The Clown Loach is one of the favorites for freshwater enthusiasts. It is a peaceful fish and lives well with almost any tank mate. It is also a fun species to watch and feed, as it is active during the day. They also eat those annoying snails that can end up in your aquarium. The Clown Loach is sometimes called a fish without scales, but in reality, it has small scales embedded in its skin.
- Loach Clown: Basic Concepts
- Scientific name: Chromobotia macracanthus
- Synonym: Botia macracantha, Botia macracanthus, Botia macrocanthus, Cobitis macracanthus
- Common name: Clown Loach, Tiger Loach Family:
- Cobitidae Origin:
- Borneo, Sumatra Adult size:
- 12 inches (30 cm), generally smaller Social <Lifespan:
- more than 15 years
- Tank level: Medium, a lower compartment
- Minimum tank size: 20 gallons for 1, larger for a school
- Diet: Omnivore, eat most foods
- Reproduction: Egglayer
- Care: Intermediate
- pH: 6. 5 – 7. 0
- Hardness: at 12 ° dGH
- Temperature : 75-86 ° F (24-30 ° C)
Description
If you’ve ever seen a clown club school, it’s hard to resist bringing a couple of them home. It is even more difficult to imagine that this beautiful fish is eaten as food in Indonesia and Borneo, where it grows more than a foot long. Fortunately for the clown loach, among aquarium enthusiasts, it is a staple in the community tank rather than on the dining table. Its orange and black striped body, its red fins and its active behavior have made it one of the most popular loaches.
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Clown Loach fish habitat and care
Unlike many loaches that are only active at night, the clown loach is very active during the day. Calm with his own species and other species, he prefers to have companions with whom he will form a school. Water quality is essential to keep clown loaches healthy. Be careful to keep the water very clean, well aerated and hot.
Loaches are particularly prone to ick infestations; Observe them closely each time you add new fish or plants to the tank. In the unfortunate event that an infection occurs, keep in mind that loaches, such as catfish, are very sensitive to some medications. Often, the doses should be cut in half to be safe. Carefully read the product information before treating your loach!
Virtually all nonaggressive fish are suitable as tankmates for clown loaches. Because they prefer to live in schools, it is advisable to keep three or more in a group. They do not like bright light and hide among plants or rocks, as well as sleeping in holes, caves and other hiding places.
Diet
Clowns will accept a wide variety of dry and live foods but prefer live foods, especially worms. You can even worm them for them, as long as you harvest the earthworms that have not been fertilized recently. Ideally, you should feed them with small meals during the day.
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Reproduction
The males can be identified by the tail, which is larger and is hooked inward instead of pointing directly from the body. The females are smaller and more slender. There are very few documented cases of baby clowns breeding in captivity. As a result, very little information is known about their reproduction needs.
Tags: Clown Loach, Clown Loach fish, Clown Loach fish care
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