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Are Clown Loaches Aggressive? (And Do They Bite?)

Are Clown Loaches Aggressive? (And Do They Bite?)

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This post is written to the author's best knowledge and is not intended to be used in place of veterinary advice. In addition, this post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Clown loaches have proven to be very well-liked fish overall. Many people choose to put these fish in their freshwater fish tanks.

If you’re putting together a community aquarium, then you might be considering getting some clown loaches. You’ve likely heard that they’re supposed to be good community fish.

Before you buy them, it’s going to be good to learn more about them. For example, you might be wondering whether these fish are aggressive.

Are clown loaches aggressive, or are they considered to be peaceful? Keep reading to get all of the important details.

Clown Loaches Aren’t Very Aggressive Fish

If you’re worried that clown loaches might be aggressive, then you can stop worrying. Clown loaches are generally considered to be very peaceful fish.

These fish pretty much leave other types of fish alone in fish tanks. This is why they’re considered to be such good community fish tank members.

This doesn’t mean that clown loaches don’t ever show signs of aggression. They actually do sometimes fight with each other a bit, but they don’t hurt each other.

It’s normal for clown loaches to spar to establish the pecking order in their group. These are fish that like to live in small groups of five to nine in aquariums.

Aside from the sparring, you won’t see these fish showing signs of aggression often at all. They will usually mind their own business and not mess with other fish in the tank.

Of course, like most fish, they will eat other fish that are too small. If a fish is small enough to fit into their mouths, then they’ll try to eat it.

That means that you do have to be careful about what fish you put in the tank with clown loaches. They aren’t aggressive, but these fish do grow to be fairly large.

Clown Loaches Can Get Bullied By Aggressive Fish

When planning out a community fish tank, it’s more likely that you’ll have to worry about other fish being aggressive toward the clown loaches. Clown loaches are very peaceful, and they can’t hold their own against very aggressive fish.

Despite being fairly large, there are many aggressive fish that can create problems for clown loaches. For example, many large cichlids might be bad tank mates for clown loaches.

You always need to research things ahead of time to see if certain fish are compatible. This helps you to avoid situations where fish are being put in danger.

Clown loaches are great community fish that can get along with many popular freshwater fish. They can be put into tanks with black skirt tetras, angelfish, many types of barbs, and so many other popular fish.

Do Clown Loaches Have Teeth?

Clown loaches definitely have teeth and they’re good at using them, too. These fish are very good at using their teeth to eat snails.

If you put snails in the fish tank with the clown loaches, then they’re going to hunt the snails down. People often give pond snails to these fish as snacks.

The clown loaches will chase the snails and corner them on the side of the fish tank. Eventually, they’ll be able to pull the snail from its shell and eat it.

You’ll find that clown loaches have very bucked teeth. These teeth work out well for prying snails out of their shells.

Sometimes these fish grind their teeth and it creates a sort of clicking noise. Those who are new to caring for clown loaches often get concerned when they hear such sounds, but it’s just a normal thing that they do.

Do Clown Loaches Bite?

Since clown loaches are peaceful, it’s unlikely that they would bite other fish. They will if they see a good chance for a meal, though.

Smaller fish will be eaten by the clown loaches if they will fit into their mouths. So it’s not out of the question to see a clown loach bite something.

Will they bite humans, though? They might nibble on you a bit if you try to hand feed them.

Some owners hand-feed their fish when giving them algae wafers and other such foods. The nibbling shouldn’t really hurt, and the clown loach isn’t going to try to attack you in all likelihood.

The nibble of the clown loach might not feel pleasant, but you really don’t need to put yourself in a situation where this can happen.

There is no reason to try to feed the fish by hand unless you really want to. The normal feeding scenario involves putting food into the tank that will sink to the bottom.

Clown loaches hang out at the bottom of the tank just like other types of loaches. They like to eat sinking food pellets and other things that can make it to the bottom of the tank easily.

Should You Buy Clown Loaches?

Clown loaches are definitely good fish to buy, but whether they’re appropriate for your aquarium will depend on the situation. These fish need to be kept in small groups, and you might not have enough room in your current fish tank.

Also, clown loaches grow to be fairly big fish overall. A clown loach will commonly grow to be at least 10 inches in a fish tank.

These fish require big fish tanks to be happy and healthy. It’s said that a 75-gallon fish tank is the smallest one that you should buy for them.

Many enthusiasts choose to buy 100-gallon tanks for these fish. If you don’t have a lot of space to house fish tanks in your home, then these fish might not be practical for you.

If you’re looking for community tank fish, then these fish will work out nicely. You’ll just need to ensure that your community aquarium is large enough.

One reason to consider buying these fish is that they’re easy to care for. Clown loaches are some of the hardiest fish that you can buy as a beginner.

They can tolerate different water conditions pretty well. This makes it easy to find good tank mates for them in community tanks, too.

If you’re looking for a fish that is pretty easy to care for, then you’ll like clown loaches. They can be purchased in most pet stores that sell fish due to their overall popularity.

Just take everything into account and then decide if they’re right for you. You’ll arrive at the right decision.

Final Thoughts

You’ll find that clown loaches are very peaceful fish overall. In fact, they’re so peaceful that aggressive fish might try to bully them in a community tank.

Clown loaches will be very good community fish tank members. They usually leave other fish alone and just do their own thing.

It’s also true that clown loaches are very pretty. They’ll add some color to your community tank and you’ll love observing them.

These fish do have teeth, but they won’t often bite other fish. Clown loaches will try to eat small fish that will fit into their mouths, but that’s why you need to research compatibility before putting two fish in the same community tank.

So long as you understand this, it should be easy to have a good experience with clown loaches. They’re great fish that you’ll enjoy having around.

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