When is a tank ready for Clown Loach?

[@ombomb]

I want to make sure that my tank is stable enough an environment for them.

I currently have a number of community fish living in it and a 0 Amonia / Nitrite.

What other tests should I be doing before thinking about adding Clown Loaches?

 

[BOD]

is this a new tank? whats in it? how big is it?

 

[@ombomb]

It's a replacement for my old tank, so it's new, but gravel / water water brought accross from the old one about 8 weeks ago now. It's a 180 litre tank containing:

1 X Redtailed Black Shark
5 X Lamp Eyes
3 X Emporer Tetra
1 X Golden Nugget Plec

 

[The-Wolf]

I'm affraid that tank is way too small for clowns. they are fast growers to 6" then grow at approx an inch a year and max out at 12".

have you considered other botias like striata(zebra loach) or dwarf loaches?

 

[Doggfather]

I agree with wolf on this, unless your going to be upgrading tanks within a year’s time (To at least a 75 gallon, most preferably more!) i wouldn't go with clowns.

 

[@ombomb]

I agree with wolf on this, unless your going to be upgrading tanks within a year’s time (To at least a 75 gallon, most preferably more!) i wouldn't go with clowns.

I'll give it some thought, as upgrading the tank can't really be done until I move house, but that will be probably be within the next 6 months and buying a bigger tank will be one of the first things I do. I'm certainly not going to rush into anything and don't really like the idea of buying anything that I know will out-grow what I currently have.

I understood that they didn't really get any bigger than 6 - 7 inches at most in captivity though.

For future reference, what checks should be done before adding them to a tank?

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

botia loaches are kool go with one of them

 

[Doggfather]

botia loaches are kool go with one of them

Clowns are one of the species of Botia

For future reference, what checks should be done before adding them to a tank?

Obviously you would need to have enough room in your tank, not to mention good water quality since clowns are sensitive to poor conditions which is why they are sometimes refered to as indicator fish, meaning that they loose colour when the water isn't up their high standards . Apart from that it would be a good idea to have sand. Although they do not burrow like other loaches, they do prefer it in the intrest of their barbles. The only other thing i can think of are tankmates, nothing too nippy...Oh, and cover glass would have to be a must since a lot of them get up to mischeif and often end up on the floor in their exitment.

 

[@ombomb]

I have gravel in there at the moment, which I thought that they were OK with...

Do Khulie Loaches need sand as well?

 

[freddyk]

I understood that they didn't really get any bigger than 6 - 7 inches at most in captivity though.

I don't know if they actually stunt or not, as I'm not one to test such things, but in my opinion at least, purposely stunting a fish (or decreasing it's life span potential as many fish are proven not to stunt) in order to squeeze it into an inappropriate tank is an irresponsible choice.

Remember, the smaller the fish you choose, the bigger your aquarium gets. You can give a small fish a paradise, or a big fish a jail cell... the choice is the aquarists.

 

[-*-MicHAeL-*-]

if u look at my sig below and see my setup could i add some clown loaches to my tank

thanks
(sorry to take over the thread)

 

[@ombomb]

Just don't forget about the Khuli Loach question

 

[The-Wolf]

Do Khulie Loaches need sand as well?

they don't "need" sand but they do prefer it.