Clown loaches (Chromobotia macracanthus) are a favorite among aquarium enthusiasts, celebrated for their vibrant colors and playful personalities. Originating from the rivers of Indonesia, these fish add a splash of excitement to any freshwater tank. However, their specific needs require a dedicated owner. This article provides a comprehensive guide to clown loach diet and care, ensuring these captivating creatures thrive in your aquarium.
Understanding Clown Loaches
Clown loaches are a colorful species of tropical freshwater fish from Indonesia. The nickname “clown” is two-fold. First, clown loaches have an orange coloring with stripes similar to the typical clown fish. They’re also fun to watch in their aquarium, as they often like to swim upside down and sometimes play dead.
Clown loaches aren’t a species of true loaches, which are in the family Cobitidae. While clown loaches were initially in the Cobitidae family, in 2004 a Swiss ichthyologist revisited the organization of loaches and moved clown loaches into the Botiidae family. The clown loach is the only member of the Chromobotia family.
Like the clown fish they’re named after, clown loaches have orange bodies. Their thick black stripes often have a white border, and these stripes extend to their fins. Their slightly elongated bodies normally reach a length of 7.9-11.9 inches (20-30 centimeters). When first sold, the clown loach size is usually only about 2 inches (5 centimeters).
Clown loaches have a pointed snout with barbels, or “whiskers” similar to those of catfish but much smaller. They use these barbells to search for food. Beneath each of their large, round eyes is a thorn that they can extend when they feel threatened. While these are not venomous, being stuck with one of these thorns can be very painful.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Natural Habitat and Behavior
Naturally, clown loaches live in freshwater areas in Indonesia, mainly rivers in Borneo and Sumatra. They’re bottom-dwellers, and will often hide under rocks, pieces of wood, or inside cavities of mud. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species lists clown loaches as “least concerned,” meaning the population is currently not considered threatened. That being said, the population is decreasing.
Clown loaches display some interesting behaviors that you may witness if you keep them in an aquarium. Though they live in schools, clown loaches tend to be aggressive and territorial. They like to have their own space, but often will become more aggressive if kept alone or in a very small group. Clown loach schools usually have a leader, and this leader is often a female. Sometimes members of the school will fight each other to establish dominance. You may hear them make a clicking noise when they’re squabbling. In the tank, clown loaches will sometimes do a “dance” where they swim down to the bottom then back up to the top, over and through each other. This is especially common when a group has just entered a new environment and may continue for the first couple of days in their new space. You may also notice your clown fish swimming or sleeping upside down. While they may look dead, this is normal behavior for them. They’re mainly nocturnal and will sleep during the day while being more active in the evenings and at night.
The Importance of Diet
Clown loaches are omnivores, meaning they consume both plant matter and protein-based foods. In the wild, they eat a varied diet of plant matter, algae, small invertebrates like mosquito larvae, snails, worms, and tiny crustaceans.
Feeding Habits
Clown loaches feed from the bottom of the river, and will eat almost anything if it’s small enough. If needed, they’ll swim higher up, but the best food for them is food that naturally sinks to the bottom of the water. In the aquarium, they should be offered a varied diet to ensure they receive the necessary nutrients for optimal health. Feed them multiple small meals throughout the day rather than one large feeding, as they are active foragers.
Dietary Needs in the Aquarium
Maintaining a balanced diet is crucial for the health and vibrancy of clown loaches in an aquarium setting.
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Variety is Key
Clown Loaches are omnivorous, meaning they consume both plant matter and protein-based foods. A varied diet ensures they receive all the necessary nutrients.
Suitable Food Options
- Pellets: If they eat fish food, the size doesn't matter. The sooner you get them on fish food the better. Even large clown loaches may still prefer small pellet-sized foods. Offer sinking pellets as a staple, ensuring they reach the bottom where the loaches feed.
- Live and Frozen Foods: Clown Loaches are fond of live or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, and chopped beef hearts. Any fish would go for live food such as black worms, bloodworms, etc… in case they refuse fish food and dead food.
- Meaty Foods: Include meaty foods like live or frozen brine shrimp, bloodworms, and chopped beef hearts.
- Vegetation: Supplement their diet with plant matter and algae.
