Anyone had a CL stuck in rocks.,cave,under driftwood etc.?

[Bill Bajaj]

Years ago I had to help a friend get one out of a piece of driftwood. We ended up cutting the wood in half, as there was no way that loach was coming out.

I have to say that thousands of juvenile clown loaches I have seen over the years, almost all imported from the wild, most have settled into the life of a glass box by the time they have reached a tank in the LFS. When this species is small, like most fish, in nature they tend to spend most of their day in hiding from larger predators. Remove that part from the equation and IME when kept in groups of 5 or more they become tame fairly quickly. Larger loaches, not so much, some can take months to settle into a new environment.

Years ago I kept a group of approx. 15 clown loaches by themselves in a 6ft 125 gallon species only tank. When the tank lights went off each loach would within minutes gravitate to their special resting spot in the tank. They appeared to sleep in the exact same spot each night, and I had several with unique markings so it was easy to establish who rested where. Some laid on the sand, some in caves, some in special nooks of the driftwood, some laid on open stretches of a certain section of a specific piece of driftwood. I had never seen this behaviour over the years when keeping them in community set up.

What a detailed and clear writeup on CL with great info.! This is a true insight into the world of the CLOWN LOACH ! Well said buddy.! Really RD this is a treat I never knew that CL would really show their true behaviour in a species tank this is great !
And I'm not surprised you had a a case of a clown being stuck in a driftwood mine choose the driftwood over caves as they dig themselves a huge hole everytime deep under the driftwood as my substrate is fine sand you can really appreciate CL as they are expert diggers.!
Like i said the more I learn about the mighty CL the more this fish fascinates me !
Thanks RD for the excellent info
Cheers buddy

 

[RD.]

Yeah, I miss that tank & regret moving them. As they started to get bigger and more mature I split the group between two local friends, half went into a 550 gallon tank, the other half into a 350. The ones that went to the 350 I still get to visit on occasion, the other friend got out of the hobby. I still have a group in one of my tanks, but I don't see the same kind of behaviour that I saw when it was just loaches. That tank might one day be devoted just to loaches again.

 

[Bill Bajaj]

After reading all this it all makes good sense.! When I do get my dream 6ft. tank(pending my dear wife's approval !)I actually had plans to make it into a kind of a community tank with some other large fish but now BUT NOW all this might just change.
I definitely think a dedicated CL species tank would be just heavenly !

 

[Coryloach]

You know, from some personal experience over the years I think that if the clowns are kept with smaller fish, and the clowns are the dominant fish, you still get to see more natural behaviour. Mine are kept with denison barbs and SAEs which I got as juveniles and they all, the clowns, barbs and SAEs swim in one bunch most of the time.

I picked active species specifically to suit the clown loach behaviour after seeing some videos online and so far its been a real success species wise, and behaviour wise. It suits both worlds, mine and the fish's I don't think the clowns are bothered by any of the other inhabitants.

In fact, when I got 3 young clowns a couple of years ago, they grew up together with the barbs and SAEs which were also juveniles and the lot was swimming together in a swarm.

A attached a recent video of mine below. The tank is that active all day these days. My head can get spinning watching them. The longer I've had my clowns, the more active and outgoing they got.

I got the first bunch in 2012 and I've gone through different tank setups and tactics to get them to be outgoing because the first couple of years I had them they hid from me the moment I opened the door....I used to crawl into the room on 4 legs, no joke, or else they'd be gone..

 

[Bill Bajaj]

You know, from some personal experience over the years I think that if the clowns are kept with smaller fish, and the clowns are the dominant fish, you still get to see more natural behaviour. Mine are kept with denison barbs and SAEs which I got as juveniles and they all, the clowns, barbs and SAEs swim in one bunch most of the time.

I picked active species specifically to suit the clown loach behaviour after seeing some videos online and so far its been a real success species wise, and behaviour wise. It suits both worlds, mine and the fish's I don't think the clowns are bothered by any of the other inhabitants.

In fact, when I got 3 young clowns a couple of years ago, they grew up together with the barbs and SAEs which were also juveniles and the lot was swimming together in a swarm.

A attached a recent video of mine below. The tank is that active all day these days. My head can get spinning watching them. The longer I've had my clowns, the more active and outgoing they got.

I got the first bunch in 2012 and I've gone through different tank setups and tactics to get them to be outgoing because the first couple of years I had them they hid from me the moment I opened the door....I used to crawl into the room on 4 legs, no joke, or else they'd be gone..
Nice group of CL and great looking tank or is it a pond ? Really buzzing with activity ! Instantly I can see.that.the red line torpedo barb has greatly influenced the group of CL ! the barbs are a constantly on the move type of fish whereas the CL is stop n go kind(please correct me if I'm wrong). But you can see the CL are very active indeed.
After watching your tanks video I've got some questions.
1.will the type fish you put in with the group of CL influence the behaviour of CL.?
2.if I want the CL to be the dominant species in tank do I have many no. Of clowns the more the merrier ? Also size and type of fish? Would putting say up to 3 large tinfoil barbs influence the CL to be more outgoing ?
3.presently I have only 6 scissortail rasbora fish that swim in the middle to top of quarium it has no influence at all to the CL. Previously I had silver dollars you could clearly see the CL mixing around with silver dollars its very clear to see the type of fish that you put in into your CL tank has a great influence on the behaviour of the CL.! ?
Gents I'm still learning abt Mr. CL so would appreciate all advice and wanna learn everything about this magnificent fish.
Bill

 

[RD.]

You know, from some personal experience over the years I think that if the clowns are kept with smaller fish, and the clowns are the dominant fish, you still get to see more natural behaviour.

I think this is very true. I also found that most of my clown loaches acclimated to new surroundings best when subdued lighting was used.

 

[Bill Bajaj]

I completely agree with Coryloach ! Making the CL mix with smaller species and getting them to be the dominant species of tank would bring out their natural behaviour - great idea!!