Shy clown loaches

[Laure]

Hi

I have 6 medium sized clown loaches that used to be pretty active and schooled together. I keep them in a planted tank. A month ago, I rescaped the tank. Since then they went into hiding and don't come out during the day at all. I also upgraded my lights about 3 weeks ago. I do see them during the early morning before I go to work, but they swim around as individuals scavenging for food. Not like normal behaviour. I know they are all still alive. One or two of them are constantly grey. I know this indicates some sort of dispute, but possibly they could be unhappy with the new tank layout? How long will it take them to accept the new environment?

Regards
Laure

[starsplitter7]

I think the lighting may be the issues. Clowns don't really like bright lights. I would add some floating plants.

Have you checked your readings to make sure you disrupt the balance in your tank?

How long have you had your tank and the clowns? Who else lives with them?

What are your Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, pH readings?

Has the temperature changed?

[Laure]

Hi

OK let me give you some information on the tank.
Tank = 300L (150cm x 45cm x 45cm)
Temp = 28 degrees Celsius, and been stable that way for months now
ph = 6.6
NH4 = 0ppm
NO2 = 0ppm
NO3 = 15ppm
Lights = 4 x 54W T5
Quite heavily planted with lots of driftwood and rocks forming caves and hiding places
Silica sand substrate
Weekly 40% WC
Other fish include cardinal tetras, zebra danios, otocinclus, siamese algae eater, scalare angels

I've had the clowns for 6 months now and they have always been quite active and not very shy, until I rescaped the tank a month ago. Sure, they did go into their hiding places before. That is normal. But they'd come out easily when fed or when just feeling like exploring. Now they hardly ever come out.

Perhaps its the light? I have seen people keep clowns in heavily planted tanks and they have bright light to grow those plants. As long as one can provide some shade and hiding places they should be OK, not so?

Perhaps I need some fish like corys that are quite active on the substrate - just to lure the clowns out and show them it is safe to be out?

[Keith Wolcott]

It all sounds quite good. I would suspect that the strong light might take them a while to get used to, but with heavy planting there should be enough low light places. You did not mention water current. If you do not have much or any, putting a power head in there shooting across the bottom will interest the clowns.

[starsplitter7]

It does sound lovely. Could you post any pictures?

I think Keith is correct More current and time to get used to the lights.

[Laure]

Hi

I have decided to upgrade my water flow in any case. I want to get a second external cannister filter, thereby doubling the flow rate and also providing some backup in case of failure. I am suspecting the lights, but possibly also the new rescaped environment. I am hoping it is just a matter of time. In the morning before I leave for work I switch on the blue moonlight to feed the fish, and I do see them actively scavenging for food during this time. But when I get back from work and the main lights are on (they are on a timer from 13:00 to 21:00), the clowns are always in hiding.

Here are some pictures:









Regards
Laure

[Keith Wolcott]

Beautiful tank!

[starsplitter7]

That is a gorgeous tank.

I think it is the lighting change.

I only have lights on from about 6 PM to 10 PM during the summer, but that's because I can't keep the tanks under 82 degrees, and with the lights the heat goes up to 84-86, so I certainly don't have gorgeous plants like you do. Really nice.

[duckyboy1975]

I concur, it's probably the lighting or it could just be taking them a little while to get used to the new tank setup. Or a combo of both!

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[Laure]

So it is a bit of a catch 22! I can reduce the lights, but then I may have to deal with some of the "red" plants not making it. Or I can hope that the clowns will eventually accept the environment and become more comfortable.

What about some more "dither" fish? Corys perhaps? They would be quite active around the substrate and possibly lure the clowns out. Any thoughts on this idea? I am definitely not anywhere near overstocked, so I can easily add a school of small corys.

[Marcos Mataratzis]

Hi Laure,

I´m afraid you will have to choose between red plants and Clown Loaches.
4x54 Watts for a 45 cm high, 300 liter tank is too much light for Clown Loaches. That represents 0.72 Watts/liter. I use 2x40Watts on my 60cm high, 450 liter tank (0.17 Watts/liter) and sometimes I keep wondering if there isn´t too much light there.
Do consider reducing drastically that amount of lamps.

[Francois van Brederode]

What you could do is wrap some (heat-resistent) dark tape around the lamps where you don't need the high light output.

This way you can give the Loaches there shade, and the red plants there bright light.

Just a thought...

For a more natural solution (and if you have a cover glass),
You could put some leaves on the cover glass to create some shade in some places.