Part 3 to my neverending fish conquest..even MORE questions!

[shazam26]

Hey everyone, seeing there's (as always) a lot of talk about clown loaches again, I saw that they had some nice, happily active ones down at the pet store. I discovered them today, they get some every 3 weeks. I am DYING inside for some clowns. I have the temporary tank, remember? I'm yet to put anything into it except my betta, who will be moved tonight.
But I need lots of preparation. I would really like to get a trio of clowns for the tank until I can set up my 30 gallon next month. Then I may get a few more fish. I am planning on getting tiger barbs as well (I noticed them mentioned here on another topic) and it got me thinking about clowns. These are the healthiest clowns I'm yet to see in my province. They're so playful and have such vibrant colorings.
I would adore to own them, I always wanted some, and am willing to do the tank upgrades to keep them comfortable. But I would first appreciate all the information I can attain about them, their best tank buddies, the best food for them, what sort of filter/heater/other assorted equipment would best benefiet them, etc. I know they're not the easiest to care for and if anyone thinks it isn't a good idea for me to try yet, I will wait. My plan is to first introduce tiger barbs to the tank, and perhaps my rainbow. He's got his own little cave he slips into that the clowns wouldn't be able to fit in anyway The clowns at the shop are around 1&1/2 to 2 inches in length, and the rainbow is still a little baby.
Please offer all the advice and info you can. Originally I was going to go with the kuhli's, but I fell in absolute love when I saw these healthy lovely loaches at the pet store.
Thanks everyone!

[angelfish83]

I'm concerned at your kid in a candy store view on fish keeping. Don't take that the wrong way, but its the impression i get.

You shouldn't, in my opinion, keep any botia in a tank smaller than 3 feet long. Even baby clowns are cramped in a 30G.

Stop being so excited about fish and wanting them so badly and understand that there are certain conditions that have to be met and that its better to do things one way than another. If you want a clown like loach, get hitrionicas. You'll still want over 30 gallons. And you shouldn't get 3 loaches. More is better. I couldn't find a nicer way of saying that. I hope it didnt sound too harsh.

Before you get into anything, ask yourself this-

Can I afford, and do I have the space for, a seven foot long tank weighing about 2000 lbs, and the huge amount of maintenance therein involved, and the fact that it'll likely cost over $3 500+ just to get it set up and decorated properly?

[adampetherick]

$3500 would be cheap!! I'm looking at paying $16200 for a 10ft tank

[angelfish83]

$3500 would be cheap!! I'm looking at paying $16200 for a 10ft tank

So there you have it...

[shazam26]

I'm sorry if I come across that way. I really do have the fishes best interest in my mind, otherwise I would have bought them on impulse and wouldn't have consulted with anyone on the board before purchasing them. My mother has the biggest tank at home and was willing to care for them while I come home for the summer to work- hence the funding for my larger upgrade from the 30. But it is true, I should wait until I'm properly settled into a sturdy home before purchasing a fish like a clown.
I'd love to care for them but as you've said a 30 wouldn't be suitable for the species for the first year. Isn't that one of their biggest growth periods? Then I'll stick to my original plan of Kuhli's, and when I settle in my permanent home, where I can set up a larger, long term tank, I will look into clowns again.
Thank you for your info!

[angelfish83]

I'm sorry if I come across that way. I really do have the fishes best interest in my mind, otherwise I would have bought them on impulse and wouldn't have consulted with anyone on the board before purchasing them. My mother has the biggest tank at home and was willing to care for them while I come home for the summer to work- hence the funding for my larger upgrade from the 30. But it is true, I should wait until I'm properly settled into a sturdy home before purchasing a fish like a clown.
I'd love to care for them but as you've said a 30 wouldn't be suitable for the species for the first year. Isn't that one of their biggest growth periods? Then I'll stick to my original plan of Kuhli's, and when I settle in my permanent home, where I can set up a larger, long term tank, I will look into clowns again.
Thank you for your info!

Is this a 30 long?

Most 30's are 29" by 12". If you have a 36 or 40" 30 gallon, you might be able to get one of the smaller botias, like Botia rostrata. It has a clown-ish shape, and will (maybe, depending on what you have) fit in your tank. Otherwise, a very large group of Kuhlis is fun to watch and will fit well.
I never thought you didnt have the best interests of the fish at heart but I know from experience wanting anything aquatic bad enough leads to unintentional corner cutting and bad decisions.

So is it a long tank?

[TammyLiz]

What about sids? They're smaller than rostrata, right? I'd think if it wasn't a long, and was 30" then they would be a good choice.

