The "Clown" in the Loach

[meiling]

I have always kept arowanas. Since my big one had a terrible accident, I now have a baby aro so I was finally able to get CL's. I have 3, maybe 2 inches now. They eat everything, but do they have any special diet needs? How will they fare in black sand? They get along with my baby aro, so I hope they grow together. Is there anything special about the proper keeping of CL's? Man, they are sooo darn funny, I nicknamed them The Insane Clown Posse.

[JD_MAN]

Mine mainly feed on a mixed diet of flake foods, frozen shrimp, and frozen blood worms.

[Muillinaust]

Just make sure they get a varied diet. I feed them shrimp pellets, cucumber, bannana, bloodworms and market shrimp, and they are happy and fat because of it. Also, they do great in sand, and black sand will really help their colors. The only special advice about loaches is that they are very sensitive to chemicals, and many medications could easily kill them off.

[Vapor]

Clowns are great I currently have four of them. They are very sensitive to getting Ich and chemicals will kill them. If they do get sick use salt. Has worked on mine great. Mine love zuchini (blanch it first) and go nuts over the algae wafers. Click like crazy eating those things.

[bmxer4ever]

I've treated mine for white spot many times with Waterlife Protozin and they seem fine - just follow the instructions religously and do a 10% or more water change/gravel vacuum before each dose. And make sure it's a half dose at most...
The other problem you might get with clowns is "knifeback", when they go all skinny and unwell and listless. This is usually a worm infection and is treatable with Waterlife Sterazin.
Both treatments have worked well for me, but give salt and heat a go first if you're feeling cautious.
Keeping your water perfect and quarantining new arrivals is the best solution of course - prevention is ALWAYS better than cure.

I've got a big 6" Clown who is just the funniest character and bosses the other 6 around at pellet time. Hand feeding them is a riot too - give you a right good sook!

Enjoy and take good care of your babies...

[Gr8KarmaSF]

i would be careful of the aro outgrowing the clowns and getting hungry one day....

[meiling]

Thank you all so much for your input, keep it coming! I appreciate it and am learning alot. I think if the aro grows with them, he's tiny, that hopefully that won't happen. Normally aro's don't eat them because of their spines, If my aro grows and creates too much or any mayhem I should say, I'll separate them. I'd post pix but they kinda look like 3 clown loaches swiming around, so I think you get the idea!!!

[meiling]

I have never had any illness in my tank, they seem fine. They keep getting funnier every day. I really enjoy them. what causes them to get worms?

[meiling]

oh, how do they do on Melafix, before this, I have used the normal dose and they seemed OK, maybe I was lucky.

[suzydiver]

My loaches love blanched zucchini, flakes and fresh spinach leaves! They are so much fun to watch - I catch them in all sorts of crazy positions - lying on top of one another, on their sides, crazy! I also have caught them almost "cleaning" the plecos, but I don't think the pleco would stand for it. I have 4 clowns and enjoy watching them interact with all the other fish in the tank.

[bmxer4ever]

I have never had any illness in my tank, they seem fine. They keep getting funnier every day. I really enjoy them. what causes them to get worms?

I have no idea what causes the worm infestation - could even be a similar problem to white spot - something that is always present that affects the fish when it gets stressed..??
Really don't know the reason, but the remedy seems to work. My little one that had knifeback is doin great since his time in the treatment tank, lookin fit and healthy and happy. They look so sad and ill when they get knifeback - I'm glad I was able to cure this one.

[fisy66]

How long do you treat for worms, using the sterizen?

[bmxer4ever]

How long do you treat for worms, using the sterizen?

STERAZIN
I just followed the instructions on the bottle, nothing more, nothin less...
It's a 10 day treatment cycle. Day 1,3,6,8 and 10. I put mine in a little 5 gallon tank and used a half dose (as recommended on the bottle...). You're always better to slightly underdose with Clowns, just to be safe - better to put in a drop less than a drop more, if you get what I mean. In such a small tank, I think I was only using about 4 drops a day.
Just read the bottle and stick to what it says. It works. I don't have a light on my 5 gallon, so that helps keep the stress down while your treating too.
My little Clown came through with flying colours...now he's happy and healthy.
I hate to lose a Clown. Considering that they can live for 50 years, you really have to look after them, it would be a crime not to. I'm hoping that i'll have mine til I'M a ripe old age...

[fisy66]

I have a community of 10 large loaches, the biggest being close to a foot in size! I can't imagine how old he is. The loach that I suspect might have worms is about 7inches and I can start to see the difinition of his spine, so I might catch and treat him. Thanks again!

[bmxer4ever]

I have a community of 10 large loaches, the biggest being close to a foot in size! I can't imagine how old he is. The loach that I suspect might have worms is about 7inches and I can start to see the difinition of his spine, so I might catch and treat him. Thanks again!

If he's gettin skinny and you're startin to see his bones under his skin, give the Sterazin a go. It worked wonders with my little guy, although I think havin a rest in the isolation tank and a chance to feed by himself helped as well. In 10 days you'll know if it was the right treatment.
Is he eatin OK but doesn't seem to be gaining weight? If so, sounds like he's got internal parasites - treat him.
All the best, hope he gets better - you don't wanna lose one that big - he must be a good few years old already. Got any Pics of your Clown pack? Foot long?!