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why do i never see my clown loach?

12K views 17 replies 9 participants last post by  jdub6984 
#1 ·
Ok i know i should have my loach with more than one of just him. but i didn't find that out until after i got him. anyway i have a 44 gallon hex corner tank. there is a large common plec in there and 8 molly/platty breeding fish a cory cat and 2 snails and some tiny babies hiding in grass. i have a fluval filter and a hollow log. I assume the loach is in the log most of the time. I never see him eat but he's still alive and i see him once in a while so i know he's eating. there is flake food, brine shrimp, shrimp pellets and algea wafers being fed abviously not at the same time this is the variety of food they eat. only a couple shrimp pellets a day and an algea waffer ever other day. the water temp is 75 to 80 and the water perms are good. so what gives. just a lonely loach? thanks.

Rose
 
#3 ·
Rozie26 said:
just a lonely loach?
I would say so. How old is the fish ? 44 gallons is a little small for this fish. Usually loaches are very agile.

I had four in a 100 gallon tank and they swum around all the time in their group.
I wouldn´t recommend a second one because of the tank size. Do you know someone with a bigger tank ?
 
#4 ·
There not nocturnal, but if they are very skidish when small and wont come out with the lights on if they are lone or small. I had 3 1" clowns and they hid all the time until they were about 2" and i added a 5" CL to the tank and as long as the large loach was out and about the smaller ones follow suite. Now I have 5 total (6,5, 4, 3,3 inches) in a 450 gallon and the 4 smallest are always out all day bombing in a group and sometimes the big lazy one will come out and when he does the other 4 tail him. Sometimes my fei fing joins the pack.

Edit: also 75-80 is big fluxuation for a small CL, they dont handle temp changes to well when small so be carefull with that.
 
#5 ·
hmmmm

Well it's night now and i havn't seen him. he is small just a little like not even two inch one. and i don't know anyone with a bigger tank other than my fiance and he has a hybrid catfish that is like a foot long so don't think that is a good idea...lol...definatly not. i plan to get a 46 gallon but sounds like that's not even big enough. i do know they can get huge. but i figured it would take a long time to get that big and then i would put him in with the catfish. but sounds like i would need to get a few more to put in there. his tank is 150 gallons. thanks for all the info.

rose
 
#6 ·
Yeah, I think this little guy feels lonely. :(

I had my group swimming in a 60 gallon tank and after one year they moved into the bigger tank.

Maybe you can ask your "fish-dealer" if he knows someone with a tank big enough who could take the fish.

But the best idea would be: Buy a bigger tank. :D
This method always worked for me. :wink:
 
#18 ·
Yeah, I think this little guy feels lonely. :( I had my group swimming in a 60 gallon tank and after one year they moved into the bigger tank. Maybe you can ask your "fish-dealer" if he knows someone with a tank big enough who could take the fish. But the best idea would be: Buy a bigger tank. :D This method always worked for me. 😉
🤣it just depends on their temperament I had 5 in my 1st tank and it was a 50 gal they swam around all the time
 
#7 ·
another tank (sigh)

i really want to get like a 46 gallon bow i had thought about a 90 gallon. but i'm thinkin' that the 90 gallon would be too big.....the bow is going to be my african tank, heavily planted with a couple cool plecos and leopard tpmona's or however you spell it. anyway if i get a 46 gallon that would not be big enough for like three clowns would it? i should get the 90 but then that would not be an african tank. i am totally adicted to tanks and fish! LOL

rose
 
#8 ·
i know how you feel, you always want bigger but you can never decide what to go in it lol. Well then, buy the 90 gallon bowfront, move all your clowns there, get at least 4 clowns, add some more community fish, if possible you can try discus, make the corner tank african.
 
#9 ·
hmmmm (sigh) well i'll have to think about it. i really like my corner the way it is. but you may be right i may have to switch the tanks. i can't make up my mind. either that or i may have to find a home for the loach. we'll see. thanks for all the help.

rose
 
#11 ·
Thread moved.:)
 
#14 ·
musho3210 said:
Well then, buy the 90 gallon bowfront, move all your clowns there, get at least 4 clowns, add some more community fish, if possible you can try discus, make the corner tank african.
Discus are South American.
Clown Loach are Asian (Sumatran, if memory serves)
How would adding Discus and Clown loaches to a tank make it African?

Still, 90 gal Bowfront would be sweet for a school of 4 or 5 Clown Loaches (if you're not planning on going anywhere for 15 years so that you can take good care of them and not have to break down and move a big ol' tank).
 
#16 ·
tophat665 said:
musho3210 said:
Well then, buy the 90 gallon bowfront, move all your clowns there, get at least 4 clowns, add some more community fish, if possible you can try discus, make the corner tank african.
Discus are South American.
Clown Loach are Asian (Sumatran, if memory serves)
How would adding Discus and Clown loaches to a tank make it African?

Still, 90 gal Bowfront would be sweet for a school of 4 or 5 Clown Loaches (if you're not planning on going anywhere for 15 years so that you can take good care of them and not have to break down and move a big ol' tank).
The discus and loach in one tank, the african in the other, thats what i was saying :)
 
#17 ·
clown Loach

Hey i have two clown loach each about an inch long,my tank is a 29 Gal High, they hide a lot but do come out now an again for like 10 mins at a time an they seem to be doing well so far so i dont know if the small tank big tank is just a myth or not, all i can say is mine are doing good so far,my only problem is keeping my water clear:(((
 
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