Loaches Online Forum

Hi I am a newey here I was just wondering if it was at all possible for clown loaches to be able to live with electric yellow cichlids and pink convicts they are the friendler type of cichlid I have rainbow boesemani living with the cichlids and all are getting on really well my ph is around 7.8 to 8 temp is 27 thanks for any replys

That pH is a bit high for most Loaches. They prefer softer water than is suggested by that high pH.

Hi there,

I would also add that your pH is at the upper limits for convicts which are found in South America with water ranging from 6.6 to 7.8. I would definitely not add loaches. Many cichlids are too aggressive for loaches. I would maybe consider loaches and rams if the tank is huge, fish are similar sizes and there's enough hiding spaces.

How big is your tank, how long has it been set up and what country are you from?

This type of problem is why I now have 12 tanks. I had a baby bichir with danios and wondered why my danios kept disappearing.

I have found that Clown Loaches and Cichlids speak a different "body language" and in this respect may be considered at least partly incompatible in the close confines of the aquarium.

My loaches did not respect the cichlid threat displays and rudely invaded the cichlid's territory. They proved impossible to evict and I feel this caused stress to my cichlid.

I personally would not keep them together again.

Something similar occurred with my Sailfin Plec which was also constantly irritated by the boisterous Clown Loach.

My cichlid was a Jack Dempsey and the aquarium measures 6' x 18" x 18".

I would recommend a larger aquarium than this for adult Clown Loach.

I'd be interested to hear how people have attempted to do this. How would a tank setup be? as close to natural habitat as possible or a bare dark tank?

There are very few loaches and cichlids I would put together. Not good for either fish.

I find that as long as you are not working with wild caught electric yellows, they are adoptable to water conditions. I just wouldn't use peat with them.

Otherwise, Yellow labs are fairly mild and given enough room and enough hiding spaces for all, that is workable with a robust species like clowns or red tails.

I have a pack for 30+ clown loaches and a mixture of cichlids in my 300; the clowns are always out in front of the tank until middle of the night; after a certain time, magically they all disappear. As long as you don't have too large of a fish(12 inch oscar and 2 inch clown is a bad idea), or psycho killers(kenyi, bumblebee. etc Mbunas from Africa or things like red devils, red terrors, wolf, jaguar, etc from CA/SA, you should be fine.

You shouldn't mix chilids with other fish. You can only have chilids with chilids.