Loaches Online Forum

Forgive me if this topic is like beating a dead horse, but when I did a search for the information I came up with so many unrelated topics that I figured I would ask the experts and get specific information to my own personal situation.

I'm a long time fish keeper, going on 15 years now. I've been out of the hobby for about 4 years due to Military service. But now - I'm back - and ready to get back on the horse, albeit slowly.

I'm going to be coming across a large 130 gallon tank - normally I'm not afforded such huge tanks as they're very space consuming. But I've got an extra spot in the house and figured I would take this opportunity to keep some Clown Loach.

I've never kept clown loach in the past, as I'm well aware of how large they can grow and did not have the space I felt would be comfortable for a school of them.

My questions are fairly simple. I've heard mixed reports about clown loach absolutely uprooting everything in planted tanks. I plan this tank to be a planted Co2 injection high tech. I'm wondering - if I get some fairly young, say 6-8 3" clown loach and introduce them to a planted tank. Will they learn to adapt and be peaceful with their surroundings with age. As opposed to introducing some larger loach off the bat?

I am unsure as to what I plan on keeping for dither fish, at first I was inclined to go with a large number of tiger barbs - but I've gotten reports that they will often break off from their groups and follow loach around due to the coloration - stressing the loach out if the numbers get too large.

I may go with bosemani rainbowfish as a result.

Any input to the proper care and maintenance of loaches and what I can do to make their home more suitable would be appreciated. If they are not suitable for a planted tank (I've never seen a loach that isn't) then please let me know and I will look into another species of fish.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Ive got about 30 clown loaches ranging from 2" to 7"

My tank used to be heavily planted, no more =)

At first they were happy with the plants, but as time passed and they got bigger, whenever they would get mad at me, they would bite all the stems off right near the roots or dig all the plants out.

I had anachris, amazon swords, and moss balls. They tore it all up.

Im thinking about putting java fern in there, cause I heard that it has a bad taste to fish, but I havent done it yet.

I think its going to be YMMV though as Ive seen planted tanks with loaches, but maybe its based on their size, as they get bigger, the plants just dont last.

As far as dither fish, I have rainbows and tiger barbs with my loaches. I havent had trouble with either.

There are plants that clowns tend not to uproot, but you can also get a rather good planted appearance by using Java fern (Microsorus) and binding it to wood or rocks. This makes it impossible to uproot, and it provides large shaded areas that appeal to clown loaches. Others have had good success with plants actually rooted in small pots. These can be tucked behind other decor if you don't want to see the pots.

For what it's worth, when I had 4, 6 and 7" clowns in my planted tank with long established, well rooted onto bogwood java fern it didn't turn out well.

Eventually, the larger loaches started to get their noses right underneath the roots and pushed/pulled it up to get at whatever they thought might be hiding underneath of them. It wasn't pretty.

Of course, they did not grow up in the tank, they were placed into it at those sizes and just went to town.

On the other hand, I've seen a heavily planted tank with several clowns. I suppose it really is dependent upon a lot of variables and the 'your mileage may vary' cliche does apply.

Not all that helpful, I realize, but true, nonetheless.

130 gallons of planted tank can be a lot to keep up with. The clown loaches are much more interesting than the plants. Go for the loaches and low-tech plants that you won't have to worry about.

Use a smaller tank for your plants. It will be easier to take care of so you'll have more time to watch and enjoy your clown loaches.

For the most part I agree with the above. But I am one of the few who are mixing them. Even though I have successfully kept them together in my 75g now for about two years, realize that my biggest clown is about 6" and all the rest in the 3-5" range mostly, and they have grown up in the tank.

If you are going to attempt then a few things to consider. You need well rooted plants in fairly deep substrate. For example a fully grown red rubin sword in my 75g had a huge root mass with well over foot long roots. It was very difficult for me to even pull it out, and it pulled up probably 10 pounds of flourite with it. Crypts seem also to have large root structures. Also, as mentioned, try things that will grown on rocks/wood... java fern, anubias, bolbitis, mosses. You could probably do a whole tank out of stuff attached to rock and wood and they are easy to re-do also. Crinums are also said to be 'distasteful' to fish.

A lot seems to do with the particular fish, YMMV. Good luck. I need it to .

Thanks for the replies, I think I'll scratch the clowns and go with some dwarfs instead. =)

DirtyBlackSocks wrote:Thanks for the replies, I think I'll scratch the clowns and go with some dwarfs instead. =)

Yeah, if your not dead set on clowns then by all means go for a smaller loach . I've not had dwarfs so can't say, but would assume they would be great with plants. Another good choice would be striata. I think even Tom Barr has used striata in some of his big planted tanks before.

I amagine that eventually my clowns and plants will be in seperate tanks too. I just hope they get along ok untill I can get a bigger house .

in emma's shop there is a beautifull planted tank with dwarf loaches in

I have 6 clowns in a 75 with plants. They are pretty hard on my crypts, but don't seem to bother my annubias or javas which are attached to wood and rockwork. I can only guess that since the annubias and java are higher in the water column that they are of no interest to the clowns. However, having said that I may well go home tonight and find them shredded, but so far, so good. As for dither fish, I have 4 pimlodella pictus catfish which can be quite active, a school of 7 siamese flying foxes and about a dozen ottocinclus for algae duty. The loaches pay no attention to any of these other fish. The only squabbles that break out are between the P. Pictus cats, but no harm seems to come from it. Hope this is helpful to somebody. Weclome back to the world of fish!!