What Fish Should I Buy To Go With My Clown Loach

[djphal]

Hello there!

This is my first post on here, just looking for some advice

I grew up with tropical fish but over the last 10 years I have had cold water fish, I am now moving back to tropical!



I bought a Jewell 260 Vision (260 Litres) a while ago, at the moment I have:

2 Clown Loach
5 Silver Tipped Tetras
5 Phantom Tetras
2 Pristella Tetras
1 Red Claw Crab (currently missing)

At the moment my tank looks very bare, the tetras were bought as hardy fish to help with the cycle (now complete), I want to buy 2 more Clowns for it but cant decide what else to put in there, I want to build my fish up around the Clowns

Parrot Cichlid is one option and I have always wanted a shark fish, I did have a Siamese Fighting Fish but he died, another would be an option but it all depends on what i can put in there with it

Any advice would be nice

Cant attach an image for some reason but here is a link to my tank

http/img801.imageshack.us/img801/8083/tankr.jpg

 

[Uriel]

The clown fish will get very large and adult clown fish are generally reccomended for tanks that are 6X2X2 with very good filtration and often powerheads to provide current. Personally i would exchange them for either zebra or yoyo loaches unless you are willing to make this sort of investment eventually. Also loaches need to be in social groups of 4+. Not bashing you just warning you.

Betta splenda prefer smaller tanks with little or no current for future reference. Be aware that things like red tail black shark/Rainbow shark also get quite big and can be tank bullies.

Nice tank btw.

 

[djphal]

The clown fish will get very large and adult clown fish are generally reccomended for tanks that are 6X2X2 with very good filtration and often powerheads to provide current. Personally i would exchange them for either zebra or yoyo loaches unless you are willing to make this sort of investment eventually. Also loaches need to be in social groups of 4+. Not bashing you just warning you.

Betta splenda prefer smaller tanks with little or no current for future reference. Be aware that things like red tail black shark/Rainbow shark also get quite big and can be tank bullies.

Nice tank btw.

Thankyou, think I will stick with the clowns, depending on how big they go I will decide what to do with them (ie getting a new tank or re-homing them)

 

[djphal]

47 views and not one answer

GREAT!

 

[Uriel]

Clown loach are peaceful community fish suitable to be housed with even small fish. So basically you can have whatever you want with them. More need to worry about what is compatible with your tetras. I have seen clown loach in large community tanks, Single species loach tanks and even with aggresive large tank mates like oscars.

Also tetra are shoaling fish and prefer 6+ of there own kind to feel comfortable.

 

[FishAreFriendsNotFood10]

i know this isnt a answer your looking for but you have a lush tank hehe

 

[djphal]

i know this isnt a answer your looking for but you have a lush tank hehe

Ah thankyou!!

Clown loach are peaceful community fish suitable to be housed with even small fish. So basically you can have whatever you want with them. More need to worry about what is compatible with your tetras. I have seen clown loach in large community tanks, Single species loach tanks and even with aggresive large tank mates like oscars.

Also tetra are shoaling fish and prefer 6+ of there own kind to feel comfortable.

That's more like it! Thanks for your help!

 

[onebto]

Clown Loach are my favourite tropical fish I think they are fantastic

I to built my tank around my Clowns. You have been advised about there eventual size so I will not go on about that, so if you want to continue keeping Clown Loach then one day you will need to get a bigger tank as well as more Clown loach as mentioned before, they are extremely social and in a group you will see more of there character come out.

For the time being your Juwel vision 260 will be okay for the Clowns to grow, From juveniles they do get a spurt of growth up to about 3 to 4 inches then there growth slows down a fair bit it may be worth mentioning at this point that they can live for up to 25 plus years of course this would be dependant on the conditions they are kept in.

Tank mates again is quite wide as I understand it there are a few things to take into consideration:

1. Clown loach require specific tank and water conditions i.e a PH of 6.5 to 7.0 softer water is prefered with a maximum DH of 12, a tempreture of 25 to 30 degrees and it has been mentioned they do like a reasonble flow which helps to reproduce the flow of the rivers they come from.

2. Its best to have tank mates that are calm and relaxed and do not dart around to much as if they do the Clowns can become skitish and dart around and into cover themselves, leaving them hideing in caves more than often "boring loaches"

I have some panda cory in my tank they swim and dance with the Clown loach and get on really well and Panda cory are fantastic fish.

Tetras of different varietys are a great choice I have Cardinal, glowlight and prastilla in my tank the Tetras keep themselves to there own but I personally think small shoals of Tetra look great.

My Clowns are happy with some Rainbow fish I rescued a while back but again some rainbows can get quite big.

