out, or other odd variations. He's very strange, but is otherwise healthy and assume it's just another loach-ism.