size of clown loach

[Nautilus291]

I've been looking everywhere and I cant find 2 sites that agree on the size of clown loaches. Ive seen anywhere from 6 to 18 inches. Can anyone clear this up for me. How big do they get?

[Lady Hobbs]

That's a problem with the sites. Information is never cut in stone. In their natural habitat they grow larger than when contained to a fish tank. They can live quite a long time, as well, and eat constantly in the wild so naturally would grow larger. I doubt very much you'd see one in captivity larger than 7-8 inches. Likewise, you see catfish hauled from lakes that are enormous. You don't see catfish that reach 70 pounds in an aquarium that are found in the wild, either.

[kimmers318]

It can happen though....we saw some clown loaches in Sandusky when we took a trip to Castaway Bay that were 10" easy...and boy were they beautiful! The best way to go would be to know you have a tank that can house the group of clowns you want at full size and be able to have other fish over the years while they grow. If they get to the point that they need the tank to themselves it is alot easier to move some of the smaller fish to another tank than it is to try to buy and set up a larger tank for them. There are some awesome pics on another website of some clown loaches....on in particular named Marge who is tremendous....I will see if I can find the links for you and post them.

[kimmers318]

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=2314&highlight=emma

this link has a lot of photos taken at a maidenhead aquatics so you might want to bypass it if you have dial up because it will take along time to load, but Marge is pictured close to the bottom.

This is another thread started by owner of Marge with pics taken by her...as you will see, there are some impressive clowns in the world!
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=3542&highlight=marge

[Lady Hobbs]

You got that right. I had a H of a time moving mine the other day when I moved the tank. They are the fastest thing alive, I think.

[Severus]

I was just going to bring up Marge kimmers. Either way though, I have never seen a clown loach in someones home aquarium any bigger than 8". I have 2 little 1.5" guys, looking forward to them growing up.

[Lady Hobbs]

Oh yes. Some have been reported to get huge. The species come in different names as well but if from the same fish or not, I don't know.

They're called Botia Macracanthus and Chromobotia Macracanthus so if one is larger than the other or one of the same I don't know. (Should go look it up, shouldn't I?) But from what I've read, in aquariums most remain around 6 inches.

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/clown.htm

One of those huge beauties would be something, tho. I guess it would also depend on how many years you can keep it alive as they live to be 15 years old. That's a pretty long life for an aquarium fish. In the wild they eat 24/7. They sure do make short order of a fish that dies. Even the bones are eaten by them.

(http://freshaquarium.about.com/cs/loaches1/p/clownloach.htm)




Kimmers, your link was a slow one for me but so well worth waiting for. The pictures were awesome. Thank you. I would die for a huge saltwater tank with yellow tangs!

[Severus]

I was just watching my little clowns eat some snails the other day. Picking them out of the gravel and almost playing with them before they eat them.

[Nautilus291]

How big of a tank do you need to keep these guys in. How many should you or is an ok number to keep.

[kimmers318]

Marge is definitely a most impressive specimen...along with all of the fish pictured from maidenhead. I look thru those pics every once in awhile just because I would love to have a store like that that actually cares for the wellbeing of the fish!
As for size of tank needed for full grown clowns loaches.com recommends 75 gallons but did not specify if that was for 1 or a group. We have a 75 gallon and I can't picture 5 Marges in there! They then recommend a 6ft tank for a group....here is a link to the page
http://www.loaches.com/species-index/clown-loach-chromobotia-macracanthus
You might want to sign up at loaches.com.....although fanatical about their clowns you will get some good information from those people.

Scientific name changed somewhere along the lines Hobbs...I am not sure why or when, but did see something about the change from botia to chromobotia....something must have made another species/subspecies become apparent to the powers that be and they chose to change things.

Either way, these are great fish as long as you know what you are getting into and don't end up with tankbusters you can't house. I personally have had limited success keeping clowns even though we have wanted them all along....currently I am winning the battle, so we shall see if I get to get another big tank in 5 years when the kids are moving out!!!

[Nautilus291]

I only have a 55g and I Dont have room to house anything bigger at the time so maybe ill stick with something that stays smaller.

[Nautilus291]

What do you think about yoyo loaches. They seem to be more suitable than clown loaches. I dont want to get into something that I cant handle.

[Severus]

If you can get a yoyo i would definitely do it. They are a manageble size (6"), very cool looking, and will take care of your snails. Also, i have heard they can be escape artists so make sure you secure your tank or they might jump out or do something crazy. lol

[kimmers318]

I have heard the yo-yos can be a little "pushier" than some of the other smaller loaches. Check out the websites profiles on loaches and narrow down your choices and start asking for experience/opinions. My research brought me to the conclusion that a nice group of striatas would work for me.....relatively small.....friendly.....snail lovers, but alas, my husband came home with more clown loaches for me to get my heart broken over so no more room in my tank.

[Nautilus291]

I was looking at that website on the loaches. It didnt say anything about pushy but ill keep looking. I just dont know If i can even get all of those different kinds around here.

[Severus]

Yea, i have never seen any yoyo loaches at some of the local stores around me.

[Nautilus291]

I've done alot more researching, and I'm leaning twards zebra loaches does anyone have anything bad to say about these guys.

[jman]

is this a yoyo loach?

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images/view?back=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fs earch%2Fimages%3Fp%3Dyoyo%2Bloaches%26fr%3Dyfp-t-501%26toggle%3D1%26cop%3Dmss%26ei%3DUTF-8&w=289&h=214&imgurl=www.dankind.com%2Fimages%2Fentries%2Fyoyo_l oach.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dankind.com%2Farchives%2F200 5_03.php&size=17.2kB&name=yoyo_loach.jpg&p=yoyo+loaches&type=jpeg&no=15&tt=74&oid=67d2aa1c6bb46616&ei=UTF-8

[Nautilus291]

No a zebra loach isnt a yoyo loach I looked around and I cant find yoyo loaches around here.

yoyo loach- http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile79.html

zebra loach- http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile65.html

Idk if this site has everything correct but it has pictures and some information.

[jeffs99dime]

No a zebra loach isnt a yoyo loach I looked around and I cant find yoyo loaches around here.

yoyo loach- http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile79.html

zebra loach- http://www.badmanstropicalfish.com/profiles/profile65.html

Idk if this site has everything correct but it has pictures and some information.

you can ask if your lfs can special order some for you. i've done that in the past. sometimes they will

[Nautilus291]

Hey Jman.

sorry i totally misread your first post yes that is a yoyo loach. I didnt see your link and I thought you meant is a zebra loach a yoyo loach.:11:

[jman]

ow no problem

[kes]

http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=2314&highlight=emma

this link has a lot of photos taken at a maidenhead aquatics so you might want to bypass it if you have dial up because it will take along time to load, but Marge is pictured close to the bottom.

This is another thread started by owner of Marge with pics taken by her...as you will see, there are some impressive clowns in the world!
http://forums.loaches.com/viewtopic.php?t=3542&highlight=marge
OMG!!! Maidenhead aquatics is in my small hometown in England!! I'm going there this morning to see if they'll home my Opaline Bullies, sorry, Gouramis, this morning!... What a coincidence..

[kimmers318]

Lucky you....I would love to be able to go to Maidenhead Aquatics!

[vdub]

here ya go my clowns at almost 7 inches!!!

[Severus]

Your clowns look great vdub. My 3 are all different sizes. One guy is about 5" the other about 4" and my smallest one is about 3"

[vdub]

thankyou severus i was lookin for big ones but everyone i came across had high price tags then i got these for a steal