CLOWN LOACH TANK MATES

[dave Cox]

I have three (3-4 inch) clown loaches in with my 5 juvenile and 1 adult Discus. All seemed very well at first. The loaches would stay at the bottom of the tank and wait on any food the discus missed at the top of the tank. They would spend a great deal of time looking for and cleaning up food in the gravel. Now they have gotten smarter and go right to the top of the tank at feeding and compete for food. They are much more agile than the Discus and quicker at getting the food. The Discus don't seemed stressed at all, but I have a hard time determining just how much food they are getting. I really like the way the loaches clean up but maybe I should trade them in on some catfish? Any ideas?

[Wahter]

Any ideas?

some discussions about clown loaches and discus can be found on these posts.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=58787
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=58245
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=54325
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?t=49987

Hope that helps.


Walter

[Ryan]

Dave,

I moved your post to the Tankmates section.

I've heard mixed reports on clown loaches. I've never kept them because they grow pretty large and I don't have a lot of room.

If I were you, I would probably get rid of them. As they get larger they will have bigger appetites and may be too boisterous for your tank.

If bottom feeders are what you're after, a school of cory cats would be a good idea. There are several types that do well at discus temps and they're all peaceful.

Ryan

[namasgt]

i have two about 3 inches their scared from the discus when food comes but they move toomuch and spook the discus. also i thought they clean good when i had planted gravel tank but when i swiched to bare bottom they are not that good at all in cleaning the left over. im planing to trade them in for some cories. i had cories before and i think a school of them would look cool with the discus.

[Imperialdiscus]

I have always kept Clown Loaches in my Discus tanks.

Yes, they are fast moving. They are voracious feeders. They get real large.

I've never had issues with skittish Discus and I'm somewhat dubious that just because loaches are fast moving that this alone is going to make large fish like a discus skittish. Mine seem to treat loaches like precocious teens and ignore them most of the time.

They do a great job of keeping the tank free of excess feeds.

it take a LONG time for them to grow ridiculously large. When they start getting big, I move them. I usually keep them in a tank up to 5-6 inches.

[Harriett]

I have always kept Clown Loaches in my Discus tanks.

Yes, they are fast moving. They are voracious feeders. They get real large.

I've never had issues with skittish Discus and I'm somewhat dubious that just because loaches are fast moving that this alone is going to make large fish like a discus skittish. Mine seem to treat loaches like precocious teens and ignore them most of the time.

They do a great job of keeping the tank free of excess feeds.

it take a LONG time for them to grow ridiculously large. When they start getting big, I move them. I usually keep them in a tank up to 5-6 inches.

DITTO
-Harriett

[judy]

I sold off my clown loaches when they got to be about six inches, because they were much too competitive with the discus at feeding time, and were getting just a little too fat! Other than that, they made fine tank companions, but they don't do a great job bottom-cleaning. They're better at keeping snail populations down.

[digthemlows]

DITTO
-Harriett

Double Ditto

I have a 6" and a 4" clown loach and they are great.......the discus ignore them and the loaches eat everything missed.........I may take the loaches out if they get too much bigger but for now they add to my clean up crew and do a good job........plus the way they swim they look like they are wagging thier tails. My wife calls them the dogs of the tank........