# Thinking about Loaches



## Doodles (Oct 2, 2005)

I have some questions about Clown Loaches. I know they are prone to ich and usually get it when you first buy them but now I have a quarantine tank which they can go into until I know that they are clear. 

After the initial purchase what are the chances of them getting ich again and do they get it a lot?

In my 75 gallon community tank I am really really under stocked. So I was just wondering how many I should get?

I absolutely love loaches but I’m always nervous that they will keep getting ich and infecting my other fish. I’m just looking for opinions and experiences on this.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Sorry to bash your plans but 75g is way too small for a proper group of clown loaches. They grow up to 8-10 inches and need at least a group of 4.
Maybe you could consider a smaller species of loaches? For example yo-yo loaches gro 3-4 inches and are very energetic in a group of 6-8.


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## Doodles (Oct 2, 2005)

Alright! I will look into some yo-yo's. I know I can get yo-yo's for sure. Any others you recommend that will be okay in a 75 gallon? I didn't realize clowns got that big! I guess a 75 gallon is way to small. Im glad I posted before I bought them.


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## Georgia Peach (Sep 23, 2005)

why are they so prone to getting ich??


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Actually loaches don't have scales. This makes them more sensitive to ich, etc.


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## DavidDoyle (Jan 18, 2005)

Well in my 75 gal I house 5 clowns that range from 4 to just under 7 inches. It is a little tight but I have had no problems so far, unless you count the fact that they prefer to do their own aquascaping and totally ignore where I put plants. I also find that having adequately sized hiding place for them helps a lot.

I have owned a number of clowns over the past 4+ year and in a number of different tanks. To date I have never had a case of ich in any of my established tanks. My one experience with it was in tetras that had when purchased and none of them survived treatment in Q.


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

Another kind of loaches that I think are neat are kuhli loaches : http://www.fishforums.com/profilearticles/showthread.php?p=10#post10 .


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

a good question woud be, what sort of other fish do you have in this 75gal? Kuhli loaches are great, but to many cichlids, they are tasty treats! And what do you want the loaches for? Many people have clown loaches for the purpose of eating snails. And, for the record, while clown loaches get huge, in my experience, they grow very slowly. I have had loaches for years that grew maybe one or two inches in total. Maybe other people have different experiences, but that's mine. 

Some other loaches that might be fun, depending on what you have in the tank-( and should be fairly easy to find at a local store) skunk botias, red tail botias, queen dario loaches, dojo loaches.


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

I just thought of something else- clown loaches are tropical fish, meaning they need temperaturesof 78-80* F. If your loaches are constanlty getting ick, my first thought would be to check the temp. It shouldn't fluctuate at all, or at the very least, less than 2 degrees through out the course of a day. Another major cause of ick is stress- another fish picking on them, sort of thing.


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## Doodles (Oct 2, 2005)

> I have owned a number of clowns over the past 4+ year and in a number of different tanks. To date I have never had a case of ich in any of my established tanks. My one experience with it was in tetras that had when purchased and none of them survived treatment in Q.


That’s great! Most people buy loaches and have to medicate for ich. I think it's the stress of everything, new home, ect makes them at that point more prone to it. Your very lucky. I've never had loaches before so I hope I’m as lucky as you. I wouldn't be getting loaches if I didn't have a quarantine tank. I have too many tropical fish to risk it.



> a good question woud be, what sort of other fish do you have in this 75gal? Kuhli loaches are great, but to many cichlids, they are tasty treats! And what do you want the loaches for? Many people have clown loaches for the purpose of eating snails. And, for the record, while clown loaches get huge, in my experience, they grow very slowly. I have had loaches for years that grew maybe one or two inches in total. Maybe other people have different experiences, but that's mine.


Nope, no cichlids. Just peaceful tropical fish. Guppies, rasaboras, a few tetras, ect No mean or nasty fish. The purpose of the loaches is because I love loaches. They are really cute and look like they have an a funny behavior. I think that's what you mean by purpose? 



> I just thought of something else- clown loaches are tropical fish, meaning they need temperaturesof 78-80* F. If your loaches are constanlty getting ick, my first thought would be to check the temp. It shouldn't fluctuate at all, or at the very least, less than 2 degrees through out the course of a day. Another major cause of ick is stress- another fish picking on them, sort of thing.


I've never had loaches before, just read that they are extremely prone to ich so I had a few questions on it, if they are worth the risk getting ick all the time. 

I think though I will go with some yo-yo's. They are really cute too. I really do love the clowns though. Maybe one day.


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

yoyo's are fun, but I have found many types of loaches can be kept simultaneously- yoyo's and clown, and kuhli's, and queen darios, would all be compatible. you have a peaceful tank, so any of those would work. As for the ich, I guess they can be prone to it because of the scaleless aspect, but I haven't ever had a problem there. Loaches are actually pretty hardy over all.


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## Doodles (Oct 2, 2005)

Wow, thanks you very much. Im glad I can mix and match some of the smaller loaches. It's going to be exciting for me to get them. Queen Danios- is that the same as Jiant Danios? I've kept a lot of scaleless fish before and never had a problem so it should work out.


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## Jonno (May 22, 2005)

starrfish71 said:


> yoyo's are fun, but I have found many types of loaches can be kept simultaneously- yoyo's and clown, and kuhli's, and queen darios, would all be compatible. you have a peaceful tank, so any of those would work. As for the ich, I guess they can be prone to it because of the scaleless aspect, but I haven't ever had a problem there. Loaches are actually pretty hardy over all.


Loaches are great i use to keep Zebra Loaches and Clowns together and they get along great. If your looking to get loaches Zebras are nice and ****** loaches are fun to watch and dnt get vert big, you can keep a nice school of clowns in a 75 gal for a little while but when they get to big you could have to move them out, but it takes them awhile to get this size seeing some clowns if kept well can live to about 10 years.


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

Dario- not danio. Queen dario's are a type of loach like a yoyo, with broad black lines over a gold body. I have three and they are fun. zebras are also a good choice.


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Just remember when you mix loaches: All of them need proper schools. Otherwise they can get frustrated and aggressive.


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## Jonno (May 22, 2005)

osteoporoosi said:


> Just remember when you mix loaches: All of them need proper schools. Otherwise they can get frustrated and aggressive.


that is true but i use to have zebras and clowns together and they use to school together


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

Well it may seem like different species school together, but are much happier with theit own kinds. Some loaches can turn quite crazy without a school (had some unpleasant experiences about one myself...)


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## starrfish71 (Jul 6, 2005)

I currently have one clown loach, one skunk botia, and three queen dario's all together. I rescued the clown, and haven't been able to get more yet, I have had my skunk for years, and everytime I bought him a skunky pal he'd eat it, and the QD's are fine- they play with the clown all the time. 

In another tank I have three dojo's, with two different types of small river loaches- they were the last one in the tank at the store, so I got them because I felt sorry for them, and they all live together fine.

I DO reccommend keeping them in groups of their own kind, but like my skunk, sometimes you have to get ALL of them at the SAMe time, or they just don't let the new ones join.
there are a few types, like tiger botias, that can get very aggressive and not enjoy living in schools.


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