Some semi-noob questions...My clowns just turned 1 y.o.

[jaytech33]

Hi everyone,
I found this site about a week ago, and have been absorbing as much knowledge as I can. Now for the questions.....
I have 5 clowns and a L001 in a 47gal tank. My first question is lighting. Is it ok to never turn the main light on? I have some moon lights that I leave on 24/7 but if I turn on the 25w tube the clowns will never come out. not even to eat. I really love my fish, but I would love them more if I can get them to be more visable. That leads to my second question, how can I get them to be more social? They hide in a hollow stump all the time, I see them briefly during feeding and thats it.
In the next 2-3 months I'm getting either a 75 or 90 gal tank because I know they are all outgrowing the 47. It would be nice if I could have some lights on the new tank!!!
Here are some pics...Happy B-day to them Thanks in advance!

[bslindgren]

Welcome to LOL

Get some other fish that are out a lot, like some tetras or something, and the loaches will feel safe (nice looking fish btw) and come out during the day, at least at feeding time. Personally I would add some kind of substrate as well - they like to look for food (snails and other creapy crawlies in the substrate). I have regular aquarium gravel for mine, and they are quite adept at picking gravel up and putting it to the side. For my zebra loaches I use sand, and they constantly sift through that for morsels.

[Rocco]

I noticed that too. My loaches hid constantly until I put a few rosy barbs in my tank. Now they even come to eat from my hands.

[shari2]

I think I see gravel in there...

Second the 'dither fish' effect. They determine safety by watching the dithers. If they are out and about like normal, frequently so are the clowns.

A thread that might help:

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=10412

And welcome to LOL.

[andre]

Hi Jaytech. I don't know if it may help but I got tiger barbs and they seem to give the clowns great comfort often schooling together.

I always wondered why my clowns are totally diurnal and somebody suggested that they simply follow the barbs' habit.

I cannot confirm it as I never had clowns alone but I can assure you that my clowns are never hiding during the day and in fact they always hang around the fron glass in open light.

As soon as the lights go off they all move in one single cave and stay there until morning.

[jaytech33]

Thanks for the input everyone. Time to buy some new tankmates!

Back to the lighting issue... The tank is lit by the moonlights 24/7 and the only "white" light the fish ever see are the lights in my ceiling I turn on while I am home. Should I do some type of graduated exposure to the tank light? Like 1-2 hrs a day for a week then increase the time? Or can I just turn the tank light on for about 8 hours a day and force the fish to adjust?

Thanks

[Carla G]

I would say that it would be best to turn the lights on all day. It is not natural for the fish to live in the dark all the time and I am sure it would not be healthy for them.

[Diana]

I would go for some plants in this tank. Looks like it is all hard surfaces.
Many fish try to stay hidden under stuff because being in the open, in the light is where predators can see you.
Ditto the dittos about dither fish. If the clowns see that other fish are acting normal, drifting safely around they might feel it is safe to come out, too.
Do not get some fish that frantically darts all over the place (no Danios) because that sort of action might be mistaken as trying to escape predators.
Set the lights on a timer so the light replicates a normal day/night schedule. If there are no live plants then the duration of day and night is up to you, but 8 hours of light seems reasonable.