Killer Clowns

[Neo8223]

Hey. I have 5 clown loaches in my 72 us gall tank. So far they've killed every last bristlenose plec ranging from baby to full size breeding adults, 6 or 7 inch rusty plec and have been trying for over a month to take out the biggy, a 9 inch common plec which is the last remaining bottom feeder of the tank. They didnt need to fight for territory as they had 6 breeding caves and a huge piece of bog wood to choose from and now they all hurdle into 3 of them. Their size ranges from 2.5 to just short of 4 inches.

If we feed them live food they dont take it, nor do they take frozen or dried treats. All they like is plenty of flake. Has anyone else ever seen this behaviour. This whole fiasco with the killing started months ago, but the common plec is starting to look worse for wear so im starting to get inquisitive about the whole thing.

 

[crazychris]

Wow sounds like you have some very strange clowns there! I've never heard of them being particularly aggressive and mine certainly aren't but maybe someone knows better than me. Also it's odd them not eating live food as mine prefer it far more than flake. Don't they even like bloodworms, either live or frozen? I've never kept a fish yet that refused a worm!

 

[Neo8223]

i guess theres no substitute for the real thing

Any one?

 

[~T~]

Nope alls I ever had was my clowns on the rare occasion tried to bite large cichlids gills but never killing other bottom feeders and certainly not being fussy eaters. What size are they and do you actually see them attack the pl*cos?

 

[Neo8223]

Nope alls I ever had was my clowns on the rare occasion tried to bite large cichlids gills but never killing other bottom feeders and certainly not being fussy eaters. What size are they and do you actually see them attack the pl*cos?

2.5 inches up to 3.75 id say. Theres 5 of them. Ive seen them pick on the smaller ones to the point of death, then the larger ones were just picked on. Then every now and then id see a perfectly in tact spine and skull moving with the water flow.

 

[totally tropical]

Nope alls I ever had was my clowns on the rare occasion tried to bite large cichlids gills but never killing other bottom feeders and certainly not being fussy eaters. What size are they and do you actually see them attack the pl*cos?

2.5 inches up to 3.75 id say. Theres 5 of them. Ive seen them pick on the smaller ones to the point of death, then the larger ones were just picked on. Then every now and then id see a perfectly in tact spine and skull moving with the water flow.

I have exactly 5 clowns also that share a 300 litre tank with a large male bristelnose and 3 medium size females amongst other fish - they are all get along great.

Nope alls I ever had was my clowns on the rare occasion tried to bite large cichlids gills but never killing other bottom feeders and certainly not being fussy eaters. What size are they and do you actually see them attack the pl*cos?

2.5 inches up to 3.75 id say. Theres 5 of them. Ive seen them pick on the smaller ones to the point of death, then the larger ones were just picked on. Then every now and then id see a perfectly in tact spine and skull moving with the water flow.

I have exactly 5 clowns also that share a 300 litre tank with a large male bristelnose and 3 medium size females amongst other fish - they are all get along great.

Agree with others, you sure have some strange acting clowns - never heard of this type of behaviour before. Hope you can sort things out

 

[EsotericForest]

Every clown loach I've ever owned is pretty much a big baby. I've never seen a clown loach show signs of agression to other fish in the tank, even fish much smaller than them. Skunk loaches on the other hand can be real little demons. My loaches always love live food, or frozen, they really aren't picky eaters.

 

[crazychris]

Botia Modesta, red-finned loach, can be really nasty. So can Pakistani loaches when they get big. Had to take one back to the lfs once. Never heard of a nasty clown though. Despite their size they're usually big softies.

 

[EsotericForest]

Could you post some pictures? It's just really hard for me to wrap my mind around the idea of nasty clown loaches. I mean I may understand it a little more if it was a lone clown loach, but they should be happy in a small group.

 

[holidayinn]

Never seen clown loaches act in the manner described. Do the plec's have any open wounds or some kind of fungus that the CL maybe nibbling at?

 

[onebto]

That is so odd? I have read that female clowns when close to breeding will eat live fish only.

Article check the section about breeding: http/www.aquarticles.com/articles/breedi...wn_Loaches.html

But as it says 1. It is almost impossible to breed them in captivity as we all know.
2. Sounds like yours are not mature yet by the description of size.

I guess this reminds us that there is always a difference from the norm.