Reviews: Click here to read some reviews from some of our customers about us and the fish they got from us. The average Clown Loach size when fully grown is around 12 inches. Never owned a tank large enough for them, but LOVE them. Clown Loach Breeding - Related Items ... Editor's note: The fact that this Clown had eggs inside is intriguing and if you compare the fish there are visible differences in shape that could be sex related. Brine shrimp works well, too. There are many different types of aquarium catfish out there. The fish is originated from Indonesia. Clown loach starts eating live fishes as their food few weeks before spawning.The size of girth of females increases before spawning and it increases very rapidly. If you need to do something, maybe epsom salt (either as a dip or tank tx) would be a helpful & safe alternative. When it comes to picking food for your Clown Loach, these fish are pretty easy to please. This means if you start them out with a smaller tank when they’re not so large, you won’t have a lot of time before you need to upgrade. Even so, the loaches do not eat these eggs. After some time the female clown loach will lay eggs and the male will fertilize them. They usually stick to the middle and lower parts of the aquarium. The typical Clown Loach lifespan in captivity is at least 10 years. Clown Loaches are one of the most popular freshwater fish in the aquarium scene. You must log in or register to reply here. I've had botia-type loaches (& others) hold eggs for years safely without resorbing the eggs or spawning. However, we recommend utilizing a tank that can hold 100 gallons or more. You can mix small rocks, pebbles, and gravel to provide a more natural look. I have a 7-8 inch Clown Loach I've had for 30 plus years and she seems to be egg bound. Unfortunately, Clown Loach breeding is very difficult in captivity. Never a long potential lifespan as an excuse to cut corners with their care. You should also periodically clean your aquarium to get rid of snail shells. Appropriately named for their vibrant colors, these fish make beautiful additions to community tanks. They come from inland waters in the Indonesian islands of Borneo and Sumatra. It's even harder to imagine that this beautiful fish is eaten as food fish in Indonesia and Borneo, where it grows to over a foot in length. This makes them a great choice for beginners who want to add a splash of color to their tank (or seasoned aquarists who don’t want a high-maintenance species). Minimum aquarium size for Clown Loach is 100 gallons. Since they are partly herbivorous, it's important clowns get regular (at least weekly) meals based entirely on fresh vegetables: tinned/cooked peas, courgette, spinach, and even soft, non-acidic … Regular salt may irritate open sores...I would gradually remove it through water changes. The habit you're witnessing is maximum probable only a social habit of those playful fish. If there’s anything you think we should add to this care guide feel free to let us know. Some aquarists may get lucky and initiate spawning in the right conditions, but the eggs are rarely fertilized. I would tend toward more water changes than treatments. The most important thing to consider when caring for any fish is the water conditions. Something seasonal? Fortunately for the clown loach, among aquarium enthusiasts, it's a staple in the community tank rather than on the dining table. However, these fish can cohabitate with most peaceful species (even ones that dwell in the same areas of the tank). It’s said that they can get a bit longer in the wild, but most fish will max out at this length when kept in captivity. But it appears that this fish may become sexually mature only after many years (though young 2-3 year old females do carry eggs) and the fish has attained a length of at least 15.2-17.8cm (6-7"). The clown loach with 12 cm for the length is in productive condition. Decorating your new tank is where you can get a little creative. Because of this, we recommend avoiding any attempts for the health and happiness of your fish. She isn't pregnant. The Clown Loach (scientific name: Chromobotia macracantha) is a peaceful freshwater fish with a quirky appearance. The differences between the female and male fish are difficult to be seen from the appearance. Cobitis macracanthus Bleeker, 1852;Botia macracanthus (Bleeker, 1852); Botia macracantha(Bleeker, 1852) These fish come from warm tropical waters. To anwer your Q, no, she is no egg bound so the treatment may harm them as they show no visible signs of sickness. Clown Loaches are not immune to health problems. The Clown Loach is covered in several colors. They’re not venomous, but the spines can prick your finger or get caught in netting. When kept in groups, the fish will swim around and chase each other. She seems to expel eggs OK, so not egg bound. Special Request: We know that some customers would like to make a special request with their order. Diet of Clown Loach. Loach eggs Jenna Vinsen Tell. To avoid making that mistake, you need to plan for a spacious tank from the get-go. You can treat Ich with many over-the-counter medicines. These clown loaches are between five and eight years old. Clown Loaches are known to be sensitive to a wide variety of medications. The clown loach woman might want to attain 7 inches formerly sexually mature. They’re located just below the eyes and can extend as a self-defense mechanism. The Clown Loach is sexually dimorphic. However