Clown Loach Survey

[itiwhetu]

Who keeps Clown Loaches around here.
I am interested in knowing who has clown loaches in their tanks or has ever kept them.
How big is the tank, How many fish, How large are the fish, How long have you had them.

I have noticed that the Clown Loach discussion has come up again, mainly that some people think that a 4 foot tank isn't big enough for Clown Loaches and that they need to be kept in Schools of 6 to 10.
Personally I kept 4 Clown Loaches in a 4 foot tank for years, happily entertaining me. Just wondering who else has done that.

 

[ClownLurch]

I had 4 little uns in a 36” tank back in the late 90s. I didn’t know any better. The lfs said it was ok. I was using a 20yr old library book to learn a bit more about fishkeeping at the time. Sorry.

I was going out on a Saturday night around Covent Garden but was early so popped into Foyles (huge London book shop) to see what fish related books they had. That was when I discovered how big they grew. I didn’t want to return them to the so and so who’d sold them so asked around and a mate of a mate of a mate with a 6’ tank took em.

They’re still my favourite fish and so funny to watch and are probably responsible for my dislike of seeing anything over 2” or so in a tank less than 4’. Im aware this inane drivel isnt what you’re hoping for in a thread but it’s all I’ve got on the subject!

Oh they were in with:
4x WCMMs
4x Zebras
4x Neons
1x Paradisefish.
The clowns were on the bottom at the front and sides of the tank 90% of the time. Zebras front and side mid and top 90% of the time. Neons everywhere in mid and top. WCMMs just everywhere.
Paradisefish was mid and bottom at the back of the tank. I imagine he somewhat skewed the general ambience of the place.

It wasn’t the best advised tank but that’s what happens when you trust a LFS.

 

[Byron]

I had one back in the 1980's, like ClownLurch, before I even began to understand fish. The CL didn't last long, needless to say; I know realize it was because it needed a shoal as the starting point.

One does not have to keep a fish species to know everything about it that needs to be known. This is where research comes in, provided it is research obtained from intelligent knowledgeable people.

 

[itiwhetu]

I had one back in the 1980's, like ClownLurch, before I even began to understand fish. The CL didn't last long, needless to say; I know realize it was because it needed a shoal as the starting point.

One does not have to keep a fish species to know everything about it that needs to be known. This is where research comes in, provided it is research obtained from intelligent knowledgeable people.

So therefore you are saying we don't need to have kept a fish to be an expert on it. Meaning that experience isn't needed we just need to read a good book. Which basically says you can make out you are knowledgeable about fish keeping by just plagiarizing everybody else's work.

 

[ClownLurch]

Clown Loach Knowledge Olympics Finishing Positions:

Beaten finalist: Never kept em, never read about em.
Bronze Medal: Kept em, never read about them.
Silver Medal: Never kept em, read about em.
Gold Medal: Kept em, read about em.

Bronze and Silver were a photo finish and it could’ve went either way.
Of course it all really comes down to the individuals concerned. IE I was a bronze medalist who pulled up the moment I found out the first thing about them.

 

[itiwhetu]

Clown Loach Knowledge Olympics Finishing Positions:

Beaten finalist: Never kept em, never read about em.
Bronze Medal: Kept em, never read about them.
Silver Medal: Never kept em, read about em.
Gold Medal: Kept em, read about em.

Bronze and Silver were a photo finish and it could’ve went either way.
Of course it all really comes down to the individuals concerned. IE I was a bronze medalist who pulled up the moment I found out the first thing about them.

It just shows that nobody keeps Clown Loaches anymore, which I suppose is a good thing

 

[ClownLurch]

They sell em at PAH over here.
I dunno if PAH was around when you were over here? But I can’t imagine people with a tank suitable buying fish there.
I’ve only heard of one big tank owner buying fish from PAH and he’s now moving up north and offering his fish free to a good home. No CLs though.

 

[itiwhetu]

They sell em at PAH over here.
I dunno if PAH was around when you were over here? But I can’t imagine people with a tank suitable buying fish there.
I’ve only heard of one big tank owner buying fish from PAH and he’s now moving up north and offering his fish free to a good home. No CLs though.

Does your local fish shop sell them. Do you see them online for sale

 

[ClownLurch]

LFS does. Maidenheads which is the UKs biggest aquatic only chain.
PAH does. It’s three mins walk from home. I use it for plants only as they sell the tropica brand dirt cheap.
Theres three other specialist aquatic stores within 15 mins drive but I’ve not been in them for a while. I’ll check next time.

 

[itiwhetu]

@Colin_T share your thoughts please

 

[Colin_T]

I used to recommend people keep them in groups of 4 or more due to the price (they were and still are pricey). And I preferred it if customers had a tank that was at least 4 foot long for young loaches (2-3 inches), and at least 6 foot long for older fish that were 6 inches or more in length. Some customers bought small ones and put them in 3 foot tanks but they were told about the adult size and tank requirements.

They are slow growing fish and can live in a 4 foot tank for years. The main requirement though is company. Ideally they are kept in groups of 10 or more and given a tank that is at least 6x2x2ft or a pond. Smaller species of loach are better suited to aquariums, they just aren't as colourful.

 

[itiwhetu]

I used to recommend people keep them in groups of 4 or more due to the price (they were and still are pricey). And I preferred it if customers had a tank that was at least 4 foot long for young loaches (2-3 inches), and at least 6 foot long for older fish that were 6 inches or more in length. Some customers bought small ones and put them in 3 foot tanks but they were told about the adult size and tank requirements.

They are slow growing fish and can live in a 4 foot tank for years. The main requirement though is company. Ideally they are kept in groups of 10 or more and given a tank that is at least 6x2x2ft or a pond. Smaller species of loach are better suited to aquariums, they just aren't as colourful.

You must have imported hundreds of them over the years I guess

 

[Colin_T]

thousands

they look good when you have 100 young in a big tank, they all move as one and the effect is a big orange and black ball moving around.

 

[itiwhetu]

thousands

they look good when you have 100 young in a big tank, they all move as one and the effect is a big orange and black ball moving around.

We used to bring them in 250 at a time, we had bricks in the quarantine tanks that had holes in them, each clown loach would find a hole and all you could see was its head until feeding time, then they would all come out eat and go back to their hole in the brick, it was so cool. They were one of the easier fish to bring through quarantine as they were so chilled.

 

[Wills]

Never kept them but kept other loaches. Seen enough to know what the deal is, they dont have very difficult care needs IMO - keep them in a group, sand substrate etc. But they do get very big... eventually.

For me they are so common in the hobby and they grow so slowly most of the time a 4 foot tank is going to be their best chance. With some fish for example an Arrowana, people not buying or returning them after research online will stop stores from stocking them excessivly but Clown Loaches are a fish that are popular with people who wont research etc and as discussed here imported in their thousands so what ever we say most of them are going to end up in bad tanks. Like Common Plecos and a few other species a four foot tank is the best most could hope for and if its a dedicated aquarist, weekly water changes, cycled tank, good food etc I think thats a good position to be in - given the scale of the industry selling them.

So IMO 4 foot is ok but if someone here was asking for advice, I'd suggest a different loach like a Skunk or YoYo.

Wills