One of my clown loaches...

[bielbugs]

I bought 2 clown loaches 2-3 weeks ago. At first, they both hid all the time but now they one is out almost all the time, but the other rarely is seen. Usually around feeding time but I'm still worried that its not getting enough food. They were both the same size when I got them but now the one (the shy one) is noticably smaller. Should I be concerned?

[cocoa_pleco]

no, if theres visible illness yes.
Chronas SAE wasnt eating, and after a bit his SAE started to eat.
IF fish get hungry enough, theyll eat.
Is he bloated at all?

[bielbugs]

no bloating that I can tell

[Chrona]

no, if theres visible illness yes.
Chronas CAE wasnt eating, and after a bit his CAE started to eat.
IF fish get hungry enough, theyll eat.
Is he bloated at all?

I don't own a CAE, it was a SAE :P

I don't know about clown loaches specifically, but when one of my cardinal tetras was getting picked on and not getting his share of food, I put all of the cardinals in a holding container and rearranged the plants/rocks. Then I put the smaller cardinal back in, and the rest of the cardinals in after about an hour.

[cocoa_pleco]

Fixed CAE to SAE.
I always mix em up

[Incredulous_Ed]

maybe you should put some food in at night while the other fish sleep. He'll have a better chance at getting food then

[cocoa_pleco]

yeah, nocturnal fish usually have good food eating chances at night

[kimmers318]

Unfortunately clown loaches are highly prone to internal parasites that are a real b---- to cure. The first symptoms is usually slow growth even though they are eating fine, and then they just get skinnier and skinnier until they die. That is why they call it the skinny disease. I started with 3 originally, lost 1, replaced it with 2, in the end lost all to the above symptoms. Later that year we bought 3 more, different supplier, I treated for IP with several different types of medication, one so far has survived, then we bit the bullet and paid the higher price for larger clown loaches (3) and so far all 4 are doing very well. If you really want clown loaches I would suggest buying them at the 3-4" size giving you a better chance of them not having the skinny disease, or doing some research on a med called levamisole, which is highly recommended by serious loach keepers for treating IP, but it can only be ordered online. I have not yet found it for sale although it is supposed to be a sheep wormer and should be found at feed stores and such.
And don't forget, these guys eventually grow to be real tankbusters, not only lengthwise but deep bodied and you need a huge tank to keep them.

[Severus]

I lost a 1.5" clown loach awhile ago to internal parasites. Replaced him with two 3.5" guys and everyone is doing great. What kind of food are you feeding them? mine go crazy for shrimp pellets (sinking).

[Lady Hobbs]

My 7 are all doing great but one is noticeably larger than all the others. She will probably be a big old fat female. I drop in algae pellets for them and they also grab whatever food is left in the tank. Stick some lettuce under a rock and give them some zucchini now and then, as well.

I worry about my neons as you do your loaches. They just can't seem to get to the food fast enough to beat out the tetra's and silver dollars. I plan to put them in a tank alone with nothing but their own kind. I don't see them getting food much at all.

[Severus]

My loaches never go to the top for food. They are pretty quick on the bottom though!

[bielbugs]

they eat flake food as it is sinking. I had tried lettuce yesterday, but none of the fish went for it. I use sinking shrimp pellets, but I've never seen them eat them. My bristlenose plecos eat them. I bought them at about the 3 in size.

[Severus]

Mine go crazy for shrimp pellets! Maybe yours eat them at night...?

[kimmers318]

Once healthy loaches realize they signals of when food is coming and where it enters the tank at you should see them come running for food. All of mine, including the ones that eventually died from skinny disease would run right to the top of the tank and even suck the bloodworms right out of the dropper!
Here is a list of foods that my loaches absolutely love....
frozen bloodworms and mysis
algae wafers and omega one veg rounds
zucchini and dark green lettuce
shrimp pellets are OK with them, not a fav
dried krill
and believe it or not, they love pepso internal parasite food :)
flake is something they like but it doesn't send them running and clicking
Live brine shrimp and frozen enhanced brine

[RobbieG]

I had mine in two seperate tanks - the ones in the first tank learned to swim upside down and eat flake off the surface. When I moved them to the second tank they taught the ones in that one how to do it. Now whenever I walk by the tank at night they all parade out of their hidey hole and line up at the surface either standing up or upside down!

JIC it is the parasites that Kimmers318 talked about this site has a lot of info on the Levamisole

http://www.loaches.com/Members/shari2/levamisole-hydrochloride-1