Clown Loaches

[Becca]

I'm picking up some bottom feeders for my Cichlid tank tomorrow and want to make sure I've got a good fit. I've been browsing through fishprofiles.com, but it seems that some of their potentional sizes are a bit off (I may be wrong here...).

One of the candidates for my new tank are Clown Loaches - I was thinking about 3. RIght now, I have only a 30-Gall tank, so obviously I can't have adults, but within 2-3 months I should have a 60 Gallon setup purchased, setup and cycled. (We're shopping now and piecing it together)

Fishprofiles.com mentions that these Clown Loaches get to be about 10 inches. Can someone verify how big they really get, how fast they grow - and, if possible, how well they'll deal with Lake Malawi Cichlids?

 

[Cheese Specialist]

Yup, 8-12" is normal. They grow to 4" quickly and then their growth slows down a lot but if kept well they will grow big.

I am worried about my 4 in an understocked 320l!

 

[Crookster]

They are supposed to be able to get to about 1 foot in lenght

However I have 5 in 40 gallon tank with some discus and firemouths. They get on fine with my cichlids (yours maybee different).

I'm buying a 400 litre tank in a couple of months and so will be able to re-home them. Don't worry too much about the size. The guy at my LFS has a thing about catfish and loaches, he loves them. He told me that the biggest clown he's ever seen was 8 inches, and that they grow really slowly. They can live for 10 years + apparently.

If your thinking of upgrading then you'll be fine.

There's is also the pakistani/yo-yo loaches, which only gets to about 4 inches.

 

[Snuff]

I have 4 of them in with my Malawis, and they do just great. I know there are several other people here that have them with great success.

 

[Snowie]

Sadly a lot of people by them even if they have smaller tanks.

Thats a shame since there are plenty of smaller loaches out there.

In my opinion Botia striata look almost better than clown loaches:

 

[Becca]

Wow Snowie - he's pretty too. Eeesh, now you've got me undecided again! I might actually think about those. I'd like my cichlids to be the center of attention in my tank....

looks like I need to think about this a bit more before I go pick up some more fish. Anyone else have any suggestions?

 

[Eel Boy]

It would be even cooler if you put banded Kuhlii Loachs in there. But they might not do to well with the Cichlids, but they are fine with my peacock eel B)