Size
When fully mature, a clown loach is typically 12 inches long.
Physical Appearance
The clown loach has a sharp spine beneath each eye and a long, pointed nose ringed by delicate whisker-like barbels, just like all other loaches. It’s crucial to be cautious when handling your loach since these spines, which are used for defense, could prick fingers or catch on nets in captivity.
The arching body of the clown loach is long and slim, making it perfect for cutting through the water. Its body is bright orange to yellow, while its fins and tail are bright red, as its name would imply. It features a third black band that runs vertically through its eye in addition to two broad, black V-shaped bands on either side of its body.
Habitat
The rivers and tributaries of Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, and Kalimantan are where the clown loach is native. They migrate to flooded sections of the rainforest during the spawning season, where soft, tea-colored water runs through slow-moving, marshy streams. This loach favours rivers lined with plant debris, such as twigs, branches, and fallen leaves, that are sheltered by leafy vegetation.
Keeping as Pet
Tank Size
At the absolute least, a 75-gallon tank must be used to house a group of young fish.
However, we advise using a tank with a capacity of at least 100 gallons. That will give them plenty of area to grow and swim.
As they become older, the minimum tank size increases dramatically. You’re going to need a tank that can contain 150 gallons of water or more for a small group of adult clown loaches.
Diet and Feeding
Although they will eat a wide variety of dry and live meals, clown loaches prefer live foods, particularly worms. As long as you get the worms from newly fertilized soil, you can even feed them on earthworms. You ought to give them numerous small meals throughout the day, ideally.
Water Parameters
The water quality is the most crucial factor to take into account when caring for any fish. Your fish must be in the proper habitat in order to remain healthy. Fortunately, controlling water parameters is one of the simpler aspects of caring for clown roaches.
These fish are from tropical waters that are warm. They will therefore thrive in typical tropical tank settings. Maintaining the health of your fish shouldn’t be an issue if you follow these guidelines.
Water temperature: 72°F to 86°F (around 78°F to 79°F is the sweet spot)
pH level: 6.0 to 7.5
Water hardness: 8 to 12 KH
Regular water testing is crucial to ensuring that these parameters are being kept in check. Check the tank every few days using a dependable testing kit.
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