Monster Clown Loach tank: Success with dithers!

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
is300zx;655309; said:
It's possible if you start with a 3" clown. A 1" growth in less than a year is not totally impossible. I have one that did this and it was the most aggressive eater out of all the ones I own so consequently grew the fastest. But the majority of my clowns grow at a slower rate though. Probably 1" or less in a year.
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That's basically what I have found too.
 
ewurm;655172; said:
I don't think I have ever seen clowns reach 4-5" in a year. I have a trio I purchased a year ago in my 37, and they aren't much more than 2.5". They are definitely well fed. I wish they would grow that fast. We'll see what happens now that I am feeding them eggs.
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I'm not trying to be critical, but a 37 is just not large enough to promote proper clown loach growth; unless you are doing 50% daily water changes. Even then I'm not certain they will grow due to lack of space. I added a group of three 2" clown loaches to my 90 gallon 2 months ago. One of them is already over 4 inches and the other two are over three. Clowns loaches should be over 4 inches in less than a year, if not there is most likely a problem.
 
Is there a reason for this? I understand that some fish secrete growth inhibiting hormones, but I have never heard of clowns reaching that kind of size in a year. Are we talking about head to tail measurement or head to base of tailfin? I need to measure those that I got a year ago.
 
ewurm;655524; said:
Is there a reason for this? I understand that some fish secrete growth inhibiting hormones, but I have never heard of clowns reaching that kind of size in a year. Are we talking about head to tail measurement or head to base of tailfin? I need to measure those that I got a year ago.
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Some believe that hormones may be the cause of slow growth and others believe DOCs to be the growth inhibitors. No one knows for certain. Lack of adequate aquarium space IMO is also growth inhibitor.

I measure total length; head to tail.
 
Now that I have that lfs job, I can get them some real space, and a real shoal. They don't actively shoal much with only eight specimens.
 
ewurm;655172; said:
I don't think I have ever seen clowns reach 4-5" in a year. I have a trio I purchased a year ago in my 37, and they aren't much more than 2.5". They are definitely well fed. I wish they would grow that fast. We'll see what happens now that I am feeding them eggs.
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What kind of eggs?
 
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