So its not just about what fish you like the look of its about matching there enviroments as well, in the main menu of this forum there is a great and useful resource called the Fish species index were you can get some general information and requirements of different species as well as some great photo's.

The tank looks great bye the way I take it you are running the Juwel internal filter witch are good but considering like all fish Clowns like nice clean water it maybe worth adding a good sized external filter this will not just help with water filtration and increased media for the bacteria but it will give you more water flow but this is just a suggestion and not a nessesity.

Well I hope this helps

Regards onebto.

 

[djphal]

Clown Loach are my favourite tropical fish I think they are fantastic

I to built my tank around my Clowns. You have been advised about there eventual size so I will not go on about that, so if you want to continue keeping Clown Loach then one day you will need to get a bigger tank as well as more Clown loach as mentioned before, they are extremely social and in a group you will see more of there character come out.

For the time being your Juwel vision 260 will be okay for the Clowns to grow, From juveniles they do get a spurt of growth up to about 3 to 4 inches then there growth slows down a fair bit it may be worth mentioning at this point that they can live for up to 25 plus years of course this would be dependant on the conditions they are kept in.

Tank mates again is quite wide as I understand it there are a few things to take into consideration:

1. Clown loach require specific tank and water conditions i.e a PH of 6.5 to 7.0 softer water is prefered with a maximum DH of 12, a tempreture of 25 to 30 degrees and it has been mentioned they do like a reasonble flow which helps to reproduce the flow of the rivers they come from.

2. Its best to have tank mates that are calm and relaxed and do not dart around to much as if they do the Clowns can become skitish and dart around and into cover themselves, leaving them hideing in caves more than often "boring loaches"

I have some panda cory in my tank they swim and dance with the Clown loach and get on really well and Panda cory are fantastic fish.

Tetras of different varietys are a great choice I have Cardinal, glowlight and prastilla in my tank the Tetras keep themselves to there own but I personally think small shoals of Tetra look great.

My Clowns are happy with some Rainbow fish I rescued a while back but again some rainbows can get quite big.

So its not just about what fish you like the look of its about matching there enviroments as well, in the main menu of this forum there is a great and useful resource called the Fish species index were you can get some general information and requirements of different species as well as some great photo's.

The tank looks great bye the way I take it you are running the Juwel internal filter witch are good but considering like all fish Clowns like nice clean water it maybe worth adding a good sized external filter this will not just help with water filtration and increased media for the bacteria but it will give you more water flow but this is just a suggestion and not a nessesity.

Well I hope this helps

Regards onebto.

very helpful indeed thankyou!

I have got the fluval 304 external filter aswell as the standard one, so there is plenty of flow and filtration for them, my two clowns are still going strong so I am going to add 2 more tomorrow, like you say,they dont come out much at the moment! hopefully with a couple more friends they will do

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

Nice tank djphal!

I like the plant on the left. Am i correct in saying its artificial?. Can you please give me the details of where you got it from if your in the uk.

 

[Davo86]

I believe the plant on the left is one that is made by a company called Rosewood and i'm pretty sure its called "Flexible Bamboo XL"


As far as the clown loach go I would personally be upping the group to 5 to give best optimum viewing and sociability between the group,
Then i would be looking to add species that could cope with the frantic nature of this species,

Something like a single Red tailed Shark, or Rainbow Shark, or Flying Fox or trio of Siamese Algae Eaters is a possible addition.

Then i would be personally looking again at streamlined fish that appreciate a good flow of water; something along the lines of Black ruby or Rosy barbs, or as said one of the smaller Rainbow species

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

Thanks Davo86

 

[waterdrop]

I always breathe a sigh of relief when Davo86 comes in to help with larger fish. Good to see you Davo! WD

 

[onebto]

Clowns can be reclusive for a few reasons.

Lack of hideing spaces, stress, water conditions, to much light, tank mates or lack of numbers to name a few.

Getting more of there own kind will definatley help.

A little trick I was advised to try and works a treet is when I do my main major monthly tank clean I change the tank round a bit, once things settle down the clowns like to have a good look about and play with each other I maybe talking alot of old rubbish but I think it helps them to realise its safe to explore and play.

What do you feed them? They do liketo have a great range of foods.

Regards onebto.

 

[OldMan47]

Others have already said it but I will repeat here for emphasis. A clown loach is a large fish. One of my fellow club members keeps them and his are about 5 inches long and over an inch in diameter. He keeps 5 or 6 along with a nice assortment of medium sized fish in a 6 x 2 x 2 tank. That comes out to about 680 litres, 180 gallons, and the fish look appropriate in a tank that size. By having his tank heavily planted and having lots of other fish present, the loaches seem to gain some comfort.