Hi there,

I bought 3 clown loaches on Saturday ( Iwas thinking 3 was a good number to start with) But the problem is they dont seem to have 'found' each other! I have 1 hiding behind the filter and another at the other end of the tank hiding behind my UV Sterilizer head, dont know where the 3rd is but I stuck in a plastic 'tree stump' type thing that is stanndig up and I am thinking it may be in there.
I thought that to keep stress etc down these fish need to be in company of their own? How can I get them to all 'meet up'???
At the moment they just look scared hiding in the corners. I was wondering whether to:
A. Switch the tank light off for a couple of days?
B. Remove the tank decor (or most of it) for a few hours to let them 'see' each other, but I reliase this may causemore stress.
C. Find another fish shop and buy another 3 Clowns (I went back to the original shop but they have none left

In the tank at the moment (30") is a large 'tree root' decoration as well as the tree stump that are both vertical. I have quite a few large plastic plants as well that they could hide in. Tank mates, 4 decent size silver dollars (Not massive, but a good healthy size). 2 YoYo loaches and around a dozen or so neon/cardinals and a couple of other small fish (Cherry Bard and a single Zebra Danio). I have a Fluval 4 filter to support all these fish as well as a small UV sterilizer that I just put back in to avoid the dreded Ich!.


Anyway any advice would be greatly appreciated, I dont want to loose any of the lovely fish!

Hi there,

Ive had my clown loaches for quite a few years now dont worry too much about them not finding each other they do take quite a while to settle into the tank. Also clown loaches are largley nocturnal. So it is unlikley you will see them during the day only at night.

Depending on the size of your tank be careful about keeping clown loaches because they can grow up to 12" depending on their environment.

One thing you could try to try and get them all to meet is cut a cucumber in half about 1/4 piece. peel the green skin and weigh it down with plant weights into the tank. Theres one thing clown loaches and plecos like and its cucumber!!


Let us know how it goes

I will give the cucumber a try, I have also fed the tank twice but have not seen the loaches eat anything so that may help things along as well! Will keep you all posted.

They also love bloodworm. Mine go mad for live blood worm. Although you shouldnt give them it more than once a week.

You could try that, see if it makes them come out.

Mine come out alot in the day time, feeding times they go mad too, just give them time.

I agree they do take a while to settle but all mine kept together. It maybe they feel safe and don't need one another.

For a time mine hated the light and did not eat cucumber that must preferring algae wafers that were for my plec and adored blood worm.

They love a bamboo. I also found that they did acrobats going up the side of the tank and falling over backwards . It might be an idea to get a mirror to one side of the tank the darkness of the filter and wall did mine.

I adored mine and just cannot bare to think about them. They were like walls sausaage size stumpy and not too long they seemed to go out first before extending.

Good luck they add colour and personalit to the tank.

How big is your tank?

How big are the loaches?

What color is your substrate? If you have flourescent or bright substrate, it may reflect allot of the light, which may bother them and make them more reclusive. I had clown loaches in a tank with white substrate and they hid allot. When I switched to darker substrate, they came out more often.

Well i have 3 clown loaches also. They are happy and alway together in the tank?

Thats 1 down
Just taking him back to the shop now. The other 2 look OK, one was out and about a few mins ago and the other is hiding inside the log thing.

Somethings up then. Sorry to hear that.

Get your water tested and make sure its OK for them.

Shock can kill them and they are skittish fish to start with.

I have to admit, I lost 5 early doors, but my 3 now have been in a yr and are doing well. I think a UV helps alot with white spot as they are very very prone to that.

How are the other 2 doing now ?