Loaches Online Forum

Hello to all, I have been reading your forum for some months, just joined up. I've gained some valuable insight on the 4 "little" clown loaches that I bought 4 years back. Their new tank is about ready to go.

So, if I might, a first question for you if I may .. once the new tank has settled down, I'll be wanting to add some new clowns .. anyone know of good reliable sources in the Great Lakes area? Mine are at 4 to 5 inches, so a bit smaller is in order correct?

Thanks

the great lakes area is HUGE!
clowns are a dime a dozen.
Always use a Qtank for a month when adding new fish.

welcome along

Hello GaryS

I have some very small at about 3/4" with some your size, Do not buy any exhibiting any skinny symptoms nor any from a tank with more than one or two with sign as this may be a bad omen for the rest.Then QT and use a Praziquantrel bath several times and a levimosal bath several times for best results . My new Clowns do not move in with the existing for at least 2 months and only after they show signs of getting fat. I see them at petsmart all the time for about 7.99 so the common Clown is not hard to find. I also like some Petco fish but you should look at the store itself and the cleanliness and stocking levels to decide whether to buy there or not. I also prefer to support my local fish store when possible but if your asking you must not have a favorite. Make sure you have a proper QT setup for your new ones well before purchase for the Clowns sake

Welcome Gary. It's great to see a fellow Detroiter here.

Please tell us more about the new tank you're setting up, such as size, filters, decor, and such.

There are a only few clown loach sources locally that I know of. You may have to go hunting and calling around.

The best shop I know of is "Moby Dicks" in Waterford. It's about a 45 minute drive from where I'm at (8 mile/Gratiot), but it's usually worth the trip. They may have good sized clown loaches, but you should call ahead before making the drive.
http://www.mobydickpets.com/

Aquatic Discoveries will sometimes have some nice clown loaches, which is on the corner of 15 mile and Ryan Road.
http://www.aquaticdiscoveries.com/

"Ocean and Seas" may have some clowns, but they are usually rather small and over priced there. You'll definately need to quarantine any fish that you buy from them.

"Kee's Aquarium" on 23 and Van Dyke may be a place to look also, but I've never been there. It sounds like a nice shop though.
http://www.keesaquarium.com/ABOUT/about.html

Any PetSmart probably has some small clowns. The one on 13 / Little Mack usuallly looks like it has healthy fish.

If you want to purchase loaches from non-local sources and have them shipped to you overnight then consider -
"Franks Aquarium "-
http://www.franksaquarium.com/brookstreamloaches.htm

Pete Mang known as "Lotsoffish" here, is also known to ship loaches from his fish shop in Tonawanda NY. You may want to drop him a PM or contact him at- http://www.lotsoffish.net/
He's had many happy customers from all over the country.

You may also want to try your luck with the auctions at "Aquabid.com"-
http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/ ... fwcatfishl

Feel free to Post pics when you get your loaches and post some pics of the current clowns you have. I'd love to see them and the new tank.

Thanks everyone for the welcomes & the tips. I do see the very small clowns all over, looks like Chefkeith knows where I might find the slightly bigger guys. Will be trying a couple of those shops shorty.

The new tank is "85" gallons - 48x18x22. I'm hoping it will serve as a halfway house for my loaches for a year or two while some non-aquatic rearrangements & renovations are being completed. I have pool filter sand washed waiting for me to finish wiring up the stand. Lots of driftwood, will be tying annubias & java fern to that. Plan to scatter some smooth cobbles, but haven't collected those yet. Filtration with Eheim 2026 plus an AC HOB (hopefully that 2X tank volume is enough, if not there's the Magnum from the old set-up). Flow will be augmented with powerheads (Koralia or Tunze nano) to at least 15x turnover.

QT was in the plans, but not to the extent of Pig's medicine

Attached a quick snap of the 4 incumbents if I can figure out how to post the pic

Gary- Sounds like a nice loach tank in the making. Have you though about getting any other loach species?

Hello I hadn't thought about other species, which are compatible with clowns & proposed set-up?

An update also - test filled the tank (then drained it) & looks good, so it will be wet by the weekend.

Hi Gary,

Mine are at 4 to 5 inches, so a bit smaller is in order correct?

My experience is that you can add almost any sized new CLs to the group, so there is really no need to go smaller than what you have. More is better - if you can provided the space and don't mind the cost.
My greatest pleasure in keeping CLs is observing their antics: they jet around, hover, back-paddle, ly around on their sides, fight, swimming against the jet flow; etc.
Good luck on your hunt and enjoy them when you have them!

Here's a few friendly loach species-

Botia striata/Zebra Loach
Botia kubotai/Polkadot Botia
Botia almorhae/Yo-Yo Loach
Yasuhikotakia sidthimunki/Dwarf Loach
Botia dario/Queen Loach
Pangio kuhli/Kuhli Loach