Clown Loach growth issues

[SteveR]

I have a 100gal aquarium with 5 clowns, and 6 bala sharks. I also have 2 tinfoils. (slightly overstocked but it's well filtered - x2 FX5s).

I firstly bought just 2 clown loaches they where well id say about and inch long but quiet plump (had a belly). I added 3 more 2 weeks later - I could only find smaller ones this time, quite thin also. It seems they are quite "wide" at their heads but behind this their body goes in the way instead of a nice healthy loach where the belly curves outward (looking top down on the fish). I've got the issue now that the 3 quite thin one's haven't really grown at all 10 months later (and they look very skinny - no nice plumpness to their bodies like the 2 well fed ones.) I've noticed the clowns can be a nightmare. At feeding time I use some tropical kingbritish flakes, some tropical pellets and some frozen bloodworm. Every now and then (once a week roughly) I place a small piece of courgette in over night and it comes out pretty eaten in the morning. The problem at feeding time seems to be the sharks and the barbs have eaten alot of the food quickly, before the clowns even realise, or get out of their hiding places under the rocks and under the bits of wood in my tank. I do see them eat little bits here and there every now and then but I really would love any advice you have in trying to fatten them up to match their "mates".

I've thought about dividing off the tank with a plastic grate but i cannot find one anywhere, not sure it would work great anyway.
I have no cash available for more tanks right now
Anyone help with suggestions?

 

[ewurm]

Feed the clowns sinking pellets. And add more clowns. They have strength in numbers, and soon your other fish will be competing with them for food. For the parasite issue, soak some bloodworms in Praziquantel, that's how I treat it.

 

[SteveR]

Hi, tried the sinking pellets but the sharks get them before they fall down normally, or the tinfoils. Annoying !

 

[SteveR]

Forgot to mention, I also have 1 common plec. Anyway, here are some photos, first, one of the normal plump healthy looking clowns...

2nd and 3rd are the really thin ones looking from top down their body has no girth to it, and it goes in the way. One of them has gills that look a little red, but the other is okay, and its still thin...

 

[canucksfan1]

i've had good luck feeding blanched vegtables, algae wafers, sinking shrimp pellets, all sorts of stuff

 

[SteveR]

They do occasionally eat an algae wafer, if its still about

 

[clgkag]

I place some sinking wafer on the bottom by hand where I know the loaches hang out. I get wet, but the loaches get to eat.

 

[synodontisjack]

bury a cube of bloodworm after you turn the lights off, the clowns have a good sense of smell and will find it before the other fish also add more clowns (bigger ones are far more boisterous and are better at competing for food.

 

[Lupin]

With inch size clown loaches, the frequency of feeding is far greater than that of those who have reached the 3-inch mark. You will need to feed them plenty of protein-loaded foods and do plenty of water changes. Grow them in a seprate tank. Please remember that juvenile specimens can hardly outcompete anyone if kept in a community tank which is why it is inadvisable to mix them until they grow enough to be able to grab their share of food.

On the other hand, try to search levamisole hydrochloride and store it just in case 'skinny disease' happens. You'll never know when it happens and as levamisole hydrochloride is not easy to obtain in some areas, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have one in your cabinet. Keep it in a cool dark place.

 

[TwistedPenguin]

I'd go with the parasite treatment and adding more (quarrantined!!) Clown Loaches. I've got 16 together and their swarming over food seems directly correlated to how many Loaches are together. My 6" Severum is the one who has to dash around scooping up food as fast as he can if he wants to eat (he's tough enough to handle it though, I don't feel sorry for him <g>). When I had them split into 3 groups in other tanks they still ate....but not with the frenzy and enthusiasm they do since being put all together. Loaches are wild-caught, so parasite treatment is a must IMO. And Praziquantel is my 'drug of choice' with Loaches because it's so safe. I use Prazi-Pro liquid that can be added to the water.