# Mbuna+clown loach=?????????????



## cameron2324 (Nov 4, 2008)

so i am doing research on the stock of my 75 Gallon aquarium and through reading articles and looking at pictures i have noticed that some people are keeping clown loaches with mbuna and i was curious if anyone has had problems with them. and any info from someone who actually keeps clown loaches with mbuna would be amazing.

the way that i view them being a problem is they are bottom dwellers and i just think that it may become a territorial issue with the mbuna. please correct my logic if i am wrong this is always a learning process.

thanks again


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## PNESTOROWICZ (Sep 9, 2009)

Not a very good idea in my opinion... Clown loaches are peaceful (you need a group of six or more) and they get very large - over 30cm if given sufficient room. (Sadly they don't usually get this big because people incorrectly keep them in small tanks, resulting in them being stunted). They're likely to suffer alongside mbuna.

You'd be better off with something from the Lake, or one of the common Synodontis species which tolerates or comes from hard water.


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## gnomemagi (Jun 13, 2009)

I wouldn't put them with mbuna simply because of the water differences - Clowns, especially smaller ones, do very poorly in harder water and do not adapt well.

They grow very slow - if you did keep them with mbuna, you would probably need to find them in a larger size (3"+), and loaches this size sell for a lot ($25 per individual around here) simply because it takes them a while to get to this size. A loach of that size is probably near three years old.

They are, however, very capable of defending themselves with larger tankmates once they are mature. They have little razorblade whiskers that can hurt - and are also VERY fast. Larger Loaches even accept live prey in the form of smaller fish.


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## bigdaddy67 (Sep 5, 2009)

I have a 150 mbuna tank with a group of 5 3" clown loaches. They get along great. Absolutely no problem with aggression between the mbuna and loaches. They are good at policing up extra food and add a nifty element to the tank. They are full of personality.

However, for a dedicated scavenger, I would recommend a synodontis cat plus a pleco for algae control.

I have kept clown loaches for many years with mbuna and while the ideal water parameters are different for mbuna and loaches. I have never experienced any issues relating to divergent water parameters.

--Dave


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## caseyof99 (Aug 5, 2009)

I've never had a problem with keeping them with mbuna. If i had to say that one was more aggressive with the other I'd say the clown loach. Mine never goes and starts a fight but he sure loves to end em. As for keeping them in groups it is probably best but mine has been alone the whole time I've had him. He doesnt hid and isnt skittish. He actually schools with my smaller cichlids and they all seem to enjoy eachother.

My new 150g with him in there


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## cameron2324 (Nov 4, 2008)

first off i have to say that the pseudotropheus socolofi is beautiful and i think that i am going look in to it some more and make a decision later also how do they do with sand as a substrate


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## aji1217 (Aug 22, 2009)

I have both a syno, and a pair of skunk loaches.

oddly enough the skunk loaches are kings of the tank, and are less than half the size of everyone else. Get along great with smaller cichlids. And they have the usual goofy loach antics. ( they frequently sleep on the syno or the pleco.


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## jfly (Feb 17, 2009)

clown loaches are fine with mbuna *** had clown loaches with mine since i started, a clown loach, while peaceful does have defense mechanisms.. they actually have KNIVES in near their gills that can be used like a switchblade and fyi i think my mbuna know it *** NEVER seen any mbuna chase or stress them and likewise *** never seen a clown loach "cut a fool" youll be fine :thumb:


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## noki (Jun 13, 2003)

I suppose the issue is can they be kept or should they be kept?

They can be kept, most Malawi cichlids will ignore them. They can get a very bad case of Ich when kept in poor quality water and stressed, but then cichlids should be kept in clean water also. Probably should not be kept with the tougher Metriaclima and Melanochromis.

But should they? They are very social fish that like to be in groups with pecking orders. Smart in an alien way, it's hard to figure them out. They can get big and fat.

I read somewhere that a public tank claimed to have a 16" Clown Loach that was 30-40 (?) years old.

Somebody's Clown only tank with some 10-11" long, from loaches.com...


















Fighting "cichlid" style!


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## gnomemagi (Jun 13, 2009)

My girlfriend adores loaches - they're her favorite fish. If she had her way, I'd have an 8' tank with about 300 Clown Loaches in it. :lol:

But yes, definitely have to keep up water quality with them - they can be quite sensitive.


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## cameron2324 (Nov 4, 2008)

wow if any one else have some pics i would like to see some in a mbuna habitat and as far as the water quality goes my friends think i am wierd because of the way i take care of my fish hahah if i had the money they would be getting water changes with Evian hahah


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