What Quantity Of Clown Loaches?

[ShinySideUp]

Naively, I bought Clown Loaches about 10 years ago for a small tank although I had the intention of getting a larger one, which I subsequently did, and moved to a four foot 240 litre, a year after that I moved to a six foot 640 litre tank for my seven Clowns and that's as far as I can go as I have no room left.
 
There are some who would say that an eight foot tank was required for Clown Loaches and others that a six foot is OK, so let's go with the presumption that six foot is adequate.
 
How many Clown Loaches would it be fair to have in it?
 
The reason I ask is a) I like Clown Loaches b) I know that the more the merrier.
 
Do I have too many, am I about right for the size of tank or should I go up a few to preserve the gregarious nature of the species?
 
I have a fair amount of experience with them but I would appreciate a second opinion.

 

[NickAu]

I have 3 in a 100 gallon tank, And yes they are quite cute.

 

[Byron]

I would not add any more.  Seven clown loaches in a 6-foot tank is pushing things a bit, long-term.  This fish should attain between 20 and 30+ cm (8 to 12 inches) and it needs room to maintain its independence within the group.  There is also the water quality side of things, as this fish like all the botine loaches is intolerant of organics and deteriorating water quality.  At 10 years, yours are roughly half way to their expected lifespan, and it is the latter half when things sometimes become feisty depending upon their environment which of course includes the space they have.  Growth tends to slow down (but still continues) approximately around the 15 cm (6 inch) mark and some make the mistake of assuming this is about it; but assuming healthy fish, they will continue.
 
The other issue with adding more after the existing fish have been together for so long is that the group with its present hierarchy may not welcome others now.  A risk I would not subject the fish too.  It sounds like they are doing well, so keep them healthy and happy.
 
Byron.

 

[ShinySideUp]

That's strange, this thread has been edited and both my reply and Byron's reply to that have disappeared.

 

[Byron]

That's strange, this thread has been edited and both my reply and Byron's reply to that have disappeared.

 
You're right... I wonder if that had anything to do with the re-boot that I saw mentioned earlier today, where someone said something odd occurred?
 
Edit:  Just came to another thread and apparently there are posts missing from some threads due to using an older backup.  I guess anyone needing advice can repost the question.
 
Byron.

 

[ShinySideUp]

We know what we said so no point repeating ourselves. Thanks Byron.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

That's strange, this thread has been edited and both my reply and Byron's reply to that have disappeared.

 
You're right... I wonder if that had anything to do with the re-boot that I saw mentioned earlier today, where someone said something odd occurred?
 
Edit:  Just came to another thread and apparently there are posts missing from some threads due to using an older backup.  I guess anyone needing advice can repost the question.
 
Byron.
 

 
 
Yes, the reboot was done from a back-up, and the back-up occurs every 24 hours.  So, anything that was posted between the time the backup was done and the server crash took place is... unfortunately... lost.   Sorry about that.  (Incidentally, I've been on this site for about 4 years - having just celebrated my 4th anniversary here...

 and I can't remember this ever happening before.  So, this was a highly unusual event in TFF's history, if you ask me.)

 

[Katch]

I wish people wouldn't keep these in home aquariums, one of the hobby's great mistreated fish.
 
Clown loaches are a shoaling fish, so you need 6-12 of them for them to be happy.
 
Clown loaches are tank busters - they top out at 30cm each. So if you think you have room for 6-12, foot long fish then go for it...
 
Oh, and they are fast water lovers and love swimming so you'll want a long high turnover tank that emulates this

 

[ShinySideUp]

Indeed Katch, I agree with you, I would never have bought them had I the knowledge when I bought them that I have now. However, what's done is done and I am doing my very best for them, as I do with all my animals. From an original small fish-tank outlay I have spent over £2000 trying to keep my Clown's in the best conditions I can manage and it will have to do as I can't return them to the wild and no one else is going to look after them as well as I do.
 
While 30cm is a good size it is not common for these fish to reach this size in aquaria and I wouldn't expect the largest of mine to grow over eight, maybe ten, inches. Two of them will most definitely not reach these sizes as at ten years old they are still only three inches long possibly because of a mutation as these fish were in a group of three bought together (one died after three years of an indeterminate illness).
 
The 'alpha' female is generally believed to release hormones which, in a closed system, ensures that she remains the dominant female and that no other fish in the local group becomes larger than her, therefore if this is true, the size of all my fish will be determined by the size of the main female. She is filling out now rather than getting longer and is assuming the adult form -- large girth and height with faded colours (over that of juveniles). I would expect her maximum size to be about ten inches.
 
I appreciate your sentiment but I have studied this species as great length and consider myself quite experienced in their care.
 
NB. I have an FX5 filter and two Koralia pumps that provide fast-moving water in sections of the tank.