clown loaches with discus

[dax29]

I've heard of some keeping clown loaches with discus, and I hope this is not a repeat of a way earlier post I made but, would clown loaches be okay or are they too active for the shy, timid discus?

[pcsb23]

You will get mixed views on this one. Currently I have three 2" long clown loaches in with my discus and generally they are ok. Its a planted tank. Sometime clowns will get a taste for the slime on the sides of a discus, if they do its time for them to go! You need to keep clowns in at least two, preferably three or more.

Paul.

[billeagan]

I have two fat clown loaches wiht my discus and a FW motoro ray.

[JMArtist]

I have a couple of Clown loaches with my Discus, they have posed no problem what so ever.
They mostly keep to them selfs, in fact the Discus will follow the Loaches around as they forge for food....as if the Discus don't get enough to eat as it is.

PS: I believe it is Pleco's that develope a taste for Discus Slime Coat, not loaches.
I think some people find loaches just too quick for Discsu, hence a possiable cause of stress, by any darting around they might do.
But hey,you think life in the Amazon was quite and uneventful every day?

[dax29]

Do the clown loaches do okay with a barebottom tank? They may need a little structure. I think the clowns would do a good job of getting rid of uneaten food. If I get them I'll probably get 3 and they will probably be the first fish in the tank. The high heat should do a number on the ich that clown loaches normally get when introduced into a new tank. I may add some salt to ensure the ich gets taken care of before the discus are introduced. What say you?

[pcsb23]

My experience of having clowns in a bb tank aren't good, they dart around and never seem to settle. If you can provide them a liitle den in a corner they will settle much better. IME Clowns are less tolerant of meds, including salt, than discus are. They cope well with the high temps though.

hth,
Paul.

[Nerak]

Hi

I got 9 1 1/2icnh loachys to get rid of my snalls and there still in there 6 months on and they dont bother my 6 little discus at all there in a 5 foot tank but with lots of hiding spaces for the loachys.

[kjmillerfw]

I kept clown loaches in a BB tank with my discus for a while without problems. I had several pvc elbows in the tank for caves which seemed to suit them just fine. Then I moved them to a planted tank when I had to treat with meds and ended up leaving them there.

One thing to consider with clowns is they are nocturnal (sp?) and are quite active at night. Mine seemed to stay in one area at night and as far as I know they never bothered the discus, but I can see how some discus could be spooked if they aren't used to all of that nightly partying.

Kathy in TX

[DiscusStudent]

Another thing to consider with loaches is how aggressive they are during feedings. Once my loaches got comfortable in the tank and recognized the feeding schedule it never fails all six of them are swimming up and down and hanging out at the top. I know loaches are bottom feeders, but I would almost say that mine are top feeders, getting the flake I put up on top first no matter what else gets fed. IMO unless you have aggressive eating discus, the loaches will out compete them for the good food.

[Namreg]

I have Clown Loaches, Ottos, Bristlenose and Clown Plecos together with Discus in my 125 gallon planted tank. All of them do not bother the discus at all.

The only problem I had a while ago was with some SAE's. who would literally hunt the Discus for sucking on them. Needless to say that they were gone as soon as I noticed it.

[II j L c II]

I find clown loaches to be to quick and startling for the discus as they like to swim really fast across the tank. It also doesn't help that they are aggressive eaters. But, if you're worried about them sucking the fish, that never occured IME.

Jon