how much current do you need

[DarrenMnaples]

i have 4 clown loaches and 8 cichlids in a 55 gallon how much current should i have i have 2 whisper 60's and some air bubbles is that enough for the loaches i run one wide open and the other about a 1/4 of the way on the cichlids side is that to much or should i run them both wide openis it too much for the cichlids what kind of water intesinty do theyt like so far i have had no problems between the clowns and cichlids any one else............these are my ti favorite fish so far

[Mark in Vancouver]

Current is not needed per se, for clown loaches. What is your pH and water hardness? Those elements dictate the need (or less need) for aeration.

Loaches and cichlids often require quite opposite ideal conditions, but some middle ground can be met. Many loaches, clowns included, can deal with quite low oxygen levels given that they can process oxygen in the gut and through the skin. Yet they are river dwellers that rarely come in contact with the conditions most cichlids thrive in.

You may benefit from a second tank, but describe the set up, please.

[DarrenMnaples]

first of all it is a 55gallon with over nine diffrent caves all along the bottem of the tank.......nitrate is 20-40,nitrite 0,hardness 120, alkalinity 160, ph 7.4 thanks for all your imput mark

[worldrallynut]

Are we talking african cichlids or south/central american? The africans require a high ph with hard water which might upset your clowns. Also I have never heard of fish getting too much oxygen provided you can keep the flow in the tank to a peaceful level.

[Emma Turner]

I have to disagree here. Clowns are river fish and do enjoy a decent amount of current within their aquarium. Many people keep their Clown loaches at a higher than average tropical temperature, and good water movement/aeration is very important in such circumstances. Many Clown keepers will occasionally observe their fish swimming into the outflow from powerheads and filter outlets with much obvious enjoyment, mine included. One important point worth bearing in mind is that Clowns that have been kept in a tank with a lot of current and aeration will find it very difficult to adjust to a tank with a lower level than what they have become accustomed to.

Emma

[Mark in Vancouver]

Good point, Emma. I keep my Botiine loaches in a 75 (to be upgraded before year end, with luck) gallon, with two powerheads and a #500 HOB from Aquaclear. The water is in motion, but not churning.

Good circulation is important for all tanks, IMO, but I meant that cichlids and loaches often require different sorts of tanks - and water parameters. I am a loach person (clearly!), so I'm biased. But it seems to me that keeping loaches has a similar potential to keeping cichlids. Enough so that I'm often surprised by the number of people who want to combine them rather than specialize in one or the other.

If I was looking for fish to add to an existing tank, I would avoid species that get too big or get too aggressive for my set up. Similarly, I'd avoid contemplating fish that have different requirements from what A: I can offer, and B: what I've already got working well.

[worldrallynut]

What i meant in my previous post was that the cichlids won't be harmed from too much oxygen, you just don't want to stress them out with too much flow (depends on the cichlids). Botia and especially my hillstreams love flow and oxygen. My hillstreams would find the spot with the most flow and just fight over it. As far as botias, I would find my kubotai and yo-yos in the HOB filters doing their salmon impressions and swimming up stream. When i say I found them in the filter, we are talking in the intake tube as well as up in with the media (2-3" out of the water and covered).

I would say that airstones are not enough for the clowns as all of my botia thrive in high flow areas of the tank. So keep adding flow until you stress the cichlids (if they get stressed at all).

There are two key points in the tank with flow. Agitating the surface of the water helps with oxygen exchange. And once this oxygen exchange takes place you want to make sure you spread it around the tank using powerheads and powerfilters to create current and get rid of "dead spots".