mysterious clown loaches

[kent]

hey everyone! i bought two beautiful clown loaches 8 days ago. They seem to enjoy being with other fishes on my tank. They're really active and they swim a lot. However, I haven't seen them eat any foods since i put them on the tank. I have tried a variety of foods and they don't care about it. I even called Petsmart to inquire what kinds of food do they feed these loaches. And I have no luck..Anyway I tried to feed the ff:
flakes, brine shrimp, shrimp pellets, tropical fish food,bloodworms and frozen brine shrimp..
To my surprise, the loaches are not interested with any of those foods listed above. I checked my water quality and it is perfectly fine... Other fishes go crazy with the foods that I give but the loaches do not care at all...
Again, they're healthy and active...no signs of sickness. They should eat but they're not eating!!!
Any suggestions?

 

[cutechic]

Is it possible that you don't see them eat? Clown loaches can be pretty shy, and they like to hide in the day.

 

[kent]

really? I thought loaches are active during the day... anyway, i probably dont see them eat. so what i do is i just drop some foods before i retire at night.

 

[Michael Roth]

Sometimes they are a little too shy to eat at all for the first couple of weeks, also. When they do settle down though, they are little charmers.

 

[cutechic]

No, they can be quite timid, especially in small groups. I think you may be missing seeing them eat, but good luck anyway

 

[kent]

thanks!

 

[cutechic]

Your welcome

Keep us updated!

 

[Michael Roth]

Not critiquing, but a third loach will make them feel a little more at ease also. For some odd reason, 3, 5, 7, etc makes them comfortable

 

[daveb]

Mine were shy for the first few months, to the point where I wouldn't see them at all.

Now, they're always out.

Dave

 

[Snuff]

Drop in an algae wafer or two. You will see them eat then.

 

[rvm]

yeah, my 3 were really shy for the first month or 2 and I rarely saw them eating. It got me a bit worried too, but now they will come and take bloodworm from my hand when I feed it!! They love algae wafers too!!!

 

[Lateral Line]

A common ploy with many loaches is to drop some sinking food in after lights out when the tank is dark.

 

[Fat Boy]

Dito all the replys, I've had my 3 clowns for 2 weeks, 2 of them eat, swim, play fine, but I hadn't seen the 3rd for nearly a week until I cleaned the tank yesterday ( I was starting to get really worried) and there he was. I guess he must come out at night..

 

[Bomag]

just a quick note have got 8 clown loaches that have just been moved and like other people have said they are shy when they have been moved as mine have not been out since apart form two that is.

when they were in my other tank it took them i would say an average of 1 month to find there feet then they were out all the time from about 3pm onwards till the morn when they hid. no-one would of known i had them if they came in the morning no signs what so ever hope this helps

 

[kent]

Update!!! I actually saw one of the loaches producing waste. Well...he won't be producing waste if he doesn't see...So i guess the clown loaches do eat at night..