Does anyone here keep Clown Loaches with their Monster Fish?

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coolkeith

Candiru
MFK Member
Nov 1, 2005
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Does anyone here keep clown loaches with their predator fish?

If so, have the clowns ever displayed any defensive behaviors, such as using their spines to thwart off an attack? Or perhaps using their slime coat as a chemical defense? Even if the clown loach showed no defense and was swallowed whole, I'd like to hear about it.

I ask in the name of science because there is a discussion about this going on at loaches.com right now. Not many loach keepers have large predator fish. I'm hoping to find a few more first hand experiences about clown loach defenses.
The thread can be found - here

I hope this doesn't seem as a spam attempt by anyone. It's just research about clown loaches. I'll link back to this site if I get any responses. Thanks.
 
I have a clown loach in my 130g, look at my signature for stock list. Largest fish is the shovelnose catfish and blue jack at 10". He has never showed defensive behaviours. The thing is 6", and just swims right up to the oscars and steals the food out of their mouths...

My larger fish don't bother with him...ever. In two years I have had him never saw another fish even look at him lol. He never ever hides, always moves looking for food, sometimes play dead for fun...He's havin a blast in the monster tank ;)
 
look at my sig i keep all those in a 240 and had no problems with my clowns im planning to add a ray in there to i heard rays/cl are a mix
 
I have had an american eel grab one that was about 4" long, It immediately let go and never did it again, I did not see any defensive moves on the part of the loach but the eels mouth was bleeding.
 
my cl always die
 
guppy said:
I have had an american eel grab one that was about 4" long, It immediately let go and never did it again, I did not see any defensive moves on the part of the loach but the eels mouth was bleeding.
Click to expand...

Clown Loaches have spines under their eyes that are razor sharp. They're usually retracted so you don't see them very often.

If the eel grabed the CL by the front I'd guess that he got a big mouthfull of spines and let go!
 
yup, clown loaches can handle there themselve very well, mine was with my RTG arowana, indo datnoid, ornate bichir & flagtail prochilodus and when any of them tries to pick a fight with him, he would use his spine to make sure they don't mess with him anymore :)
 
I had 2 clowns with a 24 inch leichardti...
 
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