suemack Posted December 31, 2003 Report Share Posted December 31, 2003 went to the lfs last weekend for a piece of polystyrene and came home with 2 tiny clown loaches. One is just small, the other is small and very skinny. My 29 gall (36x15x15 inch) tank is underpopulated and well planted so thought...........anyway both are eating well and the skinny one has a rounded tummy now. Haven't had clowns before so any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thought that by the time they need more roomy accomodation I should have a bigger tank.........................well I don't really need the piano. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted December 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2003 the littlest one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted December 31, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 31, 2003 and the bigger though he is about the same length he is much more full bodied. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 1, 2004 Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 I have found them very easy to keep. My tank is well maintained, water changed etc. The are rpone to whitespot, so be carefull when introducing new stock. Mine eat anything, but especially like freeze drive blood worms and shrimp pellets the most. Very nice fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 1, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2004 thanks - am keeping a very close eye on them as they were very stressed when I bought them. They have both developed a much richer colour in the last few days. Have been feeding bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp and spirulena pellets (they're not much interested in the flake foods) They really do seem to like all the hidey holes that are in the tank and come out and play in the current from the filters. sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted January 2, 2004 Report Share Posted January 2, 2004 Yeah they are, IMO, one of the nicest fish for freshwater tropical. Common, fairly cheap, well behaived, easy to keep, social and active. 10/10 I am VERY stingy with feeding in my tank, often only feeding every 2-3 days. Mine will eat anything and everything. If i feed Zuchiunni (sp?) with a lead weight, they will even happily eat this. I notice their colour changes a lot, often a light grey stripe, sometimes much darker. I assume its just their mood? I used to think water conditions, but I see them change daily sometimes. I have 4 in my tank currently, and plan on adding another 4 very soon (tommorow). Pies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 Hi When I bought my clowns, they had grey stripes. After a while in my tank, the stripes became pitch black. Usually happy and contented. But this is not conclusive. Only an observation. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted January 3, 2004 Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 I am VERY stingy with feeding in my tank, often only feeding every 2-3 days. Mine will eat anything and everything. If i feed Zuchiunni (sp?) with a lead weight, they will even happily eat this. Mine never used to eat the lead weight??!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 3, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 3, 2004 update on the loaches. They are doing ok, feeding well. The skinny one is still thin but looking better - just have to make sure I put the food in several places in the tank as I have 2 B.striata in there that tend to chase the little one away. At this point until he gains weight am feeding them twice daily with a variety of different foods and doing regular gravel cleans to compensate as I am probably overfeeding. :lol: sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisMack Posted January 4, 2004 Report Share Posted January 4, 2004 sadly I never had success with these guys, they are a very nice fish (well until they put on some size then to me they look a tad awkward) I found out the hard way that they are also quite accomplished jumpers, after two days of searching for my "lost loach" I found that he/she had jumped out of the (covered) tank through the cable hole, and fallen down between the tank glass, and my somewhat (at the time) saggy backing paper! I believe they are also keen on snails.....so that shouldn't be a problem for you anymore either (if it ever was) Good luck with them, they are fun to watch, as they are always on the move....... ChrisMack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fee Posted January 5, 2004 Report Share Posted January 5, 2004 Hi, I would recommend worming the Clown Loaches, particularly as you have noted that one is skinny. Try Curex, available from most Fish Shops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 thanks fee - I wouldn't have thought of worming fish. I'm not sure if I need to though as in the last 10 days they have both gained a lot of condition and it's now sometimes difficult to tell which is the 'skinny' one - should I go ahead and worm anyway? sue - this is the skinny one now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 6, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 and his friend - they'd just had a feed of bloodworms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted January 6, 2004 Report Share Posted January 6, 2004 I have one word for your fishes sue - diet!! :lol: They have certainly improved since finding a home in your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goldie Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 They sure are looking good. Well done. I have six of them and yes plenty of rocks, caves etc for them to race around and have their mad mad games. I did have to move them out of the bristlenose breeding tank for they love food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted January 16, 2004 Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 He's getting fat! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 16, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2004 :oops: praps he's just got big bones :lol: am definately cutting back on the heavy bloodworm feeding regime I had going........the loaches are not happy about this either :roll: ........and am going to start giving them a vege only day soon sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbo Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 Hi Suemack, they both look beautifull. Well done, they look happier than the average Human !! :evil: Robbo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted January 17, 2004 Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 Yeah, well done! I wasn't implying the loaches were overweight for their size. A loach is meant to have a slight pot-belly (a bit like Thunderbird 2). Your's look totally normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suemack Posted January 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2004 :lol: talk about the antics at feeding time tonight ......the clowns, the zebras and the new polkadots doing headstands and backflips round the tank...no-one else even got a look in :lol: maybe we'll start the veges tomorrow........ .....I think the skinny one is more like a Miss Piggy than a Thunderbird 2 sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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