Clown Loaches Eating My Plants!

[sXeLifer]

They'll calm down and stop eating the plants once they get your snail numbers down some more, the snails are destroying the plants too so it all takes time to grow back. They do only eat smallish snails, so once they have a hardened shell they will become a challenge for the loaches (normally between 5mm and 10mm shell) so look into some other ways to kill them off. Another way to do it in the early days and if the infestation is really heavy is to anchor some lettuce leaves under a rock once you have put the light off at light off. In the morning it'll be covered in snails, tear the lettuce out (snails 'n' all) and flush 'em. Bear in mind that this will only work when the infestation is heavy. Use it when you only have a light to medium infestation and you'll get some snails but ultimately its just a waste of good lettuce! OR! you could always through some cucumber or other fresh veg into the tank that the loaches can munch instead of your plants. As for everyone else moaning at you. I'm sure you understand that your loaches get pretty big and if you don't then have a nosey at some image results. As a fishkeeper I'm sure your a massive softie towards your fish and will look after them to the best of your ability and if your loaches DO get too big and you cant afford to keep them then I'm sure you'd be wise enough to donate them to a zoo, or sell them or give them to a pet shop.

Hope that helps!

 

[Man of fish]

I realise your planning on getting a bigger tank soon just wanted to say that a minimum for clowns is 75 gallons around 280-300 liters. Iiriva lives in a weird country with many strict rules and tbh I'm getting sick of her sharing animal cruelty laws from her country's point of view.

 

[Iiriva]

I reported you comment.

In my opinion strict rules about animal safety are good. In here fishes are kept as equals when it comes to any animals, and I don't find it a bad thing at all. I'm sorry for you for thinking that fishes are not animals that should be kept in good conditions, unlike cats or dogs. So yes, many of you people sicken me.

As to the original question, I did anwer it, too. People just seem to close their eyes for it and only want to see the bad things about my message. So, I'm a bad person for telling that some people are doing some things wrong? Are you sure you are being adults if you get agry when someone tells you different opinions, or (OMG!) some thing could be done better than you are? Pfft.

AS I SAID, MANY CLOWN LOACHES EAT THESE:

-sinking pellets
-prawns (rinse them first so you get the most of the salt away and they are not frozen anymore)
-some like cucumber and veggies like that, not all of them

And as said, they might not eat that many snails anyway. If you just wanted them for snails, you have to wait a long time, because they eat those little buggers only when they want to. You hear clear clickety sound when they do, though.

Enough, ok?

Sheesh.

 

[onidrase]

We should ban clown loaches from the forums, they cause way too much drama ._.

At the op, ime Anubias and Java Fern are pretty safe from fish that love to eat and uproot plants, I have no idea how they'd work against clown loaches, but it worked against my rather rambunctious evil convict, and dig happy firemouth. Their leaves are thick and roots are strong, and usually best anchored to decorations. I also think they taste bad or something. If you get tired of shredded or uprooted plants, you could always give em a go.

 

[MissT]

Thanks for your comments.

Iiriva - I totally respect your love of your animals and their saftey, happiness and welfare. I am open to criricism, I am very new at this so I expect plenty, but I believe you could be more polite and less judgemental/insulting in the way you explain things.
I am a bit scared of trying prawns to be honest, (I don't think the quality of them would be that great) but I will give the sinking pellets a go, as I will Tizers' recommendation of Novo Tabs. I would like as much variety in all of the fishs' diets as possible.

sXeLifer - I have tried the lettuce thing, but the Bristlenose had that before the snails could get there!

I don't mind the snails, I just thought that as I had them, they might be a bit of a treat/bonus for the clown loaches. However, I don't even see them anymore as in a week the loaches have completely decimated the snails' numbers!

I do put courgette and cucumber for the Brsitlenose, so hopefully the loaches will have a nibble.
I don't mind the uprooting of the plants to be honest. I have to move the sand about to disturb the BN poo so it's easy enough to put them back in. And at least it means the fish are doing normal things. But I would like the Tetras to have tall plants to swim through.

As loaches are carnivores, it is important to me to actually get some food into them that they need now that the snails are gone/going. I can't get past the thinking that they are eating the plants as they have nothing else to eat and that makes me sad because I am not providing them with what they need! They stayed out this morning while I fed bloodworm, rather than swimming away and hiding as I lifted the lid, but I fear I have created bloodlust in the Bristlenose, as their enthusiastic feeding seemed to keep the loaches away! I can't put too much in as I'll be overfeeding the others! I really like the idea of the Novo Tabs, as even though the tetras might have them, the bristlenose will leave them alone! In theory.

 

[Tizer]

My rummynose tetras are too scared to go near the tabs, but the bits that fall away are snatched up by them quickly, i dont think you will have a problem.

I can vouch for the prawns too, i gave mine some at xmas, crushed up, they didnt last long in the tank.

 

[MissT]

Just normal frozen prawns (defrosted) from the supermarket freezer?

 

[Iiriva]

I'm sorry. Got a bit carried away with my anger, since clown loaches are one of the most wrongly kept fishes in the world...

I fish I could remember the brand my clowns love. It was something from Sera. Mine eat pretty much anything from the bottom, if they are sinking pellets.

Yes, I understand that prawns may worry a bit, it depends on the quality if you dare to give them or not. I give them precooked, not raw, prawns. I just take them from freezer and rinse them with warm water, so they should be OK. Not too often though, it's a good treat!

But clowns are personalities, too. I know that some eat cucumber with delight and other veggies, but mine don't, they eat my plants. They don't touch anubias though, it probably tastes too bad.

And yeah, at least I use normal, frozen prawns which you can buy from a food store. There are many foods I buy both for myself and my fishes!

 

[MissT]

Oh, Tizer, in answer to a previous question, the tank is 1 meter across, but as it's not square or rectangle, I don't know the floor area. (I needed 30Kg of sand for it though). And I got told off by my husband as it's 190L, not 150! Not that it makes much difference, but he likes to be right!

 

[Tizer]

cool Well just keep up a decent weekly water change of 30%/40% and your clowns should be fine in there for a few years. It will be impossible to tell when they start to stunt, so i'd make a date to upgrade the tank in two years time, or move them onto someone else. Gluck with them!