Loaches Online Forum

Was in my LFS today and they had some clown loaches with unusual markings, so my 6 clowns almost became 8 clowns these ones were really tiny, about half the size of mine, if I buy them would my guys bully them at all? I just have 6 clowns and 6 Brochis splendens in the tank at the moment.

Val

I can only speak from personal experience but I have never had a problem when adding new clowns to my school. Like yourself I can't resist the ones with unusual markings, I have them ranging from 2" to 10" all living together and the only fights that break out are between the main group that have been together for years!!

All my clowns hang out together. THey don't care about size.

Ditto on the size issue. My Clowns also had no problems with smaller Clowns.
However, quarantine and treat the new ones, and they will grow faster, and not bring parasites or disease to the main tank.

I added 2 small clowns to 4 larger ones The small ones were less than an inch (perhaps 3/4) the larger ones around 4" and the alpha 5". The babies got ignored completely, there was no interaction, I felt kind of sorry for them for not being together with the adult ones. Now the former babies are 2" TL or more and are accepted to school together with the others.

You should have no problems at all. My "Horde" of over 20 Clowns range from 1.5" to 6" and they all interact together.

Diana wrote:
However, quarantine and treat the new ones, and they will grow faster, and not bring parasites or disease to the main tank.

I have made up a quarantine tank, but what should I treat them with?

Val

http://www.loaches.com/Members/shari2/l ... chloride-1

I alternated:

Levamisole
Maracyn and Maracyn II
Prazi

Diana wrote:
I alternated:

Levamisole
Maracyn and Maracyn II
Prazi

It is difficult to get these drugs in the UK, so not sure what to do.

Val

I have Kusuri wormer, Maracide concentrate & Maracyn plus which I buy on eBay but there may be other/better products in the UK that I don't know about.

I also have used Kusuri Wormer plus. I am not in the UK, but I got it from http://www.plymouthdiscus.com/drdiscus.html. Its active ingredient is flubendazole.

There are many types or intestinal parasites, and not all wormers will kill a groups of worms. Find 2 that are available, and that one will kill a certain group and the other will kill most of the others.
Look for an antibiotic that will kill Gram-negative bacteria. Many fish diseases are caused by such bacteria.

Are the Interpet or Sera product lines still available? I thought one or the other had a pretty decent line-up of fish medicines.

Nothing from Interpet or Sera that I could find, but found Kusuri on ebay!!

Val

If you're having trouble finding things over in 'blighty, you might crosspost over on PlanetCatfish.com Many of the regulars there, including the owner and several mods are from the UK, and are great founts of wisdom.

Alaskancorydoras wrote:If you're having trouble finding things over in 'blighty, you might crosspost over on PlanetCatfish.com Many of the regulars there, including the owner and several mods are from the UK, and are great founts of wisdom.

Thanks very much, could really come in useful!!!

Val