Time to try

[Shiro337]

Ok here is my plan - In the next year im planning on getting a 8ft x 3ft x 2ft tank with the intentions of breeding Clown loach. I have an importer who can get me adult Clowns but at a price. The plan is to get 12 adults and recreate the slow flowing Borneo rivers. Now i here you thinking you cant breed Clown loach. This is untrue a few people have done it . I have bred lots of diff fish in the past but mainly discus. I have stock & breeding tanks already set up. So any tips advice will be taken on board. Wish me luck ....

 

[Cheese Specialist]

12 12" clown loaches is going to be a lot, even in a tank that size IMO.

Good luck wth it though, you must really like clown loaches!!

 

[endparenthesis]

You can probably make your money back if you can pull it off. I hope it works for you... it's a worthwhile project.

 

[Blazer]

WOW good luck let us know the restults!! I have no tips in this field...

~DAN

 

[drunkenmonkey]

Wow... very ambitious project. But it sounds great. Good luck with it, and i hope you can pull it off.

 

[CFC]

I remember reading a artical about the accidental spawning and then controled spawnings of clown loaches a while back, unfortunately i didnt book mark the site and cannot find it again

Basicly the guy had a accidental spawn after a long period of neglect, he had been away for a few months and although someone fed the fish no one did water changes or cleaned the filters etc so when he returned home the tank was a real mess. He unblocked the filter which had slowed to just a trickle and did a large water change before bed and left the rest for the morning, when he returned to the tank he saw to his suprise a large ammount of eggs laid in the plants whch he assumed must have been the clown loaches since the only other fish were tetras for which the eggs would have been too big. Unfortunately the eggs were eaten before a second tank could be set up but he decided to try it again under controlled conditions. Again he allowed the filter to become clogged and didnt do any water changes for a long period as well as removing a small ammount of water each week until the tank was half full of water to simulate a dry season which was ended by a huge water change and cleaning the filter, again the clown loaches spawned and this time he was able to save the eggs. I think it took a few attempts to ba able to raise any fry but eventually he was able to successfully hatch and raise clown loaches.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Aw, that's a lovely story CFC

Hope the same happens for you, Shiro337.

 

[drunkenmonkey]

Thats an intersting story CFC. I think I read something similar to that. It said to try to simulate the same conditions the fish would experience in the water. Things like light, food, and water quality. During the wet season, there is a lot of rain and food. So that would be what most of our tanks are like. But in the dry season, its sunny without too much rain. To simulate that we would empty out about a third of our tank's water, and feed less frequently.

>>Edit: I found the article here.

 

[Aquascaper]

My LFS breeds Discus by doing a 50% water change with cold water, this stimulates them into breeding.

Same sort of thing.

Good luck with the project.

 

[rvm]

Really good luck with it, I hope it works. Sorry I can't offer you any advice; my platies won't even breed!! (not that I want them to, they're just there to swim at the top!!!!!)
Cheese, you know that is a 360g tank. I don't see how that is too small for 12 clowns!!!!!

 

[CFC]

Cheese, you know that is a 360g tank. I don't see how that is too small for 12 clowns!!!!!

Dont worry, i heard cheese telling god off last week for the oceans not being big enough to stock whales

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Cheese, you know that is a 360g tank. I don't see how that is too small for 12 clowns!!!!!

Dont worry, i heard cheese telling god off last week for the oceans not being big enough to stock whales

I was just saying!!! 12 x 1' (length but also very fat and high) fish on a 8' x 3' floor is quite a lot!!!

It's just as well my tanks are perfect isn't it? Totally understocked, compatable and self cleaning.