can my clown loach question go here?

[impur]

I recently picked up 3 clown loaches at my lfs. they had them for over a month and 2 of the ones i got are fat and well fed. The other is a bit small. Well i have them in my 55 gal tank, all parameters are optimal ammonia = 0 nitrites < .1p/ml and nitrates = 0 ph = 7.4. So they have been in the tank since sunday. The smallest guy swims everywhere, even with the danios i have at the top. He must thing he is a danio heh, and he eats plenty. One of the bigger guys comes out but is rather timid and hides when i come to the tank. The 3rd one is probably the biggest, at best 2", but has not come out from under their rock yet. I am not sure at night, but during the day it stays under there. I don't know if its getting food or not. Is this normal for these guys? I have had them in the past and never had one do this. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Gibbo]

Give them time, plenty of it. They're most likely reacting differently to being in a new, different environment. Working in a fish store I know how much different a shop and a house can be for these guys. There are always plenty of noises and shadows and activity in a shop that some fish funnily enough get used to, especially when they have been there for several weeks/a few months. You will find that these guys will settle down but, bear in mind, some fish can have different personalities, same as people.

 

[wetwetwet]

As Gibbo says they should get better with a bit of time....

.....also ensure there are plenty of hiding places for them as they like to dart from one to another

If they still dont get any braver then you could try adding another 1-2 as they are a shoaling species and would imo do better in a slightly larger group

 

[impur]

The shy one is already coming out more. Darts back to their cave when i approach the tank but i can spy around the corner and it comes out with the other 2. I was just a bit quick to worry i guess.