37 Gallons = Okay For Clown Loach?

[Larkspur]

I don't know what category to stick this under. Are clown loaches considered oddballs? hehe.

I've never owned one mainly because I see they can get to a foot long on the tag at PETCO and they're over $12 for one that's about the size of a cory cat!

Hmm. Just looked it up and I read it needs a minimal of 75 gallons. Oh well. D:

If I can't get a clown loach, is there anything else out there similar to it that I can keep in a 37? I'm looking for something a little different than what I'm used to (but not necessarily rare). Also like the red tail sharks, but I think they'd be too aggressive.

My 37 occupants will have guppies, a BN catfish, platys, and cories. I might not even have room for anything else. I currently have 10 fish that will be going in there. No rush obviously. I haven't started setting it up yet.

 

[Wills]

Dont get clowns often sold for small tanks but they get really big eventually they do take years to grow any kind of serious size. A good alternative for your size tanks would be dwarf chain loaches or the slightly bigger yoyo loaches. Just make sure you have a sand substrate - also if you want loaches dont get the red tailed shark as they can have issues at times.

How long is the tank?

wills

 

[Larkspur]

I don't know the dimensions, but unfortunately it's about the same height as it is long. I prefer more shallow and longer tanks, but I'm not complaining.

Thanks for the ideas! I looked up the chain loach and they're adorable! I might see if my local fish store can special order some in the future. Never seen them before in a store. I like the YoYo loaches too, but the chain ones stay smaller. Smaller = more which will make them happier.

The tank is going to be planted. I don't know how I'm going to accomplish it as I've had "planted" tanks, but never any soil/sand. I've stuck with plants like java fern that allow me to work around the lack of sand and such. I will be removing all the contents and was hoping on adding sand since I'm going to have cories too. There will be plenty of hiding spots. I love dense planted tanks with driftwood. Going for that look

 

[Larkspur]

I came across botia striata on aquabid. Cute and about 4" it says. Yay or nay? I've never heard of them.

 

[Big_eyes]

I came across botia striata on aquabid. Cute and about 4" it says. Yay or nay? I've never heard of them.

They should be ok...

only trouble is that they do better in groups and we don't know what types and amounts of fish you have in there already. If I were you I would stick with the chain loach, they're gorgeous little fish and I wish I never gave mine away!

I will say though get at least 5 of them as they seem to harass the other fish in any smaller numbers.

 

[Larkspur]

Yep, I was looking and I think I will stick with dwarves so I can have a group of them. I plan on having a nice little shoal of cories too. On aquabid discovering new species,

The only ones I'm used to seeing are the bronze/green, peppered, albino, and panda.

Found some that are rather cute that are fairly inexpensive even with shipping/handling. Saw a group of bandits for sale. Look a lot like pandas.

I don't plan on buying a bunch of guppies/platys mainly because I expect them to have a couple drops at the least and I'm pretty confident a baby or two will survive. Unless of course my betta eats them. I have a misplaced female betta living with them.

 

[MrNiceGuy]

I don't know what category to stick this under. Are clown loaches considered oddballs? hehe.

I've never owned one mainly because I see they can get to a foot long on the tag at PETCO and they're over $12 for one that's about the size of a cory cat!

Hmm. Just looked it up and I read it needs a minimal of 75 gallons. Oh well. D:

If I can't get a clown loach, is there anything else out there similar to it that I can keep in a 37? I'm looking for something a little different than what I'm used to (but not necessarily rare). Also like the red tail sharks, but I think they'd be too aggressive.

My 37 occupants will have guppies, a BN catfish, platys, and cories. I might not even have room for anything else. I currently have 10 fish that will be going in there. No rush obviously. I haven't started setting it up yet.

i think dojo loaches are the coolest fish in the world. the originals get up to a foot in length but the golden type tends to only max out at 8 inches. they're very peaceful and hardy. they're a real eye-catcher.

almost all petsmarts have them, though they are a little expensive at 10 dollars each. ideally they do best in groups but as long as you have more than one they'll be fine. some people even keep them singly. i have 2 right now and theyre my favorite fish. the only real requirement for them would be sand or small smooth gravel to avoid damaging they're barbels. they're also sub-tropical but can adapt to temps of 74-76f without problems. they can tolerate higher temps for short periods of time (i had them all the way up 88 for a week) most people will tell you that you cant keep them with plants but as long as you anchor your plants well and maybe put larger pebbles around the roots they wont uproot them. i have them in a densely planted tank right now and they havent caused any problems. they're also known to live a very long time (7-10 years, maybe even longer).

