Why do clown loaches dig

I echo what everyone has said thus far. Make sure you put some tunnels in there for them. PVC pipe works good. I've got some tubing running from the back of my 75 to the front and that's where they hang when they are sleeping. I've also a few coconut shell houses, but they like the tunnel better. Nov 23, 0 16 Pittsburgh, PA www. Your water parameters sound good. The only thing I would change personally is to bring the temperature up to I don't see any problem with larger gravel.

If the food falls in between the rocks, believe me, the loaches will dig it out. That sounds like the larger natural gravel that is commonly found in the pet trade and that will work just fine. As Roan said, you want to give the loaches plenty of places to hide. If you don't like the look of PVC, use shale stacked up to make lots of little hidey holes. Yes, this is just the larger natural gravel, but more like small rocks.

It gives a little bit of a different look without having to go away from the natural feel. I will get some hiding places for them, and I will rearrange the tank prior to adding them so the barbs dont pick on them. I want to get the loaches before the rest of my barbs for this reason also. My tank was at 79 but it was pretty cloudy. I understand this is normal for a new tank, but it seemed to last a little too long. Today it's in this hole and quite lethargic.

Does this sound like behavior that anyone recognizes? I'm not sure if it's sick, pregnant, or if this is actually normal behavior? Post by Margolis clown loaches like to dig.

They also like to lay on their sides and look like they are dying. Forums New posts Trending Search forums. What's new Active Topics New posts Latest activity. Members Current visitors New profile posts Search profile posts. Everywhere Threads This forum This thread. Filters Search. New posts. Search forums. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.

You should upgrade or use an alternative browser. Thread starter Erised Start date Aug 25, Erised Cheer up, the worst is yet to come. I agree. Plecos and Clown Loaches love each other. My Clown Loach also only digs in open areas, but not much anyway. I have small clown loaches that are about 1. There in a group of five and there in a community tank with plecos and do just fine.

Although I have never seen dig they do like to get themselves stuck and I am constantly moving around the tank and once in a while they get stuck. My only advice is try to get bigger ones.

But yeah them and my pleco do fine together. If you have ornaments or something in your tank that you take out when you vacuum , make sure they're not stuck in it! I did a partial water change last night and was sure there was nothing in my small ship wreck when taking it out when I realized my small Clown Loach was no where to be found.

I looked on the table, ground, bucket and even inside the ship wreck but nothing. So after stressing for like a minute I looked in the bucket again, to find him lying in the DRY bucket! I poured some tank water in the bucket to try and save him.

He started to swim in circles at a very high speed, so, I had to catch him with the net and put him back in the tank. Thankfully he made it. I almost didn't! Personally I would not add loaches to a dirt tank. My school is constantly moving the gravel around.

It is not unusual to find an area void of gravel.