Clown Loach Discussion

[Coryloach]

although that changes in a loach only tank and with higher numbers of them.

I think that as long as they're the biggest fish in the tank, they dominate it. At least mine always did as I never kept much bigger than them fish. But I think they do like dithers, as long as the dithers are lively and energetic...otherwise they'd be spooked by the loaches and the loaches by the dithers. I added the odd 1 baby loach several times over the years to get my "new clown loach fix" and they swam with whatever dithers I had for at the time, whether platies, or the denison barbs and SAEs.....to the point you'd think that they don't know they're a clown loach.

My small loaches tend to avoid the large older ones for quite a while, until they pack some size....Then they start behaving like the older loaches. Takes about 1.5 years to get to a 4 incher....For 6 years, my largest of that group is about 9 inch, the smallest 6 year old could be as small as 5.5-6 inches and I think he's the only male from that batch...

 

[squint]

How many can I keep in a 300 gal? I have 12 now in a 125 gal and the filter isn't really keeping up so it's getting close to upgrade time. I can go bigger than 300 if necessary. Going with acrylic, of course.

 

[Coryloach]

How many can I keep in a 300 gal?

How many can you keep if they all get to 12 inches. Looking at mine, I think 10 inches is achievable in as short as 6-7 years, especially if you end up with a lot of females. As previously mentioned by redshark, they keep growing, length and girth wise..... I'd have a decent dinner if I were to cook my largest loach

 

[Dycofree]

Would love opinions on my revamped scape for the clowns

 

[Coryloach]

Would love opinions on my revamped scape for the clowns

The tank is very nice.
Ideally, I'd get a pvc pipe, a big one, or something similar that has two exits. If you don't like the look, cover with with gravel attached with silicone(let it cure properly). All clown loaches will jam in the same pipe...They like being together....

 

[squint]

How many can you keep if they all get to 12 inches. Looking at mine, I think 10 inches is achievable in as short as 6-7 years, especially if you end up with a lot of females. As previously mentioned by redshark, they keep growing, length and girth wise..... I'd have a decent dinner if I were to cook my largest loach

Yeah, if they all get that big I think a 300 gal might be fully stocked. I kind of wanted to add a severum though.

 

[David R]

Depends on the dimensions of the 300g, floor area is key with clowns. I certainly think you'd have toom to keep other fish with 12 clowns in a 300g, even when they're getting bigger (with adequate filtration etc etc).

 

[squint]

I'd definitely go for the 96 L x 30 W x 24 H instead of the 96 L x 24 W x 30 H.

 

[Dycofree]

Thread has been hijacked

 

[tiger15]

Takes about 1.5 years to get to a 4 incher....For 6 years, my largest of that group is about 9 inch, the smallest 6 year old could be as small as 5.5-6 inches and I think he's the only male from that batch...

Yours have grown in fast pace or you started out large.

Starting from 1 - 2 inch size, mine reached 5 - 6 inch in 5 years, then grew very slowly to 7 to 9 inch in the next 5 years.

CL can take as long as human to reach mature size of 15 inch or more. The largest one I have seen in store is 12 inch. It has lost the intense color of juvies, but still attractive, and who knows how old it is.