Clown loaches clean tinfoil barbs?

[ShadowBass]

I have about twelve 2.5-3in long clown loaches in a 220g community tank with 6 tinfoil barbs, 3 of which are about 5 inches now.

The tinfoil barbs will go sit very still near the bottom of the tank with their head tilted downwards. Any of you that have tinfoils know they're neurotic and it's not common for them to sit still very long.
As soon as they sit there for a few seconds the little loaches come up and start nibbling on their sides. The tinfoil barb will continue to sit very still, sometimes for as long as about 30 seconds before they decide to swim off. I have seen all of my larger tinfoil barbs do this (the other tinfoils are only 2.5 in right now and do not exhibit this yet). It almost seems kind of like a cleaning station in saltwater since they always do this in the same area of the tank.

I read that tinfoil barbs sometimes inhabit the same areas as clown loaches in the wild, so I kind of wonder if this is an instinctive behavior, or did the tinfoils just suddenly realized they like being "groomed" by the clown loaches?
I've seen the clown loaches nibble at other fish but none of the other fish will sit still for it and usually appear irritated by it more than anything else.

 

[CHUPA CABRA]

i have never seen mines do that, but that sounds awsome.
i have to keep an eye on mines
i have 2 clown loaches and 3 tinfoil

 

[ShadowBass]

I need to set up a video camera on a tripod and try to catch it.

If I walk up to the tank and try to take video they think they're getting fed so they stop and swim up to the glass instead.

 

[Ak-Kronic]

i have 4 clown loach and 3 tinfoil barbs they are all small so i don't think they know what to do yet but i will also keep an eye on them. interesting symbiotic relationship they have developed

 

[ShadowBass]

This is why I can't get video of them....
Plus I can't figure out how to do video on this newfangled expensive camera anyway, so I'm trying to find my other camera.

 

[ewurm]

I've never seen or heard about this behavior. It's very interesting. I'd love to see a video as well.

 

[nigaharu]

That's awesome. I've never seen mines do something even close to that!!

 

[shelbyzman]

My kissing gourami used to "suck" on the sides of my tinfoils. Sometimes they would just stay put, but most of the time they would swim away. I was a little concerned about their slime coat coming off....don't know if it could be a problem.

 

[nosegoblin]

I've read that clowns do in some circumstances have a habit of sucking the covering slime from bigger flat fishes like discus from time to time and that is why it is not recommended to at least keep discus and clowns together.

 

[esse]

I have seven good sized CL’s and two large sized tins. I never noticed such behavior, but now I will be looking for it. I can’t imagine my Tinfoil’s sitting still for longer than 0.010 seconds.