- Snails: Clown loaches can help with snail infestations, readily consuming them.
Addressing Picky Eaters
A lot of these big wild clowns are picky eaters and don’t want pellets. Some want shrimp (try shrimp from Another area if the one your trying doesn’t work), earthworms, mussels, clams, fish, etc. If your clown loaches are being picky, consider these options:
- Shrimp: Try different types of shrimp until you find one they enjoy.
- Earthworms: Some clown loaches enjoy earthworms, even gut-loaded with carnivore pellets.
- Mussels and Clams: These can be a good option for variety.
- Bloodworms: Many clown loaches go crazy for bloodworms.
Feeding Frequency
Feed them multiple small meals throughout the day rather than one large feeding, as they are active foragers.
Aquarium Setup
Creating the right environment is essential for the well-being of clown loaches.
Tank Size
Clown Loaches can grow up to 12 inches (30 cm) in length, making it important to provide a spacious tank with proper water quality and swimming space. A minimum tank size of 75 gallons (284 liters) is recommended for a group of Clown Loaches, with larger tanks preferred as they grow.
Read also: Weight Loss with Low-FODMAP
Water Parameters
Clown Loaches originate from the warm, fast-flowing rivers of Sumatra, Borneo, and the Sunda Islands. In the wild, they thrive in water temperatures ranging between 77°F to 86°F (25°C to 30°C) and prefer slightly acidic to neutral water with a pH of 6.0-7.5.
Substrate and Decor
Use a sandy substrate and keep the water flowing moderately. Since clown loaches like to hide, they need plenty of hiding spots within their tanks. Things like stones, flowerpots, driftwood, and half coconuts make excellent hiding places. Plants should also be included in the aquarium, but don’t be surprised if you catch your fish nibbling, as plants are part of their diet.
Water Flow and Quality
Clown Loaches prefer fast-flowing water, so ensure you have a strong filtration system, such as a canister filter, to maintain water movement and oxygenation. Keep the water clean with regular water changes of 20-30% weekly.
Social Behavior and Tank Mates
Clown Loaches are highly social fish known for their playful and active behavior. They thrive in groups of at least six and enjoy interacting with each other through various forms of group swimming and playful sparring.
Schooling
As a schooling fish, they can be a bit shy if you do not get enough friends (of the same species) to hang out with. If you have three, they may hide a lot. If you have six, they may hide some of the time. If you get 30, they will be out all the time.
Tank Mates
Yes, as long as you do not put them with fish or invertebrates that are small enough to fit in their mouths. In fact, if you cannot keep a giant group of clown loaches, try adding a bunch of schooling fish to act as dither fish. Dither fish are outgoing species that swim out in the open, signaling to timid fish that it is safe to come out.
Common Health Issues and Treatment
Clown Loaches are particularly susceptible to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Ich), a parasitic disease that presents as white spots on the fish’s body and fins.
Ich Treatment
The safest way to treat Ich in Clown Loaches is by raising the tank temperature to 86°F (30°C) for about 5-7 days. This speeds up the life cycle of the parasite and helps eradicate it.
Breeding Clown Loaches
Clown loaches reportedly reach sexual maturity once they’re about 8 inches (20 centimeters) long. They typically breed in fast-flowing rivers at the beginning of the rainy season.
Breeding in Captivity
There is very little information about their breeding process. In Thailand, hormones are used to encourage mating. There are reports of successful breeding out of other areas like Russia, the Czech Republic, and Florida, but those reports need to be confirmed. For the most part, clown loaches found in pet stores are wild-caught, and those that are bred in captivity are often much more expensive. Traditionally, fish farms used hormones to induce artificial breeding. In Indonesia, adult clown loaches swim upriver to spawn in small streams and flood plains during the rainy seasons. Based on experience, some farmers have figured out that the adults should be conditioned for breeding in hotter temperatures around 82°F (28°C), higher pH of 7.5, and medium to hard water (to imitate the rivers). When the females become fat and swollen, spawning will occur soon. The eggs are loosely scattered throughout the aquarium and will swell up in size after being laid. The adults exhibit no parental care and should be removed to prevent the eggs from being eaten.