View Full Version : Light colored clown loaches. Why?
TankBuster
05-17-2006, 5:15 PM
Does anyone know why some clown loaches are bright orange and some are a real pale color. The Petsmart near me has about 7 pale ones and 1 good orange. I bought one from them that is still very pale after about 3 months and my other ones are rich in orange color.
FishHeadSoup
05-17-2006, 5:29 PM
it MIGHT have to do with who is dom. and sub. within the pack group.
my loaches seem to change color all the time.
TankBuster
05-17-2006, 5:32 PM
hmmm...
is300zx
05-17-2006, 5:51 PM
it can also be signs of stress like no places to hide, bad water condition, etc.
TankBuster
05-17-2006, 5:58 PM
Excellent water cond. may need more hiding, thanks for the info.
JD_MAN
05-17-2006, 6:07 PM
I have never understood why they do that. I have 2 that will change colors. They will get real dark and then lighten up. All of my other guys never change. They all eat the same things and have the same places to swim.
Honda12
05-17-2006, 6:41 PM
Same here, I have one that changes constanly.
JD_MAN
05-17-2006, 6:51 PM
I would also like to know what all of this clicking means. Around feeding time, about 9, they all start clicking and keep clicking after I feed them.
dodgefreak8
05-17-2006, 8:15 PM
if its a dominence issue and not a stress issue than the dominant loach will "grey out" the less dominant loaches will get brighter. My loaches do this constantly
FishHeadSoup
05-18-2006, 12:30 PM
I would also like to know what all of this clicking means. Around feeding time, about 9, they all start clicking and keep clicking after I feed them.
clicking = happy :)
mssassysan2000
05-19-2006, 6:12 AM
The clown loaches at my local petsmart are pale to and all of them had ick to i believe that the distrubitors haven't been caring for bought three and got them home they had ick.:swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: took them back and treated the rest of my fish with aq.salt.:clap :clap :clap
Mine are always light in the morning, but color up after a few minutes with the light on.
crazyduckhunt
05-19-2006, 5:04 PM
tiger barbs are the same way with dominance turnin almost all gold while the alpha darkens to almost black
is300zx
05-19-2006, 5:28 PM
The clown loaches at my local petsmart are pale to and all of them had ick to i believe that the distrubitors haven't been caring for bought three and got them home they had ick.:swear: :swear: :swear: :swear: took them back and treated the rest of my fish with aq.salt.:clap :clap :clap
clown loaches are very susceptible to ich. pretty much all clown loaches you buy are all wild caught so you gotta always quarantine them first before adding them to your tank
FishHeadSoup
05-19-2006, 5:46 PM
Mine are always light in the morning, but color up after a few minutes with the light on.
they need their morning cup of coffee....:D