Clown Loach

[fishyjessie]

i am thinking of adding a clown loach to my 55 gallon tank. do they like to live in groups? in the tank already there are livebeares, rosybarbs, white clouds, dannios, a pleco, an otto, and a CAE. there are lots of snails in the tank and it is planted. there are also fry in the tank, would a loach eat them? ive never had a clown loach before, but i would like to have one. thanks for your help

 

[Pleco-Heaven]

Clown loaches need to be in a group (about three or four) I think theyWould fit in quite nicely, but I don't know if adding them is overstocking though.

 

[fishyjessie]

oh no, there is plenty of room. mostly i worry about the bottom dwellers; pleco, CAE and otto.......the other fish live on the top half of the tank. the fry hide in the plant growth tho.....i kinda want to keep the fry around.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Clown loaches will eat fry....mainly because fry like to live in and around the gravel where it is generally safer and clowns like to sift through the gravel for food....

How many of each of the other fish do you have? Assuming there is a few of each it seems that adding clownies would be overstocking your tank....they have the potential to grow to 12 inches!!

They are awesome fish though!!

 

[Nina7777]

IMO you don't have enough room to add clown loaches. They need to be in a group of a minimum of 3, and as most said they grow pretty large..slowly but surely. I would have to say you already have enough bottom dwellers and fish. Also yes they will eat fry, as mines favorite food is brine shrimp and platy fry.

 

[fishyjessie]

well, it doesnt sound like they would fit well in this tank, but you know what that means..........TIME FOR A NEW TANK!!

 

[Nina7777]

well, it doesnt sound like they would fit well in this tank, but you know what that means..........TIME FOR A NEW TANK!!

I like the way you think!

 

[dothedew]

you can do that or look for a smaller loach. I think all loaches eat snail. I'm really a fan of weather (dojo) loaches.

 

[Loach Man]

The loach probably will have a nice snack with those fry and with the pleco, sometimes a pleco will a chip on his shoulder and go after the clown loach, so the loach will defend itself, so it could end up hurting or killing depending on the size of the pleco. Clowns aren't a mean fish but if picked on it will defend itself.