Fruits or Veggies to feed Clown Loach

I have a clown loach in a 45 gallon tank (Yes I know that you need a bigger tank and they like to be in schools but he is still a baby and I am contemplating sizing up another tank and he seems fine without his friends and if he gets too big for the tank I will either rehome him or get another bigger tank and if he is acting lonely I will rehome him or get a big enough tank to get more)

Anyway, right now I feed him sinking algae pellets every day and I have blanched cucumber in the tank almost 24/7 (Yes I replace it) but he doesn't even look at it. I haven't seen him touch the algae pellets. He just wanders around very fast and nibbles stuff. Is this normal? What else should I try feeding him. We don't have zuccinI (no idea how to spell that)

Thank You!arkie1 betta 2

 

Clown loaches are mostly carnivores so you're not giving him what he needs. Try some meat based wafers or pellets. Frozen bloodworms would also work. What other fish do you have in the tank?

 

Clown loaches are mostly carnivores so you're not giving him what he needs. Try some meat based wafers or pellets. Frozen bloodworms would also work. What other fish do you have in the tank?

OK yeah I forgot that I also feed them bloodworms once a week. Should I feed him bloodworms more often? Man the people at pet supermarket got me again. I have one blue gourami, 1 gold gourami, 2 platys, 1 molly, 1 BN pleco, 1 red tail shark, and then the loach.

 

In my opinion it's unfair to keep a clown loach by itself in a tank that will eventually stunt it, even if you're planning on upgrading later. Sometimes plans fall through, and until then, your fish is suffering for it. These are very social fish.

I've read that they need a tank with a minimum foot print of 7 foot by 2 foot to thrive. If you feel like you can eventually accommodate that, then by all means, keep your clown loach. Most people won't be able to keep a tank like that in their house unless they're on a level slab foundation or with floor joist reinforcement.

 

I am going to probably rehome it but for the time being, what should I feed it?

 

Shrimp pellets by omega one, hikarI bottom feeder wafers (not algae wafers), the bloodworms, any other meat based pellets or wafers.

 

Ok thank you!

 

I have 3 clowns and they eat everything I put in their. Flakes, pellets and frozen shrimp. I tried cucumber last week they wouldn't touch it.

 

Yeah mine didn't touch it either. I will keep all of this in mind. I did a bit more research on them and loaches.com said that they would eat algae wafers along with a guy that ACTUALLY KNOWS HIS STUFF at Pet Supermarket. (I have had bad experiences with the people who work at pet stores.)

 

I haven't found any foods marketed for fish that my Clown Loaches will not eat.

I don't put fruities or veggies in my tank because I am a stickler for water quality and I find my water is better without.

I feed a wide range of mainly dried foods usually granules and pellets such as Tetra Prima granules and JMC Catfish Pellets but also freeze dried gammarus shrimp soaked in hot water plus a bit of frozen bloodworm.

 

Ours love the wafers and bottom feed pellets and we add a couple of frozen shelled peas a week for all of our loaches. Freeze dried blood worms are a favorite of theirs as well

Also clowns are very social and if they don't have another loach to play with they may nip the other fish trying to get them to play. Problem is the other fish may not appreciate it and think it's aggressive fighting back. He will need a play mate.

 

Also clowns are very social and if they don't have another loach to play with they may nip the other fish trying to get them to play. Problem is the other fish may not appreciate it and think it's aggressive fighting back. He will need a play mate.

If I were to get, say, a chain or yoyo loach, would he play with them? Like I most likely am going to have to rehome my clown loach after he gets bigger, and obviously I can't get any more unless they are going to have stunted growth and live a short miserable life. So would they school with any other fish?

Also clowns are very social and if they don't have another loach to play with they may nip the other fish trying to get them to play. Problem is the other fish may not appreciate it and think it's aggressive fighting back. He will need a play mate.

Oh yeah, and I haven't had any problems with nipping. He kinda just roams around, looking for food.

 

If I were to get, say, a chain or yoyo loach, would he play with them? Like I most likely am going to have to rehome my clown loach after he gets bigger, and obviously I can't get any more unless they are going to have stunted growth and live a short miserable life. So would they school with any other fish?



Oh yeah, and I haven't had any problems with nipping. He kinda just roams around, looking for food.

Then you may not have to worry about it, he may be content. We will be getting a bigger tank after ours did have this issue and we had to get a friend lol

 

I know I'm also defying them in keeping them. I'm going to give some to the LFS when bigger. And the rest will go in my upgraded tank. I have about 18 in my 75 gallon. 1-3 inches. Avg probably 1.75. Having so many I say they all have different personalities, there are some that are almost always out swimming against the current. I'd say their social structure is close to humans perhaps. I will say that their sweet spot in this space has been about 15. That is when they seemed happiest. I feel sorry for the loner but may be he is like one of my 3 ones who prefer to be alone. I think they may be ostracized though of are training to be alphas or are alphas. Not sure. But back to your question... They LOVE ghost shrimp, amino and snails. I give them some algae but usually no fight or clicking over it, but with other foods -yes. Therefore, do like 20-40% veggy. Sorry if you're veggy, but it's not In the cards for loaches.

I do want to state that after owning this many and seeing them with the exception of the few loners who still occasionally talk. I couldn't imagine how alone they would feel without at least 3 others. 4 is my smallest "pack"


When they are happy to see another one they do a dance to say hello. You can tell its some sort of communication and it seems happy. Use hikru bottom feeder. They like that a lot too! and they like power heads. They race each other into it.

Another photo to show you how much they really want friends