Peacock bass with loaches?

[Alistair]

I have a bunch of clown loaches and Y.modesta in a 150 gallon tank. The middle dwellers are a few severums and an oscar. I got a couple of 1.5 inch peacock bass today, impulsively, which are in a growout tank. My main tank has a lot of driftwood & rocks in it and a tonne of hiding places. The loaches are at an average of 3 to 4 inches.

When the cichlas grow up, will they go after the loaches? My 11 inch oscar and adult severums never bother the loaches at all.

Not sure whether to post in Cichlids or Loaches section. Lol.

 

[andrewsin]

I've seen them go for clown loaches before even when the loach doesn't even fit in their mouth!

Yet I have also seen a group of bass in a grow out tank with clown loaches and no problem! Maybe it's down to the individual!

 

[johnny potatoes]

A while back I had 7 loaches 5"-7" with a group of bass 12"-14". Then one day I only had 6 loaches. If it fits in their mouth they will try and eat it.

 

[FunWow!]

I'd put them in with the clowns now since they are small and can grow up with them not thinking they are food... Get them on pellets too. I have a 12inch bass that can eat some of my clowns but doesn't.

 

[Alistair]

Thanks for the inputs guys. My tank has a whole layer of driftwood and rocks, ie places for loaches to hide and my clowns live with a 11 inch oscar & a few severums. My cichlas are still just 1.5 inchers & have a long way to go.

Ill take your inputs & am already trying to get the cichlas onto dry food. I dont mind the slow growth. Ill try and introduce them into the main tank as early as possible, so that they dont look at the clowns as food. Will just have to ensure my oscar doesnt look at the bass as food.

 

[Alistair]

A while back I had 7 loaches 5"-7" with a group of bass 12"-14". Then one day I only had 6 loaches. If it fits in their mouth they will try and eat it.

Did your tank have a lot of hiding places? Did it happen when the bass were starving?

 

[smjack]

Oscars and bass, if it is starving it will eat whatever they can see moving. So good luck with that. And yes, even severums but has limitations due to small mouth.