My lfs generally keeps around three 1 1/2" Clowns and never keeps anything 2-3" Could order larger ones if I wanted. Just curious what size you guys would suggest buying as a first group. Also the lil guys he has now seem to have really fat bellies.. haven't been able to find much information on why that would be?
Clown Loach
- Thread starter Cocomojo
- Start date
Davo86
Cichlids, Catfish and Oddballs
they probably have fat bellies because they are well fed, this along with strong colours is a good sign,
Very small clowns can be hard to keep but specimens around 2-3" have generally been in captivity a while and therefore are usually much hardier.
The price of larger clowns goes up quite a bit though, which is the main drawback to buying bigger fish, given you obviously need to keep them in groups
Very small clowns can be hard to keep but specimens around 2-3" have generally been in captivity a while and therefore are usually much hardier.
The price of larger clowns goes up quite a bit though, which is the main drawback to buying bigger fish, given you obviously need to keep them in groups
The small shop wants $5 more for the 1 1/2" fish than petsmart wants for their 3" fish. But I just have a hard time buying fish from a big chain store. The local one keeps much nicer tanks, doesn't over populate them (other than the goldfish tanks) as well as having much more knowledgable staff.
Davo86
Cichlids, Catfish and Oddballs
IMO it doesn't matter where you buy from as long as you are confident you can distinguish between a healthy and a sick fish.
If the fish are active, eating well and have vivid colours then I would get them, although if you have a quarantine tank available short term that would be the best option.
If the fish are active, eating well and have vivid colours then I would get them, although if you have a quarantine tank available short term that would be the best option.
Davo86
Cichlids, Catfish and Oddballs
provided the filters mature and the new fish go in before or an hour or so after the others have been rehomed then you should be ok,
But if the filter is relatively new or has been excessively clean then you may want to leave the Clowns for a while and add something else first
But if the filter is relatively new or has been excessively clean then you may want to leave the Clowns for a while and add something else first
Filter is around 5 years old.. have had the tank runnin with the 2 bala's (both 6" or so) and the pleco (6") for couple weeks now and checking water every day ammonia and nitrite have yet to go over 0 ppm
so figure goin from three 6" fish to five 2" fish should be ok? then will slowly add their tankmates
so figure goin from three 6" fish to five 2" fish should be ok? then will slowly add their tankmates
crazychris
Fishaholic
Ours has 3 sizes, very small, medium and large but TBH I'd say the bigger and fatter you buy them the better. I bought mine at 3" and they're 6"+ now!!
Amunet
Fish Aficionado
Agree, that the bigger you can get them the better. Also make sure you look at them and the tank they're in VERY closely.
We bought 6 clowns... didn't notice they had ich until we brought them home.
I tryed curing them, but they all ended up dying
Went to a Petsmart across town, and theirs were ich free. We got the biggest ones they had, and they're all doing great.
We bought 6 clowns... didn't notice they had ich until we brought them home.
I tryed curing them, but they all ended up dying
Went to a Petsmart across town, and theirs were ich free. We got the biggest ones they had, and they're all doing great.
As a follow on to Amunet's comments, be sure they have some "meat" on them. It is not uncommon for loaches to be very emaciated/skinny when imported. This is either from internal parasites (which they are readily susceptible to, many people treat do a preventative treatment on new ones) or just from a lack of food. Either is bad. Make sure the head doesn't look taller than the rest of the body, and the stomach doesn't look pinched up/in. Like this one
They're also very susceptible to ich, which is hard to rid them of as they don't handle many of the meds as well as you'd like.
Otherwise, go with the bigger ones if you have an option. Although realistically, most of the ones 1.5-2" or larger should do fine as long as there are no other health issues. The major issue is cost and availability. Most shops don't stock larger ones, and they start at $30 when they do have 4+ inch ones around here.
They're also very susceptible to ich, which is hard to rid them of as they don't handle many of the meds as well as you'd like.
Otherwise, go with the bigger ones if you have an option. Although realistically, most of the ones 1.5-2" or larger should do fine as long as there are no other health issues. The major issue is cost and availability. Most shops don't stock larger ones, and they start at $30 when they do have 4+ inch ones around here.
hey i like to buy all of my fish small so i can see them grow and ultimately have them longer. that may just be me but that would be odd.
Amunet
Fish Aficionado
Well you really don't have to worry about that w/ clowns since they can live for 20+ years. So don't think a few months will be much difference in the long run
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