 

[Wills]

Zebra loaches would be great dojo loaches get wayyy too big for a 40 gallon tank and are really messy fish I used to have one and agree they are fantastic fish but they need the tank size to deal with them.

Wills

 

[jacko32]

has anyone seen these before i was looking at getting some they look awsome


Common name: Vietnamese Hovering Zebra Loach.

Species: Yunnanilus cruciatus.

Potential size: 4cm.

 

[Larkspur]

Ahhh...

Such hard decisions! The zebra loach, the one I linked to, does have to coolest markings! Reminds me slightly of the lace syndontis.

But I like the chain loaches too...which are smaller.

How many zebras though? Would I need a whopping 5 of them like the chains or can I get away with maybe 2 or 3? If I need 5 I'd have to stick with 5 chains.

Dojos are cute, but they look so mischievous.

 

[Wills]

Yeah loaches need to be in groups of at least 5 even the big ones like clowns.

 

[Larkspur]

Well, then I'll definitely get 5 of the chains instead as I want to have some room for cories which also I need at least 3 of each.

Hmm...HMMM

So currently my tank would have:

- 1 female betta
- 2 female guppies, 2 male guppies
- 1 female platy, 1 male tiger platy
- 2 peppered cory
- 1 albino BN

And I am wanting to add:

- 1 peppered cory
- 5 chain loaches
- more platy's (number unknown. Friend is giving me some of her fry)
- possibly more guppies...I'm open for spontaneous guppy purchases
- 3 or more cories of another species (undecided!)


Too crowded? I have all the fish that I own currently in a 10 gallon (excluding the BN who lives with me at my house not my byofriends)

 

[`Peter]

I ahve one loach in my 24 gallon and its just fine. they are very slow growers so dont trust the size tags at Petsmart or Petco. It will be just fine in a 37 gallon.

 

[Larkspur]

At the same time if I got a clown loach singly I wouldn't want it to someday outgrow its home. We have a 55 gallon that could easily hold it, but it's the construction of the stand for it that is keeping me waiting on the 37. The 55 is going to be a cichlid tank...no loaches in there unless they want to be brutally killed.

If I was able to guarantee that buying just one would be fine then maybe...but I'd feel bad for it if it got too big and looked lonely.

 

[Wills]

I ahve one loach in my 24 gallon and its just fine. they are very slow growers so dont trust the size tags at Petsmart or Petco. It will be just fine in a 37 gallon.

If your talking about clown loaches no they wont be fine on their own. At the end of the day if a clown loach is on its own it wont no any difference however it will be ruled by instinct and when issolated it will be a lot more stressed than when in a group. Its the same with all loaches while not a schooling fish they are gregarious which means they like to be with others of their own kind all loaches are like this. In the wild they will be found in groups of hundreds quite easily all over various rivers and lakes. If you keep them by them selves they could and do often act quite confidently and do become active in tanks but the difference between keeping them on their own and keeping them as they should be kept in a group is the decisions you have to make as a fish keeper. IMO and in any decent fish keepers opinion you need to keep loaches in groups of at least 5 and thats all loaches.

To add adult clown loaches get upto 16 inches and yes they do grow slow but they need decent sized tanks to be able to grow and while juvis will be okay in a 4 foot tank for a few years they need much bigger than a 24 gallon to start off in. As adults/sub adults, basically anything over 6/7 inches they need to be in a 6 foot tank to give them space to grow to their full potential its also at this size that these fish need to be in groups, when they are small if they are skittish it comes across as active sometimes but once they get bigger and get skittish because of lack of numbers they dart around and cause damage to tank decor and them selves quite easily.

For your stocking Larkspur you could consider

- 1 female betta
- 4 guppies (2m 2f)
- 2 platy (1m 1f)
- 1 albino BN
- 6 peppered cory - like the loaches cories need to be in groups usually bigger than loaches, if it were me I would stick to 12 of your peppered but if you would rather have two groups of 6 you will still be able to have an other 6 but stick to the smaller species like panda and avoid things like your brochis etc.
- 5 chain loaches

For now I would leave it at that, if your taking on some fry and you have both genders of livebearers you will quickly gather numbers in your guppies and platies it also allows you to get your impulse guppies but not too many Only thing perhaps to consider once the tank has matured further is maybe more female bettas to make a sorority but that might push your stocking a little.