Size of Datanoid and Clown Loaches

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A

akshay2222

Gambusia
MFK Member
Oct 9, 2009
105
1
16
durg
What is the size of you Datanoid and Clown Loaches which you keep together without any problem.

I am new to fish keeping and
I have
1x 2.5-3 inch's Dat
&
4x 2 inch's clowns
 
They should be fine as long as the clown loaches don't outcompete the Datnioid for food....pretty much fine for LIFE.

Clown loaches can get up to 16" if given a large aquaria and great water quality but usually they get 10-12". Plus like other loaches they have retractable sharp spines ("switchblades") similar to what Ancistrus plecos have and use them for defense and to prevent themselves from being swallowed by another fish (in other words, I never heard of a Datnioide swallowing or even attempting to swallow a full size clown loach).

And since both Datnioides and Clown Loaches are slow growers, they could very well grow at the same pace. If your loaches are only 2" now, they likely will outgrow the Datnioides at first until about 4-6" where they will slow down their growth significantly.

So in other words, just make sure the clown loaches have enough room to hide as well as the datnioides (so they don't compete with each other, etc over territory) and that the datnioides gets it's fair share of food. My clown loaches come up to the top of the tank with my cichlids and my datnioides polota and don't usually bottom feed (ie, wait until the food hits the bottom before eating).

Since you have 4 clown loaches and 1 datnioides it could be a problem if they are overly rambunctious and don't let the Datnioides get its share of the food.

Useful information on clown loaches and datnioides:
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/clown-loach-chromobotia-macracanthus
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/clown.htm
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2260259#post2260259

And useful Datnioides resources:
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=297687
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=298205
http://aquaticpredators.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=3182
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/siam-tig.htm
 
I tried adding some 2.5" clown loaches with a 6" dat and they dissapeared. I tried some 4" clown loaches and they are doing great together.
 
4" dat
3x 5" clown loaches
 
got about
10x 2'' dats
5x 3.5'' dats
2x 3'' clowns loaches

lost one loach to ich planning on getting a few more. the clowns occasionally chase the smaller dats around when its feeding time. There's no problem most of the time.
 
the great thing about clown loaches and dats is that they seem to grow at about the same rate most of the time. but, its critical that the dats aren't too big, cuz if they are those loaches are goners
 
Yeah i think as long as the cl are slightly bigger to start with they should be fine for ages.

Steve
 
They both grow about the same rate. Make sure there are places for the clowns to hide in (caves, logs etc.) just in case. As long as the clowns are too big for the tigers, they should be o.k.

2X 17" Dats
4X 6" Clown Loaches
 
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