Um I'm not sure about how I am feeling about the clown loaches being a tankbuster. If I am correct but ain't these clown loachs growing pretty slowly?
Fear mongering...clown loachs
- Thread starter MN_Rebel
- Start date
They grow slowly but I don't think it's alarmist to warn that they can get huge.
If i'm not mistaken the huge clown loach in the picture is the legendary Marge. She is dead now but she is certainly proof how huge these comical and well loved skinny little 2" fish that you see at your lfs can get. It's certainly not scaremongering, it's the plain truth.
It's just a shame that a lot more scaremongering dosen't go on in regards to other species such as RTCs, pacu, plecos etc etc.
It's just a shame that a lot more scaremongering dosen't go on in regards to other species such as RTCs, pacu, plecos etc etc.
Many clown loaches even dont make it to 4-5" in the aquarium trade? The competition for the bigger loaches are even more higher as many people want the big ones in their tanks. Someone posted a 14-16" zebra pike for sale locally on FB and there were no interest its a beautiful specimen but ha the guy who was selling the pike had clowns good sized at least 8" pictured next to the pike and someone asked to buy them when it was not for sale.
I wouldnt even bat an eye selling a bunch of smaller CL to many people to try to keep in their tanks as its a high sought after fish and many bigger tank keepers will buy the outgrown loaches to put in their own tanks. Too many keepers like having clown loaches in their tanks.
Also too many people want the bigger ones and will pay money for them they are grabbed quick before other person has a chance to ask about them. Its justified at the same time it sucks not many make it to that size. ?
I wouldnt even bat an eye selling a bunch of smaller CL to many people to try to keep in their tanks as its a high sought after fish and many bigger tank keepers will buy the outgrown loaches to put in their own tanks. Too many keepers like having clown loaches in their tanks.
Also too many people want the bigger ones and will pay money for them they are grabbed quick before other person has a chance to ask about them. Its justified at the same time it sucks not many make it to that size. ?
+1 I agree with this. I am always willing to help people rehome big cls. Lol it has paid off a few times now, and I think I am close to maxed out for room until after I move. Lol
I think that ya'll missed the mark on Emma's message. That is indeed Marge from loaches online, and Emma was simply attempting to point out that CL's aren't very effective as snail removers, and that they have the potential get large quite when kept in good conditions. Not suited well for the confines of a 10 or 20 gallon, which unfortunately millions of people put them in, and then wonder why they got stressed, sickly, and later died.
I think part of the reason they don't often get that big in most tanks is because they're fairly slow growing. They tend to be killed or stunted by poor care or disease before they get large.
Even under very favourable conditions, good size tank, good diet, regular water changes etc I don't think anyone will experience fantastic growth with clown loach. Growth wise they are about as frustrating as it gets.
From my own experience, and also from what i've read, it seems that most hobbyists tend to witness a relatively fast growth rate from the 2" shop bought fish they've got up to about 5". Then they seem to stop at 5" and anything onwards from that is incredibly slow. Mind you, when I say relatively fast i'm talking 2" to 5" in about 3-4 years so still very slow but nothing like as slow as their growth from 5" onwards.
I'd be very interested to hear if anyone has experienced anything different than that, and how, or what did they do to encourage improved growth.
And
RD.
would their growth rate in the wild be similar to aquarium growth rate given that it pays to develop faster in the wild to avoid predation. If it is slow in the wild maybe they shoal up in huge nursery areas when they're juveniles with lush planted areas to stay clear of predators?
From my own experience, and also from what i've read, it seems that most hobbyists tend to witness a relatively fast growth rate from the 2" shop bought fish they've got up to about 5". Then they seem to stop at 5" and anything onwards from that is incredibly slow. Mind you, when I say relatively fast i'm talking 2" to 5" in about 3-4 years so still very slow but nothing like as slow as their growth from 5" onwards.
I'd be very interested to hear if anyone has experienced anything different than that, and how, or what did they do to encourage improved growth.
And
RD.
would their growth rate in the wild be similar to aquarium growth rate given that it pays to develop faster in the wild to avoid predation. If it is slow in the wild maybe they shoal up in huge nursery areas when they're juveniles with lush planted areas to stay clear of predators?
I got 4 clown loaches around 3 inches back in 2018 from
Tom Maguire
and now they’re around 4 inches I think.