Clown not thriving.....

[aravenschild]

I purchased two clown loaches (sama tank, same store, same time) over a month ago, one is doing great, has just about doubled it size. The other isn't doing very well.....they are both in a 100 gallon, heavily planted tank with kobota botias and striata botias and get along very well. The little clown is very active but will only eat bloodworms and only a few at a time, it seems to ignore the rest of the food offered.
I wouldn't ask, but this little guy has some neat oddball markings and I'd hate to lose him.
Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance..................

 

[crazie.eddie]

How long have you had them? If their new, the other loach probably is still not comfortable yet.

What color is your substrate? I used to have white substrate and my loches never wandered around the tank often. Their color also wasn't bright. Only when I later changed to dark substrate, did they color nicely and swim all over the tanks.

What else do you feed them?

Other than FBW, my loaches love Hikari Sinking Carnivore pellets, blanched zuchini, frozen shrimp (thawed), tetra bits, OmegaOne Shrimp pellets, & OmegaOne algae disks.

 

[aravenschild]

Thanks crazie.eddie for getting back to me......

I've had the two clowns for approx. six weeks.... They seem (no fighting noticed)to get along great with each other and the other loaches. None of the loaches I have seem to ever hide (including the clowns), and I can always find them out in the open.

The substrata I'm using is a natural (shades of brown) pea gravel, and as I've said before the tank is heavily planted. There are also several caves and small flower pots they can hide in if feel alittle insecure.

Because its a mixed tropical tank, I general feed flake food, blood worms, algae and bottom feeder wafers and shrimp pellets. I also give them brine shrimp occasionally. I just never see the little clown eatting anything but bloodworms, I've actually seen him ignore everything else......As for frozen shrimp, he might think its there to eat him, hes only about 1.5 inches. I tried to give them krill once, but only the upside down cats ate that. If its any help his belly is not pinched or sunken in like hes starving, his color is good, and it is active, it just doesn't seem to want to eat.

 

[Peter McFarlane]

My CL's go nuts for zuchini/courgette, try some with your guys... It's full of goodness

 

[ewurm]

It may be eating more than you think. If the body is fully formed, I wouldn't worry too much. I would suggest however that you get some more clowns, as they do feel more secure in a shoal.