# Loaches and Cichlids...



## BigEyedFish (Jan 18, 2005)

Anyone ever been succesful keeping Clown Loaches with Cichlids???

What are your guys thoughts on 3 large (4"-5") mature Clown Loaches in a cichlid tank???


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## Fishfirst (Jan 24, 2005)

I've seen jacks oscars severums and parrots with clowns


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## Guest (Dec 13, 2005)

what kind of cichlid tank?


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## BigEyedFish (Jan 18, 2005)

I'm not quite sure what kind of Cichlids yet. Here's my dilemna. I have a 30 gallon tank right now, and the three clowns in there are getting to big to be their old happy and playful selves. I came upon a 55 gallon tank (for 40 bucks, with stand, heater, and 5 crates of decoritive rock, best deal ever) and want to make it a cichlid tank, but also want to give my Clown's a good home they can run around and play in. The 55 would be perfect for 'em, it's twice as long as my 30. I REALLY REAALLY wanna do cichlids, and was hoping I could do it in the same tank. I've heard of a lot of success with loaches and cichlids when the loaches in the tank are almost full grown and mature as opposed to starting with young little guys. Just wanted your opinions.


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## Fraser (Dec 5, 2005)

I was wondering the same thing, tomorrow im going to get fish for my new tank and was considering getting 2 clown loaches with say 4-6 malawi cichlids. I need to know if they are compatible.


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## BigEyedFish (Jan 18, 2005)

just real quick....I wouldn't suggest clown loaches in groups of less than three.....4/5 or more is ideal...they love being in groups and are MUCH MUCH MUCH more playful and entertaining if you do so.


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## Cichlid Man (Jan 19, 2005)

Malawi cichlids and clowns? No no no. clowns are soft water fish while malawis are at completely the other end of the scale. Angels, festivum, severums, kribs, rams are all good companions for clown loaches.


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## Fraser (Dec 5, 2005)

lol, yeah I checked that out in the shop today - guy told me that clowns also have skin instead of scales so theyre easy prey  Got 4 malawis however, 2 auratus, 1 yellow lab, and 1 cobalt blue


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## Fishy Lee (Nov 9, 2005)

How do you adjust the hardness, and keep it consistent for the type of fish you need? I've also heard cichlids like a little higer pH? Same question for the pH...how do you raise it, keep it generally consistent?


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## leveldrummer (May 27, 2005)

you can get substrate that buffers the water to 8.2 which is best for african cichlids, or you can get a powder buffer that you add to the water everytime you do a water change, i use proper pH 8.2 and its always worked great for me, the ph will slowly change inbetween water changes, but its usually pretty stable.


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