Clown loach water temp

FishForums.net Pet of the Month
šŸ¶ POTM Poll is Open! šŸ¦Ž Click here to Vote! šŸ°

Negseven

Fish Fanatic
Joined
Jul 7, 2022
Messages
92
Reaction score
27
Location
Essex
Hi, I have read that clowns can be ok between a range of temperatures, but what is the best temp for them to be least resistant to disease?
 
Anyone know typical first year growth rate? Getting much conflicting info.
Several saying up to 5ā€ first year and very slow growth after. Others saying slow even in first year
 
5 inches in one year is a lot, some people say having a small tank stunts their growth, but it must have a lot to do with feeding intervals etc, I have five in a 33 gallon and only a couple have put on about inch in length (had them 6 months from small) and bulked up a bit, I feed them every other dayā€¦.
 
I am reading the small ones should be fed multiple times a day, but so much conflicting info. I have 8 of varying sizes in a 125. Smallest pair are 2ā€, biggest guy is 6ā€. I bought the bigger ones from a seller who wasnā€™t sure of their age because they were given to him.
 
Iā€™m surprised you didnā€™t get any more replies, I only feed mine every other day as I donā€™t want to crash my tank, itā€™s got a lot of fish in a 33 gallon, if your tank is 125 gallon that is nice and big
 
There's a bit of a contradiction in the advice appearing here.

You are looking for optimal temperatures for health, and growing is part of healthy development for any fish. To intentionally stunt it through underfeeding strategies is to mistreat the fish, and will lead to ill health. Keeping it in a 33 gallon, or even six in a 125 may be a short term adventure.

When I made the mistake of trying to keep this fish many years ago, growth in the first year I had them was fast. I had three of them in a 3 foot tank, so there was no complete second year. They grew, and crashed. I would say they went from 2 inches at the store to about 5-6 inches at death.

They were one of my biggest regrets, as far as things I bought I should not have. I tried everything to save them except the most important thing - a way bigger tank with higher levels of water flow. In the 30 or so years since then, I've seen a lot of clown loach set ups, and spoken to a lot of keepers. As radical and 'out there' as this will sound, I'd probably consider a 180 gallon as basic to six of them with no other tankmates. A 240 would be better. My experience says that in an adequately sized tank on a healthy diet, 5 inches is reasonable after a year. Remember that this is a fish that can be growing without adding total length. They are high backed, and wide bodied, as an all arouned chunky species, and adding body height and bulk is normal growth (and adds a significant bioload).
 
Your well informed post is greatly appreciated. Thank you. Iā€™m not seeing CL as widely kept fish and my best info is coming from facebook groups dedicated to the single species and even there much ambiguous info.
 
Iā€™m not sure what is meant by ā€œcrash my tank.ā€ Does it mean inadequate filtration? Does it mean insufficient water changes leading to ammonia/nitrate spikes? I am set up to do rapid water changes and have a test tube rack for checking chem levels.
Iā€™m using a Fluval FX4. Handles 250 gallons and the current clown loach tank is 125. I am prepared to get a bigger tank and additional filter at some point in time. Always seeing both used at fantastic prices.
 

Most reactions

trending

Staff online

Members online

Back
Top