these records were either controversial due to absence of photo-graphic support or limited to the finding of non-fertilized or unviable eggs in the aquarium. The tank is a 110 tropical that also has 2 male Clown Loaches that I've had that long. Since you've started it already, I'd continue for a full treatment. In pristine natural conditions, this species can reportedly live up to 25 years! A vast majority of the fish in the pet trade are wild-caught. As long as you have a sexually mature pair, the water parameters are perfect condition, and there is plenty of plant coverage, it can happen. AquariaCentral.com, a division of Monster Aquaria Network, LLC. Breeding the Clown loach. They can help keep snail populations in your tank under control! After all this time I wouldn't worry too much. They also have a larger tail with a more exaggerated “V” shape. Incorporate a healthy mix of floating plants and submerged plants. Either way, the base color is accompanied by three black bands. To do that, follow the established care guidelines below. Decorate your aquarium using a bottom substrate of sand or fine gravel that allows them to dig . Iv got 9 clown loach mixed with a few tetra, guppys, platys. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. These fish are most active when the lighting conditions are low. All Rights Reserved. However, you must exercise caution. The reason it’s so difficult to breed Clown Loaches in captivity is that these fish migrate to spawn. At the very least, a group of juveniles must be kept in a 75-gallon tank. I also recommend using … Understanding this is also helpful because it will allow you to protect the other fish in your aquarium. Any non-aggressive fish that shares the same environmental needs will typically work just fine. She is egg bound I saw an egg get expelled on Saturday one egg and there hasn't been any since. There’s a reason why this species is seen so often in the fishkeeping community! Unfortunately, social behavior tends to go away when they’re not kept in groups. Author Note: Clown Loaches have a moderate but steady growth rate. These colorful freshwater fish are primarily yellowish-orange. All other plants will be destroyed and/or eaten by the adult clown loaches. Other potential tankmates may include tinfoil barbs, and they also enjoy the company of the popular clown loach. Clown Loach has other name Toger Botia, & it is a fresh water fish that belongs to botiid loach family. That upper dorsal line curves from the base of the tail to their underturned mouth! When they’re not doing that, you can find them hiding out under plants for shelter from the light. Many of these reports stem from the fish being triggered to breed by the injection of hormones and not naturally. The front stripe covers the eye like a mask while the back stripe extends into the dorsal fin. Standard filtration equipment will work fine with this fish (there’s no need to get anything heavy-duty). Now, as adults, the minimum tank size goes up significantly. Apart from the fact clown loaches don't get pregnant, they lay eggs, your loach is far too small to even be sexually mature, let alone filled with eggs. I get your purist but I logged on to this web site looking for help not so people could bash me. If you've ever seen a school of clown loaches, it's hard to resist bringing a couple of them home. Author Note: Don’t forget to consider any copper sensitivities in the other species you own too. Some one gave me her 35 years ago and I already had the other 2 clown loaches. My clowns were 6-7 inches after 5? Clown Loach care is not challenging and can be handled by just about anyone. The clown loach (Chromobotia macracanthus), or tiger botia, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the botiid loach family. A vast majority of the fish in the pet trade are wild-caught. We’ve been a huge fan of them for years, and recommend them to other aquarists constantly! Then the female may spread the eggs in aquarium. Contrary to popular belief, Clown Loaches do have scales and can be treated with copper-based medicines. Though, some fish coming from Borneo tend to have black pigmentation on the pectoral fins. Omnivorous by nature, Clown Loaches feed on both plant matters and flesh. This friendly but shy species of fish is also known as scale-less fish – the extra small scales embedded on its skin are difficult to see with the human eye. Solitary fish or those kept in smaller pairs tend to be shyer and more skittish. © 2005-2019 Monsterfishkeepers.com. Lifespan of Clown Loach. This guy breeds clown loaches. Territorial behavior isn’t an issue with this species! One report claims in the wild the river water level would drop during a heat wave and t… Red lumps don't sound good. Epsom salt may help with swollen tissue. - … When it comes to keeping them with other species, you have a lot of options. This means that snails will still hatch, and their population will keep increasing in your tank. Meanwhile, the females are usually slightly plumper. Clown loach aficionados are able to identify which region of the world their loaches originally came from by subtle variations in their markets. It will give them more confidence, reduce stress, and make them more fun for you to observe. This guide will cover the fundamentals of Clown Loach care to help you know what to expect, and how to help them thrive. Treating Egg bound goldfish with hormones and massage to stimulate egg release. They enjoy