Weird Clown Loach behaviour (no, not lying on their back)

[SteveR]

Got a weird thing happening with 2 of my clowns. Got 6 in total in my 100Gal (UK which is like 135 US)

Every now and then, seems daily now, randomly 2 of them change colour slightly - the black stripes suddenly turn very grey, they start moving their pectoral fins very fast, and when any other clown passes they snap at them / chase them.

After a few mins, it's over and they turn nice and dark again.

It's always the same 2, I can't understand it. They are all about the same size (3 inch at mow and have nice fat bellies).

Anyone know what this is?

 

[oscar n redtail cat]

terrotury ??(spelling lol)

 

[SteveR]

Woofy, don't buy that theory. Rest of them are always fine, water is all normal I regularly check.

I doubt it's territorial either; as it happens anywhere in the tank, and 90perecent of the time they all shoal together with no problems.

 

[justin guest]

It´s not a territory thing, it´s a dominance competition. A clown loach swarm almost always has an alpha fish. The two in your tank just haven´t sorted out who it currently is at the moment.

j<><

 

[jaguartooth]

my loaches do this about once every two weeks. yeah, dominance thing, but once things get decided between them, they are family again... but then they forget and fight again...just like my family.

 

[chrishasaburner]

same thing happens to me... Their just establishing a alpha

 

[SteveR]

Sounds right. Odd tho, as they've been in the tank over 10months now!


Thanx guys.

 

[ewurm]

I don't ever see territorial disputes in mine. Possibly because I have such a high concentration of fish.