Evil Clown Loaches

[pickledbrain]

i have 3 clown loaches in a 75 gallon tank with 7 harlequins, four bronze Cory's, two angel fish and one pleco

but my problem is the clown loaches seem to be attacking each other and all the other fish, when i have kept clown loaches before they were very peaceful fish.
these guys are just evil!!!

one of the clown loaches seem to be much more aggressive and has attacked one of its own kind, now the loach that has been bit seems very stressed?

is there anything i can do to stop this!!!???

i might have to take them back tomorrow before they attack or kill the other fish, but im afraid they might kill my harlequins or my angels?!

all water condition is fine and my tank is 26C

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Since they are mostly nocturnal, do you have ample dark corners to satisfy them all?? Maybe that's what they are fighting about.....

 

[loachman]

They can get into squabbles over pecking order, but it's not very common for there to be any real injury. Are they large loaches?


If it doesn't settle down in a few days, taking them back is an option.

 

[shelaghfishface]

oh this is very normal, mine fight now and again, they gray out and really go for it, i think OMG shall i take one out, but i never have and within a few hours they are snuggled up again,it is the pecking order issues, they will have to sort it out between themselves, and ive never heard of them killing anything to be honest, they have small razors above their eyes which they will use to defend themselves but they cause scratches rather than injury.

keep and eye on them and if you really feel they are not getting on then take one back and swap him for another one, they wont be at all happy alone, so a better idea would to be maybe get some more maybe 3 more?? if you have the space, otherwise i would knock the idea of having cllown loaches on the head altogether

and Ludwig is spot on about the hiding places, they are very shy fish so if they are feeling in the least bit insecure it wont help, so give them pots, tunnels to hide in

hope it all works out for you, they are beautiful little characters, one of my favorite fish