Replace dither fish every 48hrs?

[MoreOrgan]

I shouldn't have to hide behind the sofa or use a web cam to enjoy my own clown loach, but that is what it has come to.
I have over a dozen clown loach that after a year, still hide all day. They come out to play around 5am, only to scatter if i approach. There are enough plants, pvc and hollow driftwood hiding spots, that all may disappear. Visitors always ask, when am I going to finally get some fish?
Water is fine, appetites are good and i've never had ick or any other problems except one mysterious death.
I just recently added dither fish (3 tiger barbs, 5 rosy barbs) and it worked like magic! The loach were out within 5 minutes and made fools of themselves swimming about all day and into the next.
Now its over and they are back to their old ways.
I just know my next visitor will see those barbs bobbing about and say, "Oh good you got some fish!"

All i can think of is that our cat is spooking them, as I have seen him swat at the tank a handful of times, but only when he thinks I am paying them too much attention.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[convict360]

I shouldn't have to hide behind the sofa or use a web cam to enjoy my own clown loach, but that is what it has come to.
I have over a dozen clown loach that after a year, still hide all day. They come out to play around 5am, only to scatter if i approach. There are enough plants, pvc and hollow driftwood hiding spots, that all may disappear. Visitors always ask, when am I going to finally get some fish?
Water is fine, appetites are good and i've never had ick or any other problems except one mysterious death.
I just recently added dither fish (3 tiger barbs, 5 rosy barbs) and it worked like magic! The loach were out within 5 minutes and made fools of themselves swimming about all day and into the next.
Now its over and they are back to their old ways.
I just know my next visitor will see those barbs bobbing about and say, "Oh good you got some fish!"

All i can think of is that our cat is spooking them, as I have seen him swat at the tank a handful of times, but only when he thinks I am paying them too much attention.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

get rid of your cat

 

[typicalalex1]

Clown loaches can be funny like that.
I owned my first bunch about 5 years ago and they were like yours. They would hide all day and only come out after a water change and go nuts. I actually thought my oscar had eaten them all at one point as i didn't see them for 2 weeks.

Now though, i have 9 loaches and they are the most outgoing fish i own, or have ever owned. They are out 90% of the time, swimming at all levels of the tank chasing each other or the silver dollars.
The silver dollars are very active and i think the clown loaches like that. I often see my 6 dollars and 9 clown loaches swimming together in 1 shoal.

Try putting some cucumber in the tank to get them to come out, they absolutely love it to the point that they fight over it. Weigh it down so it sinks to the bottom. Though this does make my loaches click their jaws while eating it and it does get annoying having 9 loaches clicking when your trying to watch tv

Or try adding some dollars if you have the room, maybe that will work.

 

[convict360]

In all seriousness, i would add at least 10 tiger barbs; you already seen the difference that 3 made, I'm willing to bet a larger crowd of tiger's will draw the clowns out, especially since they tend to shoal together too

 

[FunWow!]

Start hand feeding them blood worms to get them to want to come out. Worked great for me

 

[AlG]

The barbs can get aggressive in small numbers, I agree with convict360 increasing the numbers of the fish you already have would probably be the best plan I have 10 tiger barbs with 7 clown loaches and they only hide if I wear black or point my iPhone at them...

 

[MoreOrgan]

get rid of your cat

Ditching the cat would seem logical except I only started keeping fish again so he could have some entertainment.

 

[MoreOrgan]

The barbs can get aggressive in small numbers, I agree with convict360 increasing the numbers of the fish you already have would probably be the best plan I have 10 tiger barbs with 7 clown loaches and they only hide if I wear black or point my iPhone at them...

I've tried cucumber and blood worms. At the very beginning a few would eat blood worms from my hand, but not now.
The largest and most dominant CL (he is greyed out often) is very shy. I wonder if the rest could be taking their cues from him?

Ill try my barbs like you guys are suggesting.
If all else fails, just throw more fish at the problem!
Typical fish forum solution. ; )