[shazam26]

I know exactly what you're talking about, when it comes to 'cutting corners'. I've seen people keep full grown clowns in 30g tanks.
No need to say they were undersized, it had to be because of the tank size. They seemed healthy and active, but they couldn't have been ok under those conditions. -_- I've seen people keep the babies in a 15g with the intention of never upgrading, figuring they wouldn't grow.
People buy fish like that because they're 'cute' and their kids like them.
I would never buy a fish on impulse, regardless of how much I'd love to own them. I always think how I'd enjoy being kidnapped and stuffed in a little box for years.
Yes, mine is a thirty long, average sized I'm afraid.
No rostrata for me! Sids... do you mean botia sidthimunki??
How are their temperaments?
Then again, it would be impossible for me to obtain one in Newfoundland... we barely get Clown loaches.

[angelfish83]

I know exactly what you're talking about, when it comes to 'cutting corners'. I've seen people keep full grown clowns in 30g tanks.
No need to say they were undersized, it had to be because of the tank size. They seemed healthy and active, but they couldn't have been ok under those conditions. -_- I've seen people keep the babies in a 15g with the intention of never upgrading, figuring they wouldn't grow.
People buy fish like that because they're 'cute' and their kids like them.
I would never buy a fish on impulse, regardless of how much I'd love to own them. I always think how I'd enjoy being kidnapped and stuffed in a little box for years.
Yes, mine is a thirty long, average sized I'm afraid.
No rostrata for me! Sids... do you mean botia sidthimunki??
How are their temperaments?
Then again, it would be impossible for me to obtain one in Newfoundland... we barely get Clown loaches.

Yup thats the one... If you cant get them there what about having them shipped?

[botiaboy]

If you wanted to seach till your eyeballs fell out you might try to get sinibotia pulchra or sinibotia longiventralis-both peaceful,get to about 4 inches and i believe they can be kept alone.My longiventralis is so much fun in my 26 gallon!

[shazam26]

Hmmm... shipping to Newfoundland can be pretty strenuous, specifically on the fish, IMO. Many of the fish that get shipped here often die from the travel, and the weather changes. Then again, I don't know how much care and a pet shops delivery man puts into safe delivery of their fish. They (the pet store workers) always treat them just like items here... they only person who really cares about the fish is the manager. But if I could find a safe, reliable place to purchase my fish from, (outside of the chain line of pet stores here) and have it shipped here very carefully and safely, I'd be very pleased to do so. Is there any specific place besides the original birthplace of the sid that you could recommend shipment from?
In terms of getting fish shipped in, I must admit I'm completely ignorant. I don't know if anyone has done this before and can recommend a place, maybe a way I could contact one?
Ohhh, the Botia longiventralis is a specimen I hadn't seen until you mentioned it! In a 26 gallon you say? Where are you located, and how did you manage to get one? I was just reading up on it. So many loaches have such diverse looks and patterns to them

[shari2]

you could try Frank's Aquarium. Email him and tell him where you are. See if he would recommend shipping at this time of year. You may need to wait till summer...

[botiaboy]

My mom came across him at a specialty pet store nearby my house in CT...I wanted an eel, but she couldn't find one,and it looked like an eel,and know I would pick him over an eel any time!The freaky thing is, he was the only one there and the shop went out of business a few weeks later, and they had been running since my mom was a kid. I named him sneakers and he is one of my absolute favorite fish.

[shazam26]

Thanks for the link Shari, I'll be sure to ask him! Summer time would be a perfect time anyway, I'd have a place set sturdy for them to stay in at that time. I think the biggest tank I'd get would be a 55. That would be with a nicely permanent (well semi-permanent, you all know how it is these days with unpredictability) place to live, and the season would provide the safest and closest to stress-free shipment they could get.

Wow BB, it really sounds like you lucked out!
That's a nice eye your mom has! Wish it was that easy for me...
Though I am going to the capital city of my province soon, that could prove to be a successful journey, should travel conditions be alright for a 6 hour drive. I'd need something good to keep them safe in, should I find anything. Though with the quality of care and amount of petstores I'm seeing here, I'm not having very high hopes.

I went to the pet store today, my 'Q-Tank' as you all seemed to have dubbed it is ready to go at 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and the pH is teetering ever so near to 7.0. (Of course, it always seems impossible to me to get it right on the dot. -_-) I was looking in the tanks, the Kuhli one to be specific, and they said they were out of them. They hadn't seen any in a while. I take a closer look, and see a striped tail poking out of the rocks! They actually did have them, in there with a few other fish, and hadn't realized it. How do you not realize a loach might go under the sediments? Anyway, they're settling in very nicely, my red fin is being very kind, and of course cleaning them off should any flakes land on them. I'm very glad to get them out of that pet store, they seemed fairly frisky & hungry when I gave them food tonight. The rocks on the bottom that they were burying in at the pet store seemed way too large, for their size. Barely 2 inches!

Anyway, thanks again everyone for your help, its been a great relief. No second guessing advice here. ^_^