Clown Loaches.

[cynic]

Hey, been a while. Life happens a few tank ooopsies getting to understand care of plants that are now reproducing themselves.
 
Fish have passed naturally or been moved out except for the wife's must keeps. A RTS and a Bristlenose female that has been in the tank from the beginning. Was actually our very first fish. Should maybe consider a male maybe?
 
Anyhow I am now feeling like a change of pace, we have had lots of little fish previously and they are far too hectic, so no more. They only shoal up when scared otherwise it was just random.
 
I have been considering options  and after plodding through the obvious and some off the wall stupid, came upon something I had ignored. Clowns, before you start my tank is 6 feet long by 20 inches deep/high and at the moment is sand/20mm gravel base with plants.
 
I was thinking of 4 young ones and reshaping the tank plant wise to be more  to Asian planting, more wood. I have a large canister filter and a powerhead.
 
I see so much information about fish and there are so many BAD experts in general, like a LFS said that keeping several RTS together is fine. REALLY. I wanted proper experienced advice, be that welcome or not. 
 
So it a good idea and will the RTS behave, ha, no he wont but hey. Will they live together um?

 

[Ltygress]

He may, he may not. It's really hard to say. I've had some REALLY aggressive central american cichlids in the past that could have cared less about a clown loach. But then I've had guppies who had never seen one before suddenly chase one around and nip at his fins until he was finless (he survived and obviously kicked their butt later). How big is the RTS now? You said the Bristlenose has been there since the beginning, but has the red-tailed shark been there almost as long? Is he full grown, or still somewhat young? Maybe you can find a larger, older clown loach to go in with him?

The good news is, your tank is big enough for clown loaches!

 

[cynic]

The RTS is now around 3 and a half inches, bout the same as the BN. They were both tiny when they went in, like inch, inch and a bit. He's been in the tank for a good while now.
 
The BN and the RTS take absolutely no notice of each other at all..

 

[Byron]

It is unfortunate that you have the Red Tail Shark.  This fish is very territorial, so without question he will consider the entire tank "his."  And this is a very serious problem if other substrate fish are being considered, such as any loaches.  The Bristlenose is not in the same category at all.  But loaches are much more closely related taxonomically to the "shark" and all the knowledgeable sources will advise against this combination.  Quite a shame, as you have the space (unlike so many that "try" clowns) for a group of five (five would be better than four) though they would out-grow this space in time.
 
Byron.

 

[cynic]

Knew the RTS was an iffy choice but wife has her say in the tank too.

 

[simonas]

RTS can be moody buggers but in my opinion are all bark and no bite. I wouldnt worry about it

 

[cynic]

We have been talking about it.

We will change the tank about make it more in keeping with loaches. More wood planting etc the see if he will play ball.

If he kivks off he can go to the lfs. Lfs said he will happily take him as he has a tank with fish twice his size and he wont bother them.