clown loach stripes are not dark

[fishinaround]

I have 2 loaches about 2.5 inches each. One of them is showing great color with very dark stripes. The other is showing very light colored stripes, almost white. No signs of ick. Could it be that he/she is not feeding. The two loaches show lots of activity. What should I feed them?

 

[Lotus]

The light color is a sign of stress. If they're new it's probably a combination of adjustment and establishing pecking order. Clowns usually do better in groups of 3 or more. Clowns like flake, frozen bloodworms, shrimp pellets and sometimes a slice of zucchini or cucumber. There is more info here: http://www.loaches.com/almanac/index.html

 

[420Loach]

the "gray out" pattern. it happens when loaches are establishing their pecking order, and or mock sparring. how long have you had the loaches?

how big is the tank and what are the tankmates also?

welcome to the tank.

 

[chefkeith]

I agree with what Lotus and 420loach said, but will also add that lighting and substrate/decor brightness can also affect a clown loaches color. Kind of like a defense mechanism that helps them blend in with the background.

 

[fishinaround]

I had the loaches for 2 weeks and just friday I bought 2 more. Since the addition of the 2, the loach with the light stripes immediatly darkened it's stripes. Now the 4 loaches run the tank. Those guys run like the Duracel rabbit. The tank mates are 2 blue & 2 gold Gouramis, and 2 Red Dwarf Gouramis with 4 Chinese Algae eaters. Also have 5 ghost shrimp. I plan to add about 4 more fish. (about 40 gallons)

 

[ecotank]

Don't add anymore fish, your at your max. limit now, actually your a bit over your limit. Your tank will be plenty of fun to watch with your current stock, adding more will cause problems for you.

 

[fishinaround]

Thanks for the warning. I do have a few live plants in tank and may start focusing on adding more to make for a more natural setting.

 

[ecotank]

Yea, if you have a need to spend money, live plants is the way to go

All our tanks are planted and the plants are more work than the fish, this is not meant to turn you off of live plants, but prepare you for the addiction that is a planted tank.

What is your lighting like on the tank? This will determine what type of plants you can keep. After lighting comes CO2 and then a fertilizer regimine. Now all this is required for optimal plant growth, you can get by with just decent lighting and have some plants do fine.

 

[fishinaround]

Well, the lighting is not up to par yet, but on the list for upgrade. I wish I had thought about live plants before I set up the tank. I have 4 Swords in the tank right now. They are doing great. Now that I want to add more I am wondering how to add a good substrate since the tank is active. I am trying to figure out how I could add a substrate without having to rebuild tank. Is it possible to remove gravel and add new with tank already in operation?

 

[ecotank]

Yes, it is possible to change out the gravel with the tank still in operation, but it's very tricky. 1st make sure your new substrate is well rinsed, otherwise you will foul your tank. 2nd, it is possible to throw your tank back in a cycle when removing and adding substrate. Keep a test kit handy and be prepared to act should you get spikes. I would try to keep a small layer of your existing gravel in there to help prevent this. It is possible to scoop out all your gravel, lay down 2-3" of eco- complete and then a layer of your existing gravel (if you like the look).