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The Loach Forum Archives (1)
Agressive Clown Loaches
Posted By: BB <nettech@bellatlantic.net> In Response To: Re: Loach killing spree (Robert)
Date: Saturday, 11 September 1999, at 3:31 p.m.
Hello Robert, Your post deffinately raises some questions! While books are great sources of information there is much more to be said about personal observations imho. I have morleti that are as peaceful as you might expect a striata to be, and have been that way for over four years. Botia modesta that I would not trust except with cichlids that could give them a run for thier money, while others have great success in a community setting. Each fish seems to get labeled either agressive or peaceful by the powers that be. True enough I think most behavior is inherent but then again each fish is an individual. Various conditions within each aquarium may either alter the natural instinct of the fish or enhance it I believe. Does that sound reasonable? Most, I would guess, would consider that what you wittnessed was the playful antics of your clowns and not an attack on you pleco. Clowns ime will whisker everyone and chase each other as well as other fish in your tank. Very curious fish. It is considered "normal" and no dammage seems to befall them or the other fish thaey share the aquarium with. However, there are posts within the archive (Steve's and others) where clowns will actually inflict dammage among themselves through sparring or dammage other fish. There is even a question in my mind as to what to expect when my clowns continue to grow. Will the ditery demans that currently meet thier needs still suffice? The older they get the pickier they seem to become. At under five inches I personaly do not think that would be a consideration for you tough.
Your botia would appreciate live foods such as the worms you describe if they are anything like mine. Withholding them just robs the fish of a food they could benefit from. Same holds true for fresh veggies. There needs to be some balance between protien and vegetable to keep your fish healthy I think. Perhaps your clowns saw the pleco as competiton for food, and collectively they sought out to deter the fish? More questions... What species of pleco was this? Were the clowns present before the pleco or the other way around? Did the pleco and the clowns compete for the same cave or seclusion? I could understand the clowns picking at an open wound, but did you also see them ripping the tail or is this an assumption? If you have the means it might be of benefit to remove all the other fish into another aquarium and isolate the clowns with your newly purchased pleco. Then there could be no doubt.
Just some thoughts BB
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