Clown Loach And Snails

[FiremanSam]

G'day All,

Can I have a Mystery Snail with my 2 Clown Loaches, or is this just asking for trouble?

Cheers

 

[Matty P]

What size is your fish tank?

 

[DevUK]

Clown loaches are often bought as snail exterminators, so I'd say you're asking for trouble!

 

[LakeyGal]

Depends on the snails size - I have MTS in my tank who breed like nobodys business, one afternoon the bogwood will be covered in baby snails in the morning they've all gone, the ones that manage to get to 1cm get left alone but the wee ones virtually all get hoovered up as a tasty crunchy loach snacks.

 

[FiremanSam]

G'day Matt P,

I know what you are going to say about the tank size and the loaches, My tank is 3 ft 150 litres. I have had my Clown Loaches for 3 years now and they have not changed in size one bit, they are still about 6cm long. They are still very brightly coloured and have fun swimming thru the plants, and tunnels that I have created for them. If they do start to have a growth spurt I have a very understanding LFS that will take them back.

G'day LakeyGal,

So you reckon if I get one that is about 1.5cm or large it should be ok?


Thanks guys and girls for the responses.

 

[loachman]

Very good chance that the snail will be nibbled on if nothing else. Mystery snails really have no way of protecting themselves and are pretty easy snacks.

 

[LakeyGal]

G'day Matt P,

I know what you are going to say about the tank size and the loaches, My tank is 3 ft 150 litres. I have had my Clown Loaches for 3 years now and they have not changed in size one bit, they are still about 6cm long. They are still very brightly coloured and have fun swimming thru the plants, and tunnels that I have created for them. If they do start to have a growth spurt I have a very understanding LFS that will take them back.

G'day LakeyGal,

So you reckon if I get one that is about 1.5cm or large it should be ok?


Thanks guys and girls for the responses.

I would say 1.5 would be the minimum, I think mine mainly go for the littleuns because they're there, If the only snails in the tank were bigger ones I wouldn't trust them to leave them be - I did once sit and watch one of my clowns lift a 2cm pebble to get the goodies underneath so they can be pretty determined .
Have you considered apple snails?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

G'day Matt P,

I know what you are going to say about the tank size and the loaches, My tank is 3 ft 150 litres. I have had my Clown Loaches for 3 years now and they have not changed in size one bit, they are still about 6cm long. They are still very brightly coloured and have fun swimming thru the plants, and tunnels that I have created for them. If they do start to have a growth spurt I have a very understanding LFS that will take them back.

What foods do you feed your clown loaches and how often? It sounds odd that your clowns haven't grown at all in 3 years, although a bigger tank is more ideal for clown loaches, yours should have at least grown a bit during that time. I've had my clown loaches for about 3-4months or something like that now, and they have grown about 1-2cm's each during that time .

 

[jayjay]

Clown loaches can and do eat apple snails.

 

[FiremanSam]

G'day Matt P,

I know what you are going to say about the tank size and the loaches, My tank is 3 ft 150 litres. I have had my Clown Loaches for 3 years now and they have not changed in size one bit, they are still about 6cm long. They are still very brightly coloured and have fun swimming thru the plants, and tunnels that I have created for them. If they do start to have a growth spurt I have a very understanding LFS that will take them back.

What foods do you feed your clown loaches and how often? It sounds odd that your clowns haven't grown at all in 3 years, although a bigger tank is more ideal for clown loaches, yours should have at least grown a bit during that time. I've had my clown loaches for about 3-4months or something like that now, and they have grown about 1-2cm's each during that time .

Tokis-Phoenix,

I feed them Frozen Blood worms, Algae Wafers and Cucumber

Cheers

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

How often are you feeding these foods and in what quantities to the loaches?

 

[smithrc]

the key to clown growth is water changes

Have a good water change regime and they grow,
less water changes - the less they grow (like ours)

 

[jayjay]

Diet, temperature and water changes are the biggest factors. Try to get them eating a high protein sinking pellet, growth will improve then normally.