David R Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I currently have 30 clowns (~6 7-8" and the rest between 3-6") in a 150x70x60 tank, including several large females that frequently lay eggs. At that size they are pretty boisterous to the point where it makes feeding other tankmates difficult. Keeping them in a large group of 10+ is when you really start to see their social behaviour, and anyone who says they're alright in smaller groups has obviously never kept a larger group of them. That said I have kept them in various sized groups, including two ~4" together with no problems. Here's a video taken ~6 months ago, I will try to get a more recent one soon; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYxbPrsWvL4. Those 20 small clowns you have on hold will be absolutely fine in a 4x2x2 tank for a few years. In fact you could probably double that number for at least 12-18 months before you would want to upgrade the tank or start thinning them out. They will actually grow quite quickly from a small size up to around 5" provided they haven't spent a long time in a tiny tank at the LFS and been stunted. Good food and clean water are the keys to success, strong filtration with plenty of current is essential. Long-term they will need something longer than a 4' tank (6' minimum) to give them room to swim and keep them growing, but you've got a couple of years to get that sorted out. I think the biggest problem with the senegals as tankmates (assuming they're too small to eat the loaches) will be getting enough food to the sens once the loaches are larger. Within the next 12 months I plan on having a specific loach tank, which I will stock solely with the clowns and a school of fast and tough mid-level fish (appollo sharks would be nice, maybe rainbows?). I'm not sure if Charlie or the online stocking tool have ever kept clowns, so believe what you will Morcs, I'm just relay some personal experience.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted January 30, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 I currently have 30 clowns (~6 7-8" and the rest between 3-6") in a 150x70x60 tank, including several large females that frequently lay eggs. At that size they are pretty boisterous to the point where it makes feeding other tankmates difficult. Keeping them in a large group of 10+ is when you really start to see their social behaviour, and anyone who says they're alright in smaller groups has obviously never kept a larger group of them. That said I have kept them in various sized groups, including two ~4" together with no problems. Here's a video taken ~6 months ago, I will try to get a more recent one soon; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYxbPrsWvL4. Those 20 small clowns you have on hold will be absolutely fine in a 4x2x2 tank for a few years. In fact you could probably double that number for at least 12-18 months before you would want to upgrade the tank or start thinning them out. They will actually grow quite quickly from a small size up to around 5" provided they haven't spent a long time in a tiny tank at the LFS and been stunted. Good food and clean water are the keys to success, strong filtration with plenty of current is essential. Long-term they will need something longer than a 4' tank (6' minimum) to give them room to swim and keep them growing, but you've got a couple of years to get that sorted out. I think the biggest problem with the senegals as tankmates (assuming they're too small to eat the loaches) will be getting enough food to the sens once the loaches are larger. Within the next 12 months I plan on having a specific loach tank, which I will stock solely with the clowns and a school of fast and tough mid-level fish (appollo sharks would be nice, maybe rainbows?). I'm not sure if Charlie or the online stocking tool have ever kept clowns, so believe what you will Morcs, I'm just relay some personal experience.. Thanks David. I just paid for the 20 and ill pick them up later today. Also got 20 tiger barbs going in, and then looking at possibly a group of 6 firemouths (until a pair forms) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32GOTMLK Posted January 30, 2010 Report Share Posted January 30, 2010 Within the next 12 months I plan on having a specific loach tank, which I will stock solely with the clowns 20 will be sweet!! im back up to 40+ clowns in my 6 foot :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Its pretty sad really when you think of the number of clowns sold every year in fish shops then look at people like Emma Turner or some of the hardcore loach fans on MFK and realise just how few of them end up being kept in suitable set ups where they can reach their full potential. I bet most people don't even think that when they purchase a couple of those "cute orange and black stripy ones" that they're signing on for potentially over twice as long as the average cat or dog... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 true david.. tho hopefully most are in some happy school somewhere.. check this out http://www.loaches.com/species-index/ph ... t.JPG/view edit: emma's loach "marge" http://www.loaches.com/species-index/cl ... cracanthus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morcs Posted January 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Its pretty sad really when you think of the number of clowns sold every year in fish shops then look at people like Emma Turner or some of the hardcore loach fans on MFK and realise just how few of them end up being kept in suitable set ups where they can reach their full potential. I bet most people don't even think that when they purchase a couple of those "cute orange and black stripy ones" that they're signing on for potentially over twice as long as the average cat or dog... Well said. I like them small and cute :lol: But i have a list of at least 4 people that will bite my hands off for them once they reach a reasonable size 8) so it works out quite well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 Its pretty sad really when you think of the number of clowns sold every year in fish shops then look at people like Emma Turner or some of the hardcore loach fans on MFK and realise just how few of them end up being kept in suitable set ups where they can reach their full potential. I bet most people don't even think that when they purchase a couple of those "cute orange and black stripy ones" that they're signing on for potentially over twice as long as the average cat or dog... you could apply that to many types of fish we keep in the hobby Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted January 31, 2010 Report Share Posted January 31, 2010 you could apply that to many types of fish we keep in the hobby For sure, there seems to be a rather disproportionate number of 8'+ tanks sold considering the number of silver arowanas sold in shops, nut IMO clown loaches would have to be right at the top of the most commonly ill-kept fish in terms of sheer numbers, probably only second to goldfish... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted February 3, 2010 Report Share Posted February 3, 2010 that and tetras and discus and catfish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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