300g: would you get all clown Loaches or mix in other loaches

[Cardeater]

This is a ways off but I was just thinking about this and am curious what you all would decide.

I have 7 clown Loaches in my 125g. I hope to upgrade in the next year or two to a 300g-350g tank.

I was debating if I'd expand my stock to like 20 clowns, or mix in Kubotai Loaches bc it would be cool to have some variety. Get like 15 clowns and say 10 kubotai.

Im thinking all clowns would probably be best bc I've read reports that clowns get more bold the more you have.

They are my favorite fish and I can tell my seven apart so I bet I'd be able to identify each of the 20 individually. On the other hand, it would be cool to have some other patterned Loach in there.

 

[Coryloach]

Personally, I'd get just clown loaches and then for the upper level get similarly active non-loach type of fish that wouldn't get spooked by the clowns boisterous behavior.

 

[Cardeater]

Personally, I'd get just clown loaches and then for the upper level get similarly active non-loach type of fish that wouldn't get spooked by the clowns boisterous behavior.

Thanks for the response. For upper levels, I'd just get more species of rainbowfish. I currently have some in my tank and they are active and colorful and the little clowns ones are out even when lights are on. I'd probably try platinum hatchetfish for the very top.

 

[RD.]

I would make it 100% clown loaches, but that's just me. I had a 125 like that years ago, it made quite the statement, just wasn't large enough to keep 15 CL's long term. Even as a single species set up, it was certainly never boring.

 

[Tobiassorensen]

CL are always nice to watch in large groups but in a 300g i would go with leptobotia elongata instead. But thats just me

 

[AU_Arowana-RG]

At that point, I'd get some Leptobotia Elongata.

 

[Cichlids1999]

Clown loaches are one of the coolest fish they do awesome in small schools personally one of my favourites even though I’m a southern American cichlid guy I will always love clown loaches

 

[Cardeater]

Clown loaches are one of the coolest fish they do awesome in small schools personally one of my favourites even though I’m a southern American cichlid guy I will always love clown loaches

Yeah they are definitely my favorite fish. My favorite behavior is when one or two of my smaller Loaches press themselves along side of my big alpha Loach that is like 3-4 times bigger than them and swim along with her. She make turns and they'll stay pressed in formation with her. She is only active when lights are off so unfortunately I can't get any video of it. Seriouslyfish website calls this behavior "shadowing."

I also like that they can live for over 20 years.

 

[Coryloach]

My favorite behavior is when

My favorite these days is when my clowns wait for breakfast. This morning I could see big gaping mouths outside the water before I even dropped the food. After I dropped it, one of them was still half way out of the water mopping food that hadn't sunk even though I feed sinking pellets, so she actually had food stuck all over her back....I worried for a second...They also start splashing if I am there, and I am not dropping food, real temper on them....Mine are in tall enough pond so they've learned to come up to the surface.

I'd definitely increase your school up to 15 if you have the long term plan to keep them. You'll see that really nice pack behavior, wolf like almost.