Clown loaches with smaller fish?

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Q

Quo Vadis

Gambusia
MFK Member
Apr 12, 2014
912
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Wisconsin
Would a 6 inch clown loach be ok with small fish like black neon tetras, kuhli loaches, and sidthumunki loaches? I know yoyos at that size have been known to pick off small fish, but what about clowns? They always seemed like a more peaceful loach to me, but I could be wrong.

FYI, this would not be the home indefinitely, but I am moving some fish around from various tanks while I get a new one set up, so I was just wondering if it would work for awhile. These clowns have only been with fish 3 inches and over. Thanks!
 
I noticed that people have different experiences with same species fish based on how they're kept regarding stuff like this. But I have a bunch of 6-7in clown loaches that don't bother any tank mates including around 100 glow light tetras (same size as neons) and x-ray tetras...(almost same size)
 
the tetras I think would be fine, I would be a lot more careful with the smaller loaches though, they are going to be right in the clown's territory.
 
Vanica said:
the tetras I think would be fine, I would be a lot more careful with the smaller loaches though, they are going to be right in the clown's territory.
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Yeah, that is what I was thinking... Even though they are bigger than the tetras I am mostly worried about the kuhlis, because they are so passive and worm-like... might look too much like food. There are other bigger botia loaches in with them (a yoyo, historanica, zebras) but the biggest one is only maybe a little under 3 inches.

Anyone kept clowns this size with kuhlis? Again, it wouldn't be indefinitely, I am just shuffling some fish around til I set a new tank, maybe just a few months, but still don't want them to kill my little guys.
 
I have Yoyo's with my clowns too and they all play together. There is also huge disparity between the largest clown at about 7.5in and the smallest of both clowns and yoyo.. around 2in. They all get along great.

I did put some kuhlis in the tank too but they were tiny and I have never seen them. So I'm not sure if they got ate or they just stay hidden.
 
Well my Kuhlis are about 3 inches, and fairly fat, but still wormlike.(they are the biggest kuhlis I've ever, seen, but then they only have babies in the stores). They are fast, and do have a lot of hiding spots the clowns wouldn't fit into... hmmm
 
closets parallel i can draw for you is i have several clowns the largest is around 5 inches and they don't bother either of the 1-2 inch polyepterus i'm growing out in my community tank. They are not as skinny as a kuhli but they are much more slow to run away and none of my clowns bother them. But it depends on the loach, i have 4 that clown around and are always moving and one who is depressed and sleeps on his side all the time. I say give it a shot and i wish you luck!
 
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