Foes at feeding time + stressed clown loaches! help :(

[k.jonesy]

i bought a tiny 5cm clown loach about 2 months ago who had been by himself for a few months in the aquarium i bought him from. He's an active chap always happy and curious. a few days ago i added 3 more clown loaches because i know they like to be in groups. 2 of the new loaches are a tiny 4cm and one is 5cm roughly the same as my original. ive noticed at feeding time my original loach and the same size newbie seem to chase and nip at each other constantly and its quite scary to watch. my original then seems to have a quick chase of the two smaller loaches to scare them off then goes back for more with the other guy. why are they doing this? do i need to return one? i can tell that my original loach gets really stressed when he fights because he gasps so rapidly but he still goes back for more! what do i do!

[redshark1]

Hi there and welcome to the forum. I believe Clown Loaches may be better in larger groups than you (or I) currently have and the recommended minimum tank size is 6' x 24" x 24" (which I do agree with, although mine is smaller).

Although it may seem surprising, I think what you are witnessing may be quite normal behaviour.

I belive you are seeing a battle for dominance. Eventually one fish may prove to be the "top dog" or "alpha". It is normal for the protagonists to breath rapidly during and after the exertion.

I would not worry unduly or be too hasty in intervening if there are nothing more than very minor injuries (if any).

Hopefully they settle down again afterwards.

My two females did this regularly, even daily, for around 15 years and the fights were accompanied by a colour change, the ofter reported "graying out" and the cavitation or "clicking noises". All the males stayed out of the way. However, both females settled down next to each other and with the males when the fight had subsided.

Now they have exceeded 20 years of age and one, Anthia (9 inches), has recently grown significantly bigger than the other, Tiama (8 inches), and there is no longer any challenging behaviour as Tiama always gives way. All the males give way to both females except when they exhibit spawning behaviour (without the release of eggs) when the males swim alongside the females and follow their every move.

Two of my males once fought very aggressively for half a day when they were ten years old. They both drew their suborbicular spines and I was very concerned at the length of the fight and the ferocity, but all was well eventually with only a scratch or two visible. All the other fish stayed well out of the way.

Also around ten years ago, another fish of my shoal seemed to be challenging the dominance of the top two and constantly bit all the other shoal members. I left it a whole month but it was no better and I was not enjoying my fish as a result. I then decided to remove the aggressive fish and give it away. Peace then returned. It proved to be the right action.

I would give it a month to allow the behaviour to settle down and take a decision from that point.

[NancyD]

It might help to add hiding places & change the décor around.