What Is The Ideal Amount Of Clown Loaches To Have?

[nukeonekitty]

I have heard you can only have one and I have heard you need 5 or more... what is true? (I have a 55 gal tank)

 

[mikev]

I have heard you can only have one and I have heard you need 5 or more... what is true? (I have a 55 gal tank)

Of course you can have only one. It will be an unhappy fish, and you will never learn how social clown loaches are...really the best part about them. Keeping one is just like spending your own life in a solitary...

5+.

 

[nukeonekitty]

How big do clown loaches actually get?

The reason I asked is because I have heard they get like 6 inches max and others say a foot... I just am wondering if I can put 5 in my 55 gal tank and have other fish

 

[mikev]

12", some 14" were reported, but this takes fairly long time.

If you wonder about the tank size, 55g is good to start with but ultimately will have to be replaced, you do need a 6 ft tank to accomodate larger clowns (say 6"+). 3-4 years from now, if you start with small ones.

For example, I'm moving mine in about a month from a 65g to a 125g. They are not at a size yet that forces the move, but younger clowns tolerate moving better, so I may as well do this now.

And, btw, they live fairly long time. May outlive the owner, in fact.

hth