Zebra shovelnose and Clown Loach compatibility?

[balton777]

Can I add a small shoal of clown loaches to my Tig tank or will they stress him too badly?

 

[Muske]

Would be worried about ocular spines killing the Tig.

 

[balton777]

Hey thanks, I was just coming back to this thread to say never mind. I was too impatient to wait for an answer so I put three 5" CL's in with him this morning and every time they swam near him, he opened his mouth and tried to swallow one. Although they're too big to fit in his mouth now, he's growing fast and they grow so slow so it would probably be just a matter of time. I put them back in the other tank again.

 

[Chromobotia]

Hey thanks, I was just coming back to this thread to say never mind. I was too impatient to wait for an answer so I put three 5" CL's in with him this morning and every time they swam near him, he opened his mouth and tried to swallow one. Although they're too big to fit in his mouth now, he's growing fast and they grow so slow so it would probably be just a matter of time. I put them back in the other tank again.

I think that putting the loaches back in their original tank was the right call. I am a firm believer that if a fish is small enough to be eaten, it will, no matter what the species. I think this is especially true with the larger predetory catfishes.

 

[balton777]

I think that putting the loaches back in their original tank was the right call. I am a firm believer that if a fish is small enough to be eaten, it will, no matter what the species. I think this is especially true with the larger predetory catfishes.

If only my CL's were about 9-10". 5" CL's with a 9-10" Tig don't cut it.

 

[Chromobotia]

If only my CL's were about 9-10". 5" CL's with a 9-10" Tig don't cut it.

True, and I'm sure you realize that the Tig will be 26+ inches by the time the CLs grow from 5 inches to 9-10 inches.

 

[balton777]

Wow I hope he gets 26" but everything I've read about them says they only get about 20" in the aquarium.

 

[Chromobotia]

Wow I hope he gets 26" but everything I've read about them says they only get about 20" in the aquarium.

I'm not an expert, but I thought that they could get large like the other shovel nose species.

 

[balton777]

I'm not an expert, but I thought that they could get large like the other shovel nose species.

No they're much smaller and thinner than their larger shovelnose cousins.

 

[Chromobotia]

No they're much smaller and thinner than their larger shovelnose cousins.

Thanks, just goes to show that you learn something new every day.