Do I need more clowns?

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JeninOK

Gambusia
MFK Member
Mar 30, 2008
192
0
16
oklahoma
my clown loaches are horribly shy, right now I have 9 of them ranging from 2 to 4 inches in my 90 gallon with a crowntail betta, german gold ram, pearl gourami some harlequin rasboras, baby guppies, and a spotted raphael catfish. nothing is scary or picks on them in the tank.
The back wall of the tank is heavily planted and there is lots of driftwood and some pvc T shaped pipes for them and the catfish to hide in.

They eat like piggies and have good color and are growing but I dont see a lot of fun silly loach behavior from them and they scurry away like mice at the slightest disturbance in the room. every other fish swims up to greet me and knows when the tank hood is lifted it means food, but my favorite little guys are terrified of me :(

Do I need more loaches?
 
Is the lighting too bright? They prefer subdued lighting. Where is the tank located? You're fine with 9.
 
the tank is along one wall of the living room, but its not a horribly busy room, as there are only three of us. Between school and work the house is fairly quite most of the time, plus I don't let my son be too crazy in the living room, that's what outside and his room are for!!

Lighting
From 9 pm to 1 am the lights are all on (noon burst) but even then they aren't too bright, the betta has no problem with them.
from 1 am to 6 am the lights are back to a single bulb and from 6 am to 2pm the lights are off and 2 pm to 9 pm there is a single light on in the tank.

god that sounds complicated lol!!
but with the plants and the weird hours we keep it works for us. I generally do most of my sleeping while my son is at school and then go to work around 7 or 8 until midnight or 1 slinging beers.
 
10 hours lighting would have suffice for the plants. Would it be possible for you to adjust the lighting schedule wherein lights are on during daytime only? Better stick with the same lighting schedule as their natural habitat. Perhaps, that might encourage the clown loaches to change their behavior. I normally try to switch on lights from 8am to 6pm only. All day, the clowns parade around waiting to be fed.
 
does it matter which ten hours of the day the lights are on if the room is dark at the same time as the tank? an odd question I know but if the tank lights were on from 9 am to 6 pm we would never really get to see them which is why I reversed their schedule.
If I need to reverse their schedule to the lights on during the day I certainly will if it will be in their best interest, I just assumed that as long as the lighting was consistent and there was a set light and dark period they would adjust.
when the single light is on it is not bright at all, its a small bulb that I would compare to say bedside lamp and there is lots of shadows etc. The willow leaf hygro, dwarf onion and crypts also grow over the top of the water blocking the light even more and creating a jungle type effect.
 
JeninOK;2127401; said:
does it matter which ten hours of the day the lights are on if the room is dark at the same time as the tank?
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It won't matter. You're creating a situation which will almost be similar to their native habitat. Try the reverse wherein light is on at night. If it does help, keep it consistent. Good luck.:)
 
How long have you had the loaches? Maybe they just need more time to adjust to the tank. I have 10 loaches and they scurry away when I first approach the tank but then come back quickly begging for food.
 
JeninOK;2127332; said:
my clown loaches are horribly shy, right now I have 9 of them ranging from 2 to 4 inches in my 90 gallon with a crowntail betta, german gold ram, pearl gourami some harlequin rasboras, baby guppies, and a spotted raphael catfish. nothing is scary or picks on them in the tank.
The back wall of the tank is heavily planted and there is lots of driftwood and some pvc T shaped pipes for them and the catfish to hide in.

They eat like piggies and have good color and are growing but I dont see a lot of fun silly loach behavior from them and they scurry away like mice at the slightest disturbance in the room. every other fish swims up to greet me and knows when the tank hood is lifted it means food, but my favorite little guys are terrified of me :(

Do I need more loaches?
Click to expand...


Mine lost the skittish behavior when I passed a dozen. Now they all beg at the front of the tank when I walk by.
 
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