Clown Loaches really like flow

[Cardeater]

From my research, I knew clown Loaches like flow in the tank, so I got two powerhead 2.5 years ago to create flow in the tank.

Until recently, this powerhead was near the top of the tank and it also mixed air with the flow through the venturi effect. About two months ago, The pleco kept knocking it over (didn't bother it for over two years, maybe the suction cups were just not strong enough to withstand him pressing against it anymore).



I eventually moved it down to the current location as I was afraid it was gonna to fall into a fish an injure it.

This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The pleco now often just sits in front of it and doesn't knock it over

The best is that the clown Loaches hang out here a lot. This has become one of their favorite spots. The pleco sometimes chases them away from being right in front of the outflow but the smaller ones can stay right behind him.

I saw before that the clowns would sometimes swim into the flow of the other powerhead that's stronger and at about the 75% water level but this bottom level powerhead is working great.

After having a bunch of things concern me in my tanks (some thread I had in fish health issue) it feels good to post something positive.

 

[esoxlucius]

There are a few giveaway clues as to the habitat that is best suited to clown loaches. Their body shape, their barbels and the underslung position of the mouth tell you that they like hugging the bottom of flowing rivers, i imagine they scurry around on the bottom like they do using their barbels to detect insect larva and other critters. So your clowns sitting on the bottom against the flow of your bottom positioned powerhead are in their element.

Like you, I have a powerhead at the bottom of the tank and when it's on it pushes water the full 6ft length of my 180. My clowns like hanging out in the flow too. But what really seems to drive them crazy is when i've done a water change. When filling the tank back up I position the hose near the powerhead. The tank is only about 7 or 8" deep at this point. I turn the powerhead on and they seem to go crazy swimming against the current, more than likely because it's clean fresh well oxygenated water. Maybe i'm wrong but I reckon it's because they can't detect any nitrate in this clean fresh water and it really gets them going.

Nice clowns by the way, I have 5 about the same size as yours and another 6 smaller ones.

 

[Cardeater]

ut what really seems to drive them crazy is when i've done a water change. When filling the tank back up I position the hose near the powerhead. The tank is only about 7 or 8" deep at this point. I turn the powerhead on and they seem to go crazy swimming against the current, more than likely because it's clean fresh well oxygenated water. Maybe i'm wrong but I reckon it's because they can't detect any nitrate in this clean fresh water and it really gets them going.

Nice clowns by the way, I have 5 about the same size as yours and another 6 smaller ones.

I'm going to try that when I do a water change.

I have seven total. One of my originals is both pics and he's clearly male. He over twenty years old and the 2.5 year old ones are around his size with one being clearly bigger (that I imagine will turn into a giant one at some point if I'm lucky). I have a big female but that grew up with that male but she's not in these pics and she is huge compared to these.

Edit:
On a side note, I was just thinking about how I had these clowns in a 10g QT when they were like 2.5-3". I had an airstone and it amused me remembering how they used to swim downward into the slow upward flow that the aristone generated I wish I had taken a video of it.

 

[bosmat]