Loach attacking other fish

[MeganH]

Hi,

Im new here, I just bought 2 loaches for my tank yesterday. I thought they were supposed to be friendly but one of the is chasing and attacking most of the other fish in the tank. One of the loaches is doing what it should be doing and is fine but the other is swimming all around the tank right up to the mollies at the top and attacking them. I have 2 Angels, 2 goldfish, 4 Mollies, 2 gouramis, a pleco, a bristlenose catfish and 2 red rainbow fish. All of the other fish have been happy and peaceful. This one clown is not singling out any one fish, it is going for any and seems to be actually looking for trouble.

Should I take him back and get another one that will hopefully be a little more friendly?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Megan.

Hmmmm, after just doing a bit of research just now, Im thinking I have bought the wrong type of fish for my aquarium anyway. My aquarium is only 120 litres and really it looks like I should also have more than 2 clowns for them to be happy anyway. I wish the girl at the shop couldve told me. Now I feel disappointed, I really like the look of the clown loach I think they said we could return them so maybe I will swap them for something more suitable today

[starsplitter7]

I think we have all made these mistakes as beginners. I have ten tanks, because I learned that my fish needed different requirements.

You are absolutely correct. The tank is too small and there aren't enough clowns, although I have never had any problems with my clowns. I never rely on the store staff for info. They just want to sell fish. I always ask three simple questions to a new salesclerk. If they get them worng, I don't ask for any info, because I know it will be wrong. I will ask things like "What is the best algae eater for my ten gallon tank?" I like a group of otos or snails. If they say a pleco, I know they don't know. "Will a Clown fit in my ten?" They better say no and tell me I need more than one. "SHould I keep my clown with a cichlid?" No. Wrong water types. I would rather they tell me they didn't know.

Your fish also have different water requirements, so you may want to consider another tank in the future. You have soft water and hard water fish together. The Angels and the rainbows can both be aggressive. And if you have pairs, your fish may pair off and become more aggressive as they approach breeding age.

How old is your tank? Is it fully cycled? what are your water parameters?

[MeganH]

thankyou for the fast reply starsplitter. We have had the tank for about 6 months. We started off with just goldfish which were fine until we were given some tropicals, since then our goldfish have died off other than two and we have had problems getting the right tropicals for a happy aquarium.

We love our Angels, and our first two were a breeding pair. We then got 4 tigerbarb and after 3 died the last one terrorised the female angel to death, so we got rid of the tiger barb and got another female angel.

The mollies are for the kids to see the babies.

Its just so hard I dont know what to do. I dont want to get another tank, one is enough. Any suggestions for what we should keep and what we should get rid of. We do love the pleco the Angels.

[Diana]

If the Angels are your favorites, them plan the tank around the Angles.

Angels are tropical fish from slow moving waters in South America. They thrive in soft, acidic water. Angels that have been bred in captivity for many generations will handle harder water than their ancestors.
A mated pair of Angels will claim a territory, and will chase and nip the fish that come close to their space. They may try to breed. If the water is soft and acidic they might be successful. In harder water they adults are OK, but they are not usually successful at breeding. A mated pair is most aggressive toward other Angels. A third Angel in a tank with a mated pair is a very bad idea.

Best tank mates for Angels:
Warm water (very high 70s to low 80s)
Soft water (GH and KH under 9 German degrees of hardness for captive bred Angels)
Generally slower moving water.
Fish that do not nip or bother the Angels.
Fish that are too big for the Angels to eat.

Good Choices:
Playful and active bottom fish:
Pick one species:
4-6 Emerald Cories
6 Bronze Cory

Lower to mid tank, schooling:
Pick one species:
6 Bleeding Heart Tetras
6 Diamond Tetra
6-8 Ruby Barb, ratio of 1M:2F
6 Rasbora borapetensis, may be sold as Brilliant Rasbora or other names.

Upper level
Pick one species:
6 Hatchet Fish (Must have a good cover, they fly out of the tank)
5 Dwarf Neon Rainbow Fish (Note: Males can harass the females to death. Get no males, or all males. If you get a mix, a good ratio is 3-4 females to 1 male)
1-2 Pearl Gouramis
6 Ghost or Glass Catfish (Look right through them, see the skeleton!)

Algae eater
(one or 1M + 1F) Bristle Nose Pleco
1 Farlowella (if you have only 1 Bristlenose, then a Farlowella is OK, too) (Also called a Stick Catfish because it hides by pretending to be a stick)

Fish to avoid:
Common Pleco (sucks the slime coat off Angels)
Tiger Barbs, Serpae Tetras, Puffer Fish (Nippers)
Danios (too zippy, darting around. Little pests)
Goldfish, most Barbs, Danios, Neon Tetras, White Cloud Minnows (Cool water fish)
Fish smaller than about 2" long. Taller fish are better than long, slender fish (Angels can eat adult sized Neon Tetras)
Live bearers (Hard water fish)
Any other Cichlids (Angels are Cichlids, most Cichlids are rather aggressive)
Loaches (High oxygen fish, faster moving water)

[MeganH]

WOW, thank you Diana, you put alot into your reply. I will certainly take all of that into consideration. I do have a common pleco but he doesnt go near the Angels, he just keeps to himself and keeps everything clean.

Maybe I will look into getting a small tank for the kids fish.

My hubby wants more fish tanks. Oh, who knows I might end up with more, they are great to look at, and then I can have the fish I want. Maybe three tanks, one for the kids, the one we already have and maybe another.

They seem to be addictive like tattoos.

[Diana]

Aquariums are addictive. It is called Multiple Tank Syndrome. It is contagious, too. You can catch it here at Loaches.

[newshound]

meg
i hope you have learned two things
1 - research what you are going to buy before hand
2 - never never never trust what salespeople say at the lfs!!!

[MeganH]

definitely have newshound. theres nothing worse than spending money on a fish just for it to be mauled or tormented to death by another or if it does that to your existing fish.

[cashmart35]

I've had a Golden sucking loach for a couple of years now, he was first introduced to my cold water tank but he attacked the goldfish and managed to suck some of their scales off!! Anyway, because of this I moved him to my Tropical tank where he seemed perfectly happy and got on well with all the other fish.

[redshark1]

I recommend keeping Angels singly.

They make a great centrepiece fish with real character if their companions (which I feel they must have) are chosen carefully.

Ensure companions are not small enough to swallow, are not too boisterous, do not nip the angels fins, and are sturdy enough to cope with being chased off occasionally.

I have found that when kept as a pair they become aggressive when spawning and are aggressive to each other after spawning.

I have two aquaria with single Angels, they are among my favourite fish.



If you love Clown Loaches as much as I do you will keep them one day. I am convinced they are by far the best aquarium fish to keep as they are so amusing, sociable, long lived, tough, colourful and so impressive.



Good luck with your hobby. After many decades I finally learnt that less is more.

[ClownLoachSharky]

that angel fish tank is beautiful

[redshark1]

Thanks ClownLoachSharky.

[ClownLoachSharky]

Your Welcome, if you have such planting skills, why not plant your main tank? It already looks cool but it might look cooler with certain plants. or wont that happen with those clowns?

[redshark1]

As you wish...



There you go...

[ClownLoachSharky]

awesome redtail. I looks very cool