Help Please *clown Loaches*

[Built2Prfctn]

Got 2 new clown loaches 2 days ago havent seen them come out of their
lil hiding spots and eat .. Are they gonna die?? =0( i hope not.. What should i do?

 

[ArroWanaWhitey]

Clown loaches are generally bottom feeders... and mine was nocturnal so... maybe they eat when you're asleep... do you have any of those pesky snails in your tank?

 

[sic0198]

Give 'em time to get used their new home. Clown Loaches I think are nocturnal but in a few weeks they'll come out to play.

 

[LisaLQ]

They're not the most sociable of fish (as in for viewing). We rarely saw ours, even at 6" and in a group of 5 they preferred to hide and only zoom out when it was dark and there was food about, only to zoom back into their cave. It's just the way they are I'm afraid!

You are more likely to see them if they are in a group though - how many do you have altogether or is it only the two?

 

[england]

my two used to hide a far part of the day dont get my wrong they do come out and play but prefer night times......they are soo funny just like you own a dog.......mine allways come out at feeding time....off goes my filter and out comes my cretters anyhow ive just moved mine into my cichlid tank and there out permantly now probally because ive put a sheet of wood where the glass slats slide across in top of tank which in turn makes half the tank shaded which they seem to really enjoy as do the cichlids

 

[kniesh]

I have always found clowns to be very sociable fish, especially when small. Every one I have had has zoomed around the tank exploring. However they can be quite fussy in new aquariums and are quite susseptable to disease early on. Can i just ask what ur feeding them at the moment? If it's flake they may not take this, try a live or frozen blood worm or brine shrimp just untill u see them eating, then they should move onto flake.

 

[noshybabs]

Clowns can be very Sociable if there healthy but not always, I have two, and they are both constantly fooling around in the tank. When they sleep, they will generally lounge around the botom in some amusing way.

When you buying clowns make sure you buy the biggest you can find, Bigger they are the more chance they have of surviving. and make sure you introduce them right. We all get bored and just put fish in after 15mins, but clowns are very sensative, and even if your bored sensless you musnt rush there intruduction.

they will eat anything (including snails) and although they are bottom feeders they will eat of the surface.

Ive had about 6 clowns in my time, and only ever lost one, Because he was small and i rushed him into the tank (R.I.P Penniewise).

People recommend that you have clowns in groups of 5 or 6, but 2 is fine, more is better really...

I love clown loaches

Does anyone wanna know how they catch them? (cause they wont bread in capivity)

 

[LisaLQ]

Mine never, not ever, ate snails lol. And they were healthy, yet shy. In fact, they were happiest in with the oscar - when we moved them to the community tank they never came out. As soon as the lights went out, they'd zoom round and eat tonnes, then go back into hiding. They were big and fat and healthy though, so I think it's unfair to say because folks fish aren't coming out they cant be healthy. What happened with yours is your experience, just because someone else's differs doesn't mean they're keeping them badly. Mine were incredibly sociable as youngsters, when they hit 4-5" they just started hiding more. Doesn't mean they were ill

Sadly we lost all of ours recently to a particularly bad case of white spot. I wont get them again, despite them being my previously favourite fish, they're far too sensitive to meds and it we'd had them for a year only to lose them all in a couple of days despite the proper treatment Not really a good fish if you're after an easy maintenance tank, unless you dont mind not being able to use several meds or salt to treat anything.

 

[lilfishie]

i just have the 1 but its always out hunting down those presky snails, and it loves the algae pellets i feed to my plecs and a bit of veg now and then, but give it a few days and i'm sure they'll settle down and come out more

 

[noshybabs]

I wasnt questioning how people keep them, i just made a broad statement.

There are loaches so are bound to like to hide.

 

[LisaLQ]

You said:

Clowns are very Sociable if there healthy

All I said was that isn't always the case, and it's unfair to suggest that if they're not sociable they're unhealthy.

 

[noshybabs]

You said:

Clowns are very Sociable if there healthy

All I said was that isn't always the case, and it's unfair to suggest that if they're not sociable they're unhealthy.

Unfair to who?? the fishes?

Ive changed it just for you.

 

[Irf]

I've had six clowns for around 5 months now. Got them when they were really quite small and they have grown a little bit. They are shy of humans, dashing for cover whenever someone approaches the tank. I've given them a part hollowed out wooden stump to hide under, but they are not permanently hidden in there.

Whenever the room is not busy they happily roam the entire tank, not intimidated by any other occupants, and irrespective of whether it's day or night and the lights are on or off. At feeding time they readily come out to grab some sinking flakes or even those floating. Again though, any movement outside the tank that they can see sends them scurrying away! They also come and nibble on dried bloodworm tablets, and frozen cubes as well.

The snails bit is interesting. A few weeks ago I bought three average sized snails, and one died fairly quickly of unknown causes. I thought it was the shock. However the other day I noticed a clown trying to nip one of the remaining snails, which quickly withdrew itself. I now wonder if my beloved clowns have a darker side to them!!!

Best of luck....

Irf.

 

[noshybabs]

They way they handle snails is amazing, They pick they up and kind of turn them untill the get there mouths over the whole in the snial, They they do something to make the clicking sound there famouse for, It seems to me like there sucking in very quicly and powerfully, and then if the loach is big enough of the snail is small enought they will suck it right out of its shell...

Obviuosly if the snail is smaller they will just eat the whole lot.

 

[LisaLQ]

Unfair to who?? the fishes?

Ive changed it just for you.

No need for the dramatics - but for the record, unfair to the many many folks who have clown loaches who only come out on a night - which is an awful lot of people lol.

So nicky nicky ner ner. And thank you for changing it.