Dude, my clown loach lays down and goes to sleep????

[we4wieners]

I dont drink anymore.....so I know what I am seein'. I have 3 loaches. Two of em, stop in their tracks, slowly roll to their side, and seem to go to sleep. Another fish will come by and they'll swim away.
Is this routine behavior for CL's and what is the purpose?

 

[KNH]

That is common behavior for clown loaches. No worries.

 

[we4wieners]

Thanks..its freakin hilarious!

 

[Cliff.W.]

And thats why their called clowns =)

 

[geronimo69]

Mine will do the dumbest things. Like try to pile 3 deep in behind my heater, then they'll go pile themselves upside down and on their sides under a rock... Someone said it, that's why they're CLOWNS!

 

[Chromobotia]

Normal behavior. It means that they are comfortable and happy in their surroundings. The crazier the stuff that they do means happy loaches.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Yeah, I have PVC pipe in my tank and they manage to go underneath it with their tails sticking out sideways.

 

[FLESHY]

On a trip to the shedd last year a buddy and I saw a HUGE clown lying on his side in a display (early in the morning).

We originally thought that it was just another victim of poor husbandry (unfortunately fairly common in that establishment...variety of reasons...I have seen their facility fairly extensively...and what they do is still impresssive)

We started watching other fish...and then several seconds later...pop! It flipped right-side up, and kinda shook itself off, and went to swim with his buddies. Just a late riser. Lots of fish sleep...but not in the way that clowns do. Great fish.

 

[PostalPenguin]

Corydoras will do this as well. My little false julii cories will freeze in place and almost drift in the current. After a few minutes they'll wake up and continue about their business.

 

[aclockworkorange]

Aqua Advisor alerts you if you say you have clown loaches in your tank:

WARNING: Clown loaches may "play dead" at times.

Heh.