earthworms and bloodworms. I have a 7-8 inch Clown Loach I've had for 30 plus years and she seems to be egg bound. Chances are, you’ll see them foraging for any leftover flakes that other fish didn’t eat as well! Females of many loaches often become "gravid" with eggs without breeding or harm...the eggs can often be seen as a greenish dots in the abdomen. When she's not writing about fish you can find her hiking, swimming, and doing yoga. If you really want cichlids as well, we recommend just getting another tank. I've taken pictures of her backside and when you zoom in it looks like eggs under the skin and I've seen her drop and egg. Plants will serve as a hiding place for the fish while also providing some much-needed shade. It’s a playful behavior that’s a joy to watch! Then, fill the tank with all kinds of live plants! I've done small water changes I put fresh carbon in, I put Erythromycin in and I also add salt anything Else???? We recommend keeping at least five fish together. How can I help her progress? They are widely distributed and have been a staple in the fish-keeping community for several decades. The tank is a 110 tropical that also has 2 male Clown Loaches that I've had that long. Stick to these parameters, and you should have no problem keeping your fish healthy. Hopefully one of our loach experts will chime in. Either way you should have 150 gallons or more and about 5 clown loaches IMO but I may be wrong. I have a feeling that yours are slightly stunted but you've taken good care of them for a long time...30 YO is getting up there in even clown loach years. It’s also very important to perform regular water tests to be sure these parameters are being maintained. Much of the above was originally posted several years ago. Here are some suitable tank mates for the Clown Loach: We hear from a lot of potential owners who are curious if Clown Loaches can be kept with cichlids. However, thanks to their penchant for spawning in large numbers, wild-caught fish are also sold all over the world. years. Read medication instructions closely to ensure that you’re treating your fish safely. Clown Loaches are peaceful and easy-going. As a result, they’ll do just fine in standard tropical tank conditions. If someone manages to figure out how to consistently (and safely) pull this off in captivity we’ll update this section with their methods. While there are definitely exceptions to the rule, this is not something we recommend (especially with bottom-dwellers). As you can see, there’s a reason why these fish are so popular. The dorsal line is curved while the bottom of the fish is flat. They’re found in tanks all over the world! We just don't know what may trigger successful spawning with clowns. Clown Loach is an inexpensive fish but needs moderate care level. Some people who erroneously use loaches for snail control in their aquariums assume that the fish will also eat the snail’s eggs. For most of their life, the fish live in large slow-flowing rivers. As you can tell, this is definitely not the case. Clown Loaches love a well-decorated tank filled with plants and natural hiding spots. How are ya sure if she eggbound? some records of spontaneous spawning of captive clown loach in aquarium (Hammond 1996;Clarke2007). There are a lot of factors that can affect the life expectancy of this fish. Give liquid fry food to babies for first few weeks. The biggest one is named HatuPatu and I think she might be a female. You’ll learn about their ideal tank size, diet, tank mates, and more! This will allow you to provide consistency and prevent any unwanted shifts. The ectoparasite is highly contagious and quickly spreads throughout the community. The body of the Clown Loach is noticeably arched. Use a reliable testing kit and check the aquarium every few days. Several pairs of barbels surround their fleshy lips to help scavenge for food. While it’s difficult to see, these fish do have pointy spines. Clown Loach for sale at AquariumFish.net . Is the tank 110 in litres or gallons? These fish are known to eat any freshwater snail they can get ahold of. After hatching, feed the tiny fry on live cultivated infusoria. Its orange and black striped body, red fins, and active behavior has made it one of the most popular loaches. 6-7” should not be after 30 years but sooner too. For a small group of adult Clown Loaches, you’re going to need a tank that can hold 150 gallons of water or more. Alison has been interested in fish and aquariums for over five years. Juvenile clown loach – still at a manageable size. There are so many other great tank mate options out there that the upside is not worth it in our opinion. As a good rule of thumb, adults need about 30 gallons of space each. These fish are easy to care for and absolutely beautiful. When you combine this with their natural beauty, you get a species that deserves every bit of attention it gets. The goal is to provide an environment where these fish can live happy and healthy lives. Clown Loach, scientifically named as Botia Macracantha, is one of the must-have species among freshwater fish. Clown Loaches can live up to 20 years in the wild, but in captivity, they generally live up to 10 years. They are omnivores that readily accept most commercial food products without any issue. Unfortunately, Clown Loach breeding is very difficult in captivity. Aquarium Source is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The vibrancy of this color can vary from fish to fish.