Can You Really Keep A Large Clown Loach ?

So I have 4 smallish clown loaches (2.5-4.5 inches) in a 120 gallon tank; but I was at the store the other day and the guy was showing me his breeding setup (mostly for angels); and he had one tank with a few clown loach. I didn't ask the tank size but I think it was 300 to 400 gallons and in it he had 4 or 4 clown loaches (bare bottom). However at least one of these loaches was over 14 inches long and it was HUGE (not just length) - while I had seen big clowns before (8-12 inches); I had never seen one this big (the fellow mentioned that he had an even bigger one that had jumped out) - what occurred to me is that if my little fellows ever get to that size (I know it might take 20 years); can I still keep them in a 8 or 10 foot aquarium. I mean there is barely room to do a lap - doesn't it need something like a 30 or 40 foot tank or an indoor pond of 1000+ gallons to have a reasonable environment ?

 

When your Clown Loaches reach monster size and you can no longer provide adequate space, put them up for sale.
There exists a small population of fishkeepers that do have enormous swimming pool sized tanks & ponds who will pay big bucks for jumbo sized Clown Loches. Then spend your profits restocking your setup.
Check out the MFK Forum. It specializes in XL & aggressive fish. Plenty of Clown Loach info.

 

jake37[/USER] In a 120 gallon tank your Clown Loaches are very unlikely to reach a foot in length in my humble opinion. I have done the thousands of hours of research and contacted thousands of owners over the last 25 years.

Nowadays a minimum 6 x 2 x 2 tank of 180 gallons is recommended for a group of Clown Loaches.

My biggest, Anthia, is 11.5 inches as was the late celebrity Clown Loach known as Marge.

Marge's correct length was given by her owner who I contacted. The internet says Marge was 16" - that's the internet for you!

Saying a Clown Loach is X inches is no longer convincing without a photo with a measure beside it.

 

I would worry about jumbo clowns when you manage to grow them that large. the reason you don't see many large loaches is because it's hard to keep fish alive, in a big enough tank for 30 years. The fish you saw in the lfs were most likely wild caught.

 

Not sure. I'm going to try to keep mine for 30 years in a 10 or 12 foot tank - but if they get that large I'll have to give them away. The one he had was a bit beat up (nothing damaging but it definitely didn't have a fully gentle life - I can ask him next time I go to the shop - when I was in colorado 25 years ago - there was a pet shop where the fellow went to south america once a year and caught live stock for his shop - he had some large clowns (8-10 inch) but they were no where near the size of that monster - it wasn't just the length but the total body bulk.

I would worry about jumbo clowns when you manage to grow them that large. the reason you don't see many large loaches is because it's hard to keep fish alive, in a big enough tank for 30 years. The fish you saw in the lfs were most likely wild caught.

The 120 is a 4x2x2 tank - but they will only be in it for 2 years - they will be moved to a (I hope but not 100% sure) 12x3x20inches high tank. The exact plans for this tank are not complete. It is that tank I will keep them until either they get too large; I get too old; or I give up on tanks.

(The tank has to be a bit less than 24 inches high since I can't really manage the plants in such a tall tank - short arms - 22inches is about the highest I can go)
--
btw when I click on your picture it doesn't' fully display - it just go black.

jake37 In a 120 gallon tank your Clown Loaches are very unlikely to reach a foot in length in my humble opinion. I have done the thousands of hours of research and contacted thousands of owners over the last 25 years.

Nowadays a 6 x 2 x 2 tank of 180 gallons is recommended for a group of Clown Loaches.

My biggest, Anthia, is 11.5 inches as was the late celebrity Clown Loach known as Marge.

Marge's correct length was given by her owner who I contacted. The internet says Marge was 16" - that's the internet for you!

Saying a Clown Loach is X inches is no longer convincing without a photo with a measure beside it.

 

When they get around a foot, they're shaped like a football.

 

When they get around a foot, they're shaped like a football.

--
Yea the one I saw in the shop was definitely a football - an over-inflated football. His mouth was huge - could suck up all my kuhlI loaches with that mouth.

 

I have had my clowns 11-16 year I think but maybe over 20 ??I have had fish since the 1980s so hard to keep track of all of them ???
Married over 20 years and the clowns have been here almost all the time ?
Never in less then a 6 foot tank and none are much over 8 inches today ..Not that small for clowns as length is not it totally . I have 11 in my 180..Hope they hang out another 20 or 30 years!
I always try to encourage rather then discourage people from owning these fish ..Make the commitment and enjoy them ..

 

The fish you saw in the lfs were most likely wild caught.

The fish I have seen over a foot were wild caught fish. BUT, these were elongated and skinny looking, totally unlike large aquarium-reared fish.

Borneo prohibits the sale of adult Clown Loaches. Any you see from here are illegally smuggled out of the country without paperwork. I don't know how easy this is. It makes sense to stop the capture of adult fish due to economics and sustainability.

Sumatra still allows the capture and export of adult Clown Loaches. However, I know that Clown Loach scientist Marc Legendre captured 3,000 from the MusI River and only one of these reached a foot in length.

Imported large wild fish have a terrible record acclimatising to aquarium life according to two keepers I have conversed with online with up to 90% mortality. No fun with fish costing 400 dollars a piece. Didn't the Aquarium Coop also have big problems too? I seem to remember so.

 

I don't know if the fish in question was wild or aquarium raised. WIll check next time i'm at the lfs. I do know it would have taken someone a very long time to raise it - as I said it was definitely not skinny and was the largest clown loach i've seen - my guess is a min of 15 inches but probably bigger.

 

The 120 is a 4x2x2 tank

(The tank has to be a bit less than 24 inches high since I can't really manage the plants in such a tall tank - short arms - 22inches is about the highest I can go)
--
btw when I click on your picture it doesn't' fully display - it just go black.

I don't think you will be needing to sell your Clown Loaches with such large tanks. You'll have them for life.

Good point about the height. There are many reasons why you should make it easy to reach the bottom.

That's annoying about the pictures. I have tried various sizes of picture, thumbnails and full size. I also tried pictures that I have successfully uploaded in the past. I always try to include a picture it makes the forum so much more interesting. I will ask the admin to look into it for me.

 

Ok I found the history of the clown in question. It was tank raised by a friend of the store owner in a 300+ gallon tank. It was purchased around 13 years ago - and was approx 4 inches at time of purchase. It is only around 14 inches long but very thick (like a football). So a lot younger than I thought. He had a second one that was a few inches bigger but it jumped out of the tank. I'm surprise it is only 13 years old.

 

You went back to ask about the history but didn't get a picture (with a measure) ?

 

You went back to ask about the history but didn't get a picture (with a measure) ?

--
I go once a week - can always go back When I did see it - it constantly swam so might be difficult to get picture with ruler.