Clown loaches

I usually research fish before I get them but I didn't see anything about this so I'm not sure if this is common clown loach knowledge or not but I've noticed a few things in keeping them so far that I wanted to share for anyone who is interested in loaches!

The smaller, younger clowns seem to adapt to new environments way better than older, larger loaches. I think I saw something on another site mentioning something similar but it was an old post. I've got 19 in my 7ft; 8 or so who are around 5cm (2inches) and they are more confident. Always see them, hardly hides. Ive got 8 who are around 7 - 9cm (3- 3.5inches) and they're reasonably confident, but still more shy than the smaller guys. I have 2 who are 12 - 14cm (5-5.5 inches) and they are occasionally out and about but also probably around 4 years old. My biggest guy or lady is roughly 23cm (9cm) and I hardly see her out. Always in the cave I got them. They have lots of plants, wood and other places to hide. Her being the biggest is also the oldest. The guy I got her from said probably about 15years old. This leads me to believe that clowns find it easier adjusting when they are younger.

Another thing I've noticed is my clowns don't all school together. Seems like a "well, duh" sort of thing. The 3 biggest stick together majority of the time I'm guessing because they came from the same previous home. The 2 who are roughly 5.25 inches will occasionally school with the smaller guys but spend most time with their bigger buddy. My original 3 all 7-10cm stick together as well, same deal, they're happy to school with others but are in their group most of the time. The newest and smallest guys don't really care too much. They're usually in 2 - 3 groups of 4-9 depending where other loaches are. They're happy to spilt from their school to go join the bigger 3 in the cave or just locate some of their other loach friends from across the tank.

I hope someone found this interesting! I would love to hear what others think or have experienced.

 

Yes, very interesting, ty. Love my clowns! Only have 2...

 

so cute! They're such a joy to keep!

 

Mature Clown Loaches from the wild acclimatise worst.

A expert keeper in the states had 70 huge ones imported and a year later had only 5 survivors.

Similarly Cory from Aquarium Coop lost his giant imported Clown Loaches too.

Buy them young, be patient and grow them up yourself like I have. Its more satisfying.

Big ones should stay in the wild to breed.

Its confusing as Clown Loaches over 4 inch / 10cm may not be legally exported from Kalimantan but it is supposedly still legal to do so from Sumatra (info from an exporter in Jakarta).

 

ahhh yes I've heard they struggle in home aquariums. Sort of makes sense just because it would be difficult to recreate a similar environment in the home aquarium especially in terms of space available and probably school size too, not to mention, any other species in the tank that could further stress them and different water parameters.