I Caved In To Clown Loaches

[Fish_Mike]

I wanted to have a 'buddy' fish with my discus.

I thought about Plecs, but knowing that there's always the danger of them sucking on the discus, i've decided there can be nothing better than clown loaches.

It's a 90 gallon with (going to be) 6 discus. How many clowns should i add? I was erring on the side of 5, but if that's too many, tell me

 

[Ben]

i would not add clowns to a discus tank.
Clowns are much to playful and active for the timid Discus and will scare and stress the discus, sometimes to death.

Why not get a massive school of cories?

DD

 

[Fish_Mike]

Actually, reading in one of my Magazines;

'For catfish, Schulze (1988) recommends smaller "pleco" types like clown plecos (Peckoltia sp.), but recommends avoiding larger "Plecostomus" and "Hypostomus" species (broadly defined). He suggest that Corydoras sp. never do well. I'd add porthole cats (Dianema sp.) and possibly hoplos (Hoplosternum sp.) to the "good list" as medium-size and inoffensive "scavengers" that will help keep the substrate cleaner. Again, not for purists, Schulze recommends (Asian) clown loaches (Botia macracanthus) as the perfect bottom feeder for the discus community.'

Taken direct from AFM under 'Breeding wild Discus', May 1997.

 

[Lateral Line]

I am not sure Clown Loaches would be good in a Discus tank either. They are a bit active, but also, the higher temperatures that Discus like is not going to be good for Botias as it's O2 holding capacity is lower, and Botias are high energy rich O2 dwellers in nature.

I doubt it would be enough to kill them, but I suspect they will not be very happy.

 

[Fish_Mike]

The oxygen WAS something that was worrying me, however.

Since my topic in the Catfish forums doesn't seem too popular, i'm wondering if Bristlenoses would suck on Discus' mucus?

So I'd like adding 2 or 3 BN plecs with the Discus.
My Discus count will probably equal 7 or 8 by the end of the year, so need to incorporate that.

Then again, if the BNs wouldn't work, Flying Foxes, but again, i'm pretty sure they're all high oxygen consumers, and with no plants in my tank, it sure would it be in deficit.

Neither am i so keen of adding an Air stone or much water turbulence because of increasing the PH.

It's probably best to keep the Discus to themselves, no doubt. But i'm worried that sometime during the cycle a pollutant might have got in. I'd hate to add the Discus and see how it affected them.

Are there any obvious signs that soap got in?

I am however more worried of vaseline getting in; after pasting the background, my hands probably had traces of vaseline on them. I know it doesn't dissolve in water, but the filter may have helped mix it in.

There's no dead given that there is a pollutant, but there is some whitish, thin 'flim'

 

[mikev]

I am not sure Clown Loaches would be good in a Discus tank either. They are a bit active, but also, the higher temperatures that Discus like is not going to be good for Botias as it's O2 holding capacity is lower, and Botias are high energy rich O2 dwellers in nature.

I doubt it would be enough to kill them, but I suspect they will not be very happy.

I don't think this is a problem. Clowns (but not most other Botia) are ok with 85F, and will tolerate upper 80's. (I kept 82F-85F for a while, see also the www.loaches.com page: http/www.loaches.com/species_pages/botia...racanthus.html). Provide another air source if unsure. )

 

[Fish_Mike]

No doubt, if needed, i will add an airstone, but honestly, if the plecos are compatbile with discus... well i think i want them more

 

[Mad Duff]

I havnt had discus myself but a couple of my friends who have both set up their tanks very similar, 6 to 8 discus a shoal of about 20 cardinals and loads of corys especially Corydoras Panda. One of them also added a large shoal of rummy noses as well.

 

[Fish_Mike]

They must be lovely tanks

No, no, must refrain from going insane

I recieved confirmation that happy BNs will be fine with Discus

 

[jdcuneo]

They must be lovely tanks

No, no, must refrain from going insane

I recieved confirmation that happy BNs will be fine with Discus

Small bristlenose will do fine with discus. However any larger plecs will probably cause problems rasping on the discus. Certain varieties of cory will also be fine with discus however most prefer cooler temperatures. If your LFS is any good they should be able to help with which corys suit discus tanks. If its of any interest cardinal tetras also do well with discus.

 

[Lateral Line]

>>> I don't think this is a problem.

At my fish club in England, (Tongham Aquarist Society), we held our annual Open Show around the beginning of September. The hall was large open and airy. You could guarantee that if the temperature started going up in the hall, the Botias would go over onto their sides, and gasp. We had a large number of battery operated airpumps to keep them going over judging.

I believe the temperature of a Discus tank will be enough to stress any Botia. It may not be enough to kill them quickly, but it will do it slowly.

 

[mikev]

>>> I don't think this is a problem.

You could guarantee that if the temperature started going up in the hall, the Botias would go over onto their sides, and gasp.

I've never seen this happening (and I watched them carefully). Could be some other factor, like insufficient air supply. Further, at 78F (current temp in my clown tank) they tend to visit the heater, which makes me think that they prefer higher temp.

 

[Teelie]

Yeah, my heater is cranked to the max and barely pushes 80°F (26.6°C) and they don't gasp or have any trouble at all swimming around and in fact, I've seen their inhabitable temperature range stated as high as 86°F (30°C) so I'm curious about why those would be gasping. Perhaps not enough aeration going on in the water?

Besides that, I do agree that Clowns are too boistorous for a Discus tank.

 

[mikev]

Yeah, my heater is cranked to the max and barely pushes 80°F (26.6°C)

I had this problem and had to get a more powerful heater. It makes sense to be able to up the temp in case of an ich outbreak.

I've seen their inhabitable temperature range stated as high as 86°F (30°C)

This is what Fishbase says.

and they don't gasp or have any trouble at all swimming around and in fact, I've seen their inhabitable temperature range stated as high as 86°F (30°C) so I'm curious about why those would be gasping. Perhaps not enough aeration going on in the water?

One possibility.
The other is that the temp was even higher than 85, Lateral did not say what it was.
The third is that European water has different characteristics (gH above 20 in the UK, I believe); this may be a contributing factor.


BTW, I tested if my clowns react to *me* -- no. They react to anyone, even the mailman, exactly the same way. Perhaps your clowns are smarter...