Clown loaches won't come out

**kaileybum** · 02-18-2008, 03:08 AM

Hi everyone, we've had 2 clown loaches for about a year now and they've grown quite a bit in that time. Pretty soon after we got them, they started to hide inside an ornamental house that we had in the tank. It was fine, until now they hardly ever come out and they're getting so big now that we're afraid they'll get stuck inside. We've bought a replacement ornament for them, with a bigger opening, but how do we lure them out of the old house?? They tend to both come out in the morning, but this morning, only one of them came out.

Also, is there any chance they've got eggs or a nest inside? I don't want to destroy that if there is. I don't know how they bear young. Thanks!

**Rewth** · 02-18-2008, 04:51 PM

my guess would be that they are uncomfortable about something. to begin with clown loaches do better with about 4 to a school minimum. and secondly they prefer fairly subdued lighting. this could definitely be the case since they come out in the mornings mostly. see if you can shade the tank a little bit with either floating plants, or just a few more large leaved plants to make it less bright. but to an extent this is also just fairly normal, clown loaches are shy and they feel safer when they can hide.

**sailor** · 02-18-2008, 04:59 PM

There have been very few reported successfull breeding of clown loaches in a home aquarium, and most of the reported cases have been proven to be false. So I don't believe it's that. Try putting some zucchini or a treat out just before lights out. When they come out to feed take out the decoration that you are leary of.

**kitten3326** · 02-18-2008, 05:07 PM

Clown loaches as said before, like to be in shoals, also they prefer the dark and if not comfortable in their surroundings will hide. To try to coax them out shut off your lights for an hour or so and hopefully this will bring them out. I have 4 clowns and they hid for the first little while but now are extremely comfortable in their surroundings. We have moon lights installed and at night when we shut off the lights and turn on the moon lights that's when you see what a truly beautiful creatures they really are. Something else my clowns love is frozen brine shimp fed as a treat, they will always come running for that.

**angelcakes** · 02-18-2008, 05:27 PM

hello,did you do a thread about this earlier?

**angelcakes** · 02-18-2008, 05:28 PM

ps.....sorry to ask its just that i replied to youres or a similar thread earlier.

**kaileybum** · 02-19-2008, 08:22 AM

Sorry, yeah, I posted here before I saw there was a specific forum about them. Sorry for the duplication, appreciate your answer though!

**angelcakes** · 02-19-2008, 09:28 AM

i have clowns myself all different sizes,when there small they seem to be more active during the day but has they grow bigger they do tend to hide more and are less active and you are correct that they can get stuck in ornaments(ive had first hand experience) and youve done the right thing with getting another ornament with bigger opening hole,normally when they get big they come out more at night,so this maybe why your are not seeing them,you can try enticing them out during the day with a big wedge of cucumber and place a spoon down the middle of the cucumber to keep it routed to the bottom of the tank,i learnt that one on here! or could try adding some bloodworm not freeze dried,actual frozen,they smell that and there normally out like a shot!!! lets me know how you get on with them ideas,