Loaches Online Forum

I bought a 29 gallon tank for my son about 2 and a half months ago... the tank is in a little "nook" in his playroom. The playroom does have a window- the tank however does not get direct sunlight. Because of where the room is and window is most of the day the cealing fan light is ON and so are some lights in the house. I hate leaving the overhead aquarium light on for a long time because it is SOOOO bright. (I do have live plants so they do need the light... so I have been told) anyways I was thinking about adding one of those long bubblers with the led lights that change (part for the extra light and well my son is 3... so think about it you are 3... and you have a ranbow changing bubbler... how freaking cool right?).

So I guess my questions are- How long do I have to or should leave that bright over head light on? Is it true that bright light will stress out my clown loach? He kinda is more active when it's out... when it is on he mostly hides.

Will the new SLOW changing bubbler led wand thing freak my fish out?

How many bubbles is too much? I have one small airstone hooked up and a bubbling treasure cheast (the tc use to bubble alot and the air stone not at all but it has almost switched now)... those are hooked up to a small "10" gal pump. (I am going to buy another bigger pump when I buy the light thing).

You should definitely turn the light off at night. The fish need that just like we do. I would turn the lights off when your son goes to bed, or after he falls asleep if he likes watching it while in bed. Then turn it on in the morning.
If you leave it on you will stress out the clown loach. It is probably already a bit stressed if it is the only clown loach in the tank. They need to be kept in numbers in a tank larger than 29 g. Check out the link to the species index profile.
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus

I can't speak about the led bubbler but it is always good to have extra aeration as far as I am concerned.

Thank you for replying.

When I bought him the guy at petco said he would be fine alone... then I got home and read up on them and I do plan to get at least two more but at the moment I am battling ich (ugh) so I want to wait till everything i cleared up and then give him some time to relax. He does however stick to my albino cory cat! They play together (kinda like swimming with eachother.. looks like they are racing only in slow mo.) lol...

I turn on the lights at like 10am to about 1030 pm. (since I have had ich I try to leave them out longer because they all seem a little more relaxed when it is off).

I think I am going to get an LED bubble wand. They have a slow changing one that I don't think would be too bad. I guess if he wigs out I can always take it out and save it... I eventually want to get a bigger longer tank when he gets a little bigger (and my bala sharks) and I could always put the bubbler back in the tank after he moves.