Clown loaches are well known for being very peaceful fish. These fish have very calm temperaments, and this makes them good options for community fish tanks.
If you’re thinking of putting some clown loaches in your aquarium, then you might be wondering how they will defend themselves. Are they so peaceful that they’re going to be in danger of getting bullied?
Read on to learn a bit about clown loaches and the ways that they can defend themselves. This will help you to better understand what the clown loaches are capable of.
Always remember that you need to pick good tank mates for fish no matter what. Even if fish can defend themselves, it’s not wise to put them in fish tanks with fish that they aren’t compatible with.
Clown Loach Eye Spikes
One way that clown loaches can defend themselves can be seen when you look at their eyes. Have you ever noticed that clown loaches have what appear to be spikes protruding from their eyes?
Well, they don’t actually come out of their eyes. They’re located in front of the eyes, and these spikes will raise when the fish feel threatened or when they get excited.
Typically, they’re referred to as eye spines. Getting poked by these spines can wind up being painful, but these fish aren’t venomous or poisonous.
Regardless, the spines are a good way for clown loaches to defend themselves against aggressive fish. This is just one of the common defense mechanisms that is used by clown loaches.
Do these eye spines guarantee that clown loaches will remain protected from aggressive fish? Absolutely not.
Clown loaches are very peaceful fish that can only hold their own against certain types of fish. Larger and more aggressive fish could still cause them lots of problems.
The clown loaches aren’t defenseless, though. The eye spines are proof that these fish can and will defend themselves against threats.
Clown Loaches Can Still Get Bullied
Despite having defense capabilities, clown loaches are still in danger of getting bullied. These fish are so peaceful that they might not be able to stand up to certain aggressive fish.
The fact that clown loaches are known to be good community tank fish sometimes works against them. It makes it so that people don’t pay close attention to the type of fish that they’re putting in the tank with the clown loaches.
No matter what type of fish you’re taking care of, it’s imperative to research compatibility. You want to ensure that all fish in the fish tank are compatible with each other.
If you start thinking that you want to add a specific type of fish to the aquarium, then you should research things first. See if the fish are compatible and then move forward once you’ve confirmed that they are.
Clown Loaches Sometimes Fight Each Other
You might notice that your clown loaches will fight each other sometimes. This is totally normal behavior and it’s usually happening because the fish are determining the “pecking order” of the group.
Clown loaches do best when they’re kept in groups. The general recommendation calls for you to keep five to nine clown loaches in the same tank.
These fish might tussle with each other a bit from time to time. They aren’t going to hurt each other and it’s really not worth worrying about.
You’ll find that these fish are so peaceful that they usually won’t fight with other fish. There will be times when the clown loaches will defend themselves, but they’re more likely to hide and stay away from threats.
Clown Loaches Like to Hide
It should be known that clown loaches really like to hide. They hide a lot, and there are many different reasons for this.
You’ll be more likely to see clown loaches try to hide from aggressive fish than you will fight. The instinct of the clown loach will be to hide and get away from the threat.
Often, clown loaches will try to hide among aquatic plants. They love hiding in the plants and will feel much safer in fish tanks that have many plants.
These fish also like hiding in little caves and other decorations that you put in the aquarium. If the fish are able to hide, then they’ll likely hide instead of trying to defend themselves.
Don’t Put Your Clown Loaches in a Bad Spot
Don’t put your clown loaches in a bad spot where they feel the need to defend themselves. There’s no reason to do this, and you’re only going to be causing the fish stress.
As mentioned earlier, you want to avoid putting fish that aren’t compatible with clown loaches in the same tank as them. This will put your clown loaches in danger since they might get bullied.
You also don’t want to put the clown loaches in a situation where they don’t feel comfortable. Clown loaches will get more irritable if you put them in fish tanks that are too small.
These fish might be more likely to fight if you put them in a cramped space. Don’t put them in fish tanks that are way too small for them.
Clown loaches need rather large fish tanks so that they can thrive. If you care about your fish and keeping them healthy, then you should look into getting a big enough fish tank.
The minimum fish tank size for clown loaches is 75 gallons. You’ll also need a larger tank as the fish start to grow.
So many people recommend going with a 125-gallon fish tank or something even larger. Put your fish in a good position to feel safe in the tank by giving them enough room and providing them with plants.
Final Thoughts
Clown loaches can defend themselves from certain types of fish. They have eye spines that are located near their eyes that are very sharp.
These spines come out when the fish are excited or when they feel threatened. Despite having these spines as a defense mechanism, clown loaches are very peaceful fish that are unlikely to fight.
Protect your clown loaches by putting them in a safe fish tank. Only put compatible fish in community tanks with your clown loaches.
Ensure that the fish are placed in large tanks with plenty of hiding spots. This will help you to keep everything safe so that you can enjoy the fish without having to worry so much.
Jeff has always enjoyed having pets, but as a child, he was drawn to his family’s fish tank. Being able to maintain a small ecosystem and observe the behaviors and interactions in the underwater world peaked his interest early on and has kept him hooked until this day. On Avid Aquarist, Jeff shares everything he’s learned about helping aquatic life survive and thrive in a home aquarium.