Clown Loaches Picking On Angel Fish

[joy_division]

I have been meaning to ask this for so long. I though clown loaches were so peaceful. They are fun to watch, but the nip the crap out of my angel fish, some of them 10 times the size of the clowns. Nowhere did I read they are no compatible or even that clown loaches will nip at fins on other fish.

Is there anything I can do?

 

[Tolak]

I don't personally have that combo of fish, but we have clown loachs with some small angels in the tank at work. Never seen this problem. If the angel's fins are indeed nipped or torn, seperating the fish would be the best bet. Adding some taller plants for the angels to hide in will work if they are only annoyed, & not getting torn up.

 

[Neo8223]

I got the same combo, 2 angels and 4 clowns. Not a problem. Is the clown on its own? If so then its probably going crazy! Clown loaches are schooling fish. But tbh clown loaches can rip the heck out of practically anything (cichlids or not) if they wanted to having both teeth and a sharp retractable bone under their eyes. Its probably just trying to play.

Clown loaches when breeding have been known to decimate the whole tank in under 24 hours according to a few articles i read.

 

[KimA]

I had the same problem with my Clown's nipping at my Angel's - started getting pretty aggressive, so I had to move them to my other tank (thank god I had another one!) - in with my Malawi's now, and they all get on famously.

 

[joy_division]

I got the same combo, 2 angels and 4 clowns. Not a problem. Is the clown on its own? If so then its probably going crazy! Clown loaches are schooling fish. But tbh clown loaches can rip the heck out of practically anything (cichlids or not) if they wanted to having both teeth and a sharp retractable bone under their eyes. Its probably just trying to play.

It's 5 clown loaches and now 4 angels. They don't seem to bother any of the other fish in the tank. Oh well, I'm glad to see I don't have some unique species of super killer loaches at least.