Clowns with aggressive tankmates

[toehead11183]

These questions are focused on my 14 3" Clown loaches
I'm been through MFK, Loaches.com, Google, and books. I have read all about not keeping CLs with african cichlids and other aggressive tankmates. I want to narrow this down to my stock and tank. I've kept 1-3" clowns with some pretty big aggressive africans without any problems but the tankmates i have now are all first time fish for me so i'm hoping for someone with experience in mixing some of these fish.
The tank is a 175 (72"Lx20"Wx30") with black sand, driftwood and large rocks. Filter is a modified CPR194 running at 1200gph. Temp at 82*. pH 7.2. Link to tank set-up: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2799385#post2799385
I have 6 Blood Parrots ranging from 2-6". They pick on each other but never bother any other fish. I have a 6" Veil-tail oscar that stays to himself. My biggest concern is a 5" albino senegal bichir because of their eating habits, strong jaws and constant with the loaches because he's on the bottom with them. I haven't had this one long .It was donated by a customer who was loosing platies. I've got a 3" Spotted bullhead and a 3" pictus catfish that will go to the pond soon and then be sold so they won't be a problem. I also have a 7" O.niger that never moves. I'd like to keep the BPs, the bichir, the ripsaw and loaches. All others can be sold is problems occur. I feed everyday so everyone stays fed. What are my chances of my loaches having problems with the others. Any suggestions on keeping problems down?
Fish are fed freeze dry krill and plankton, frozen bloodworms and krill, hikari carnivore pellets, tropical crisps, algae waffers, cichlid pellets, raw market shrimp and cucumber.

For pics of the tankmates: http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101276&page=11
P.S. TSN is gone

 

[Muske]

What are the loaches in now?

They look really nice in healthy in their current situation. Why move?

 

[Muske]

Only concern would be the poly. BPs are fairly docile, O will be much calmer as a solo in the tank. Niger isn't big enough yet and also fairly mellow.

 

[toehead11183]

clowns are in the tank with the others. they just hang out in a tight bunch and i didn't get anyone else in the shot

 

[polish]

I have my 5 x CL's with 2 x Senegals.

I have never seen any issue between the two. The Polys are 6-7" and the CL's are 2.5-3.5".

My GF said she saw the Albino poly grab one of the loaches once while he was sitting still but aside from that nothing at all and the CL didn't have any marks that I have ever seen. The polys have smallish mouths they would not be able to swallow the CL or even close, at most it could bite one while it was sitting still. Like my GF says happened but I don't think it did any harm.

-And to add, this combo has been together for 3 months.

 

[ewurm]

Your biggest concern will eventually be that Oscar. The Ripsaw will get very massive, but they are fairly docile. Other than those things, I don't see any problem with your mix.

 

[toehead11183]

Your biggest concern will eventually be that Oscar. The Ripsaw will get very massive, but they are fairly docile. Other than those things, I don't see any problem with your mix.

Yea, i don't really like the oscar but it was free and vail tails are rare to see in memphis. I'm keeping it as an investment and will sell it as it gets bigger. The ripsaw will be easy to rehome as they are rare in memphis too but i have a few people will huge tanks who want him. If not, i'm sure the memphis zoo will want him. I was mainly worried about the poly but i guess i can keep it! thanks everyone.

 

[David R]

poly's are fine with loaches, provided they're well fed and the loaches are obviously too large to be eaten. I've heard many cases of loaches going missing despite having lived for months/years with bichirs when the owner went away and starved the bichir for a few days. A hungry bichir will look at almost anything as food.

 

[Lupin]

poly's are fine with loaches, provided they're well fed and the loaches are obviously too large to be eaten. I've heard many cases of loaches going missing despite having lived for months/years with bichirs when the owner went away and starved the bichir for a few days. A hungry bichir will look at almost anything as food.

Yes, even at the risk of being choked by the bifid spines killing both species in the process.

 

[2songbirds]

I had my bichir "poly" for several years before one of my pacus eventually had enough and taught him a lesson.

I had him with several corys and he NEVER touched them. However, I soon found out and witnessed he would devour the pictus catfish, and they weren't small! He couldn't fit the whole thing in his mouth at once, but eventually would manage to swallow them....do you know pictus catfish buzz? Anyways, it all depends upon their likings.

On another note, I've had my oscar for 7 1/2 years and he's NEVER eaten anybody. Right now he's housed with small sharks (4 different types, 13 total) and has never went after them. Even when we tried feeder fish a few years back (had a shovel nose), the oscar still wouldn't go after them.