Feeding Clown Loaches advice required

[swozzie]

I have 4 fast feeding and greedy Red Line Torpedo Barbs. I have just added 3 Clown Loaches (3" in length).

The Clown Loaches don't seem to be eating. Today I did the following...

Fed the barbs some sinking "complete" food knowing that they would gulp as much as possible before it hits the floor hopeing the fill them up. This took 5 minutes and the loaches didn't even notice this was happening.

Then I put flake food in. Again the loaches took no notice and the barbs eventually consumed all of this in about 10 minutes. Flake even floated past one of the loaches but he wasn't interested.

Then I put in an algae tablet. The bloated barbs had a go at it here and there and after 20 minutes half of it was gone. Again the loaches took no notice. I took out the tablet.

Then I put bloodworms in the cave where the loaches were resting. They just ignored it. Eventually the bloodworms found there way into the tank where the barbs gorged themselves some more!

Do you think the loaches are just not hungry, more concerned with the new surroundings or used to eating whatever the fish shop was feeding them?

A friend of mine just had 2 Clown Loaches die after only having them for 2 weeks and I am concerned mine will go the same way.

The water is fine. Planted tank, over 8mg/l oxygen, no ammonia or nitrite, minimal nitrate. 180litre tank, ph 6.8-7.0.

Any help much appreciated...

 

[ryan]

I feed my Clowns on a diet of shelled peas, cucumber, frozen bloodworm/brineshrimp, sinking pellets and algae wafers all of which are relished. I would try a variety of foods, they may just be settling in. If you want a food that the Barbs won't destroy as soon as it hits the water than the Peas or cucumber are probably the best idea.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

They sometimes take a little time to settle into their new home. The best idea is to feed food that sinks so the the loaches can get to it. My barbs don't take any notice of the sinking food as they can't really eat it.

Give them a couple more days to settle in and you'll find them turning into the water pigs we all know and love!

 

[Nina7777]

Clown loaches are extremely picky eaters, and when put into a new environment even more picky. Sometimes you need to jump start their appetite. Mine were like this in the beggining and I had two large bala sharks which were extremely greedy eaters and would eat anything I put in the tank.

What i did and what I can almost guarantee will work for you, is to get live brine shrimp. Dump a good amount into the tank. This will allow the barbs to have as much as they want and will still leave plenty for the clowns. Frozen brine shrimp should also work......but i would suggest defrosting 2 or 3 cubes and then squirting it into the tank with a medicine dropper.

My clown at first ignored everything I tried feeding them and after I did the live brine shrimp they started eating freeze dried tubifex worms which I stuck in a veggie clip and pushed down to the bottom.....now about 8 months later they eat just about anything I put into the tank.

Hope this helps. and Good luck!

 

[Nidge]

Clown loaches are extremely picky eaters

I have to disagree, Imo Clowns are great eaters and will eat most things they are given.I feed mine frozen brine shrimp, Algae wafer's, frozen krill, A range of vegetables, Flake and Tubaflex worms. If you feed your other fish at one end of the tank and then feed your Clowns at the other all the food should get down to the bottom without it been robbed, Good luck

 

[breezer40]

My loaches are little pigs! They took about two days to settle in and then started to eat and eat and eat. They like flake, sinking wafers, Peas, brine shrimp, bloodworm. They LOVE cucumber and potato

 

[Lateral Line]

I would agree that they are probably still settling in. Fish will live for weeks without apparently eating, unless really stressed fish won't starve themselves to death. The denisonii and the Botias have similar requirements, if the denisonii are fine, the Botias should come round.

It is not a good idea to just keep pumping food into the tank until you see them eat something, give them some time.

Drop some sinking food in the tank after dark. That will get past the denisonii. Many Botia species are quite nocturnal, although clowns are quite active during the day.

You have the makings of a nice collection there.

 

[Interfire]

My two clown loaches eat anything and everything that they come accross. Tubiflex worms, algae tablets, bloodworms, flakes, shrimp pellets, sinking wafers, and heck even crab bites.

 

[*Lindsay*]

My clown loach likes banana but he only gets it as a special treat every now & then

 

[leanne]

A particular favourite of them is snails. You can usually get them for free from your LFS. I give mine them as a treat once o fortnight (or however ofter I get to the LFS).

 

[FishSticks]

I just got 2 clown loaches and I have the same problem, they only thing they've eaten so far is very little frozen brine shrimp. They like bananas, potatoes, and peas? Oh my How do you feed it to them They just eat them raw?

 

[judcoynehunter]

i have 5 large clown loaches at first i feed them on sinking tablets but they didnt like them very much now i mainly feed them prawns frozen (icelandic prawns ) they will go beserk for them give it a try

 

[Crookster]

I've had 5 clowns for couple of months now and it took them a few weeks to feed properly. I've tried peas, baby corn and potatoe. Soak the potatoe over night and put in a few little chunks. I put some in and nothing seemed to bother with it. I then went to watch tv and could hear my clowns clicking as they ate it. I've also been told to give them prawns.

Mine now feed mainly first thing in the morning b4 I put the lights on. They even come to the top and take flake. Try feeding in the morning or last thing at night.

 

[Sky042]

my clowns took a few days before they really started feedng well. but now those little buggers are eating machines. they'll even go so far as to eat a flake right out of another fishes mouth.

 

[BlueIce]

i hand feed mine krill...they go bonkers for it