Diet: Flake, Frozen, Freeze-dried Maximum size: 12" Water temperature: 74-82 degree F Swimming level: Bottom Experience level: Beginner Tank Setup: 40+ gallons, lightly planted Note: Pet availability is seasonal. State and local regulations may vary. Pricing may vary by store location. PetSmart stores cannot match the price above for this pet. Ask a store associate for details.

Overall rating:

4.5

(24 reviews) 23

23 of 24(96%)customers recommend this product.

Reviews for Clown Loach

Review 1 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

One amazing fish...

May 14, 2013

by Maggalorious

fromOntario, Canada

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?2

How often do you shop at PetSmart?A few times a year

I bought two Clown Loaches in either 1997 or 1998 and, unfortunately, the smaller of the two died within the first few months, but the other one is still very much alive and doing fairly well in my 40 gallon tank. So, they can live a long time so be prepared! At the time I bought the pair, I had a Farlowella (Twig Cat Fish) which was also a bottom feeder. I did notice from the beginning that the one Clown Loach seemed to bully the smaller one, so whether this was a contributing factor in its demise is puzzling, esp since they are supposed to get along well in bigger groups. Both the surviving Clown Loach and the Farlowella accepted each other and got along well over the years. Farlowellas are very passive and wonderful fish to have in the tank, but if my Clown Loach wanted to forage for food and the Farlowella was in the way, he wouldn't hesitate to give him a nudge sending him up the side of the tank or on to a plant leaf. Sadly, my Farlowella just passed away about a month ago, but he lived to a ripe old age (almost 18 yrs!). I fear now that my Clown Loach is lonely as he spends a great deal of time in his cave, only venturing out to eat. I feed my fish a variety of food and currently, the only fish in the tank with my Clown Loach are five Harlequin Rasaboras, very small school fish. However, based on what I have read here I think I will obtain another one or two Clown Loaches to see if this will help mine become more socially active and to give him some (obviously) much-needed company. Hopefully he won't revert back to his old bullying ways! Nevertheless, I do love these entertaining and beautiful fish.

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 2 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

EXELLENT

January 24, 2013

by Aman101

fromAt My House

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

They ate my snail problem away. Also they are tropical fish and they look good its a win win for me soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Get at least 3 they do better in a school.

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 3 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Amazing Fish

January 6, 2013

by Bruyen

fromFlorida

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

I got two clown loaches for my 56 gallon aquarium and they are amazing. They never hide and just swim around all day long. When I got them, I thought they would hide for the first while, but right off the bat they started swimming around and just never stop. They get along with all the other fish and I adore them. The second feeding they even started to make the clicking noise. They eat anything, sinking pellets, freeze dried blood worms, and just the regular flake food. But I do think they prefer the blood worms most though. I would recommend this fish to anybody with atleast a 55 gallon tank as they are very active. also, they do like being in groups so get atleast two. and they like to have active tankmates because they swim and kinda play with them.

+1point

1of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 4 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Love it!

September 8, 2012

by AmazingFrogz

fromToronto

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

I bought a single clown loach today at PetSmart, although I was hesitant about buying one. He lives in a warm (78 degree) tank with the following:
One Albino Rainbow Shark
Two Silver Tipped Sharks
Three Rosy Barbs

and he is so active and I'm sure loving it. One of my favourite fish. Would recommend any of the above too.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 5 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Amazing fish!

August 31, 2012

by happyclown

fromBozeman , mt

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

This was my first fish. (we put only one by himself in our tank but later added a friend) they, along with several other fish are doing great in a temporary ten gallon tank. This fish is packed with personality, mine will sleep on top of each other, and they dont fight (much ;) These fish are known to sleep absolutely still on their sides or even upside- down!! So dont worry if you see this. With the right amount of care, anyone can keep a clown loach!!

+1point

4of 7voted this as helpful.

Review 6 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Lives up to its name

August 6, 2012

by fishlore

fromArlington, VA

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Clown is right! I'm surprised by its personality now that I own some. They're very sociable and even have the marking by their eye like a clown. They literally lie down to sleep (what fish does that?!?), and yes, they make noises. They've learned to feed at the top like the rest of the fish so I don't see these as true bottom-feeders, and I've seen some growth in them in a short time. I started off with two, got two more and can attest to them being much happier with the larger number; one of them had previously been pretty mopy.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 7 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Terrific fish

July 15, 2012

by DaveC

fromSchertz, Texas

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

I love these guys. They are like kids in a playground. They are into everything. I have 12 of them in my 125 gallon tank. They do not bother ANY of my other fish, even my small neons. They have the habit of "sleeping" on their sides or on their backs. I get a kick out of it when my wife says I have a dead fish and then the loach gets up and swims away. Feeding them is no problem as they eagerly eat just about anything I feed them. The only down side to owning them is the price. usually the stores carry small ones for about $10. So I try to get them on sale. I have enough for now but I may decide to add more in the future.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 8 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Great Fish For Experienced Fish Keepers!

July 6, 2012

by CrazyPets

fromMaryland

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

These fish are among one of my personal favorites! They are Social, Playful, and Interactive! But, they do have some special care requirements... If you get these, Read Up On Them First! Also, get a group of 5+ fish! These fish will tell you when they are stressed! if their Black Bands turn light gray, They are either stressed or you need to do a water change! Read Up On These Before Buying!

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 9 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

2 / 5 24 reviews

very shy fish!!!

July 1, 2012

by dannyboy18704

fromTaylor, Pa

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?A few times a year

My wife & I bought these fish because my 4yr old son wanted an aquarium and wanted sharks. The good people at petsmart told me I can't put sharks in an aquarium with docile fish. they recommended these guys since my son thought they were sharks. I bought 2 of them and was never told that they love to HIDE and that I would never see them! Well there are really no hiding places in the tank since the volcano I have has the bubbler in it and the skull is open and they are def not in it. I called petsmart today and was told that they will bury themselves in the gravel. So now I have a VERY unhappy 4yr old since he never see's his "sharks"!!! the petsmart associate said that if I wanna see them on a more normal basis I need to have AT LEAST 5!!! Sorry i'll keep my invisible fish. And when they die I will not buy anymore of them!!!!

-11points

0of 11voted this as helpful.

Review 10 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

4 / 5 24 reviews

Love this fish!!

June 1, 2012

by animallover20

fromOmaha, NE

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

I love this fish. We had 2 but 1 of them died from infection. I think they are more susceptible to infection than others. We have 2 dragons that blow air out the mouth (when connected to an air pump) and our remaining loach liked to hide in the mouth of the dragons. I love the coloring on them and they did well with the other fish we have. They aren't really aggressive fish. About the only "aggresssion" I ever saw was when a fish was in the way or eating something the loach wanted then it would just chase it off, but never hurt it in any way.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 11 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Great fish but NOT for beginners...

March 13, 2012

by Crumbbum

fromQueen Creek, AZ

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?3

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Clown loaches are terrific fish to have but many do not realize the maintenance required to have happy healthy clown loaches. Firstly, they eat A LOT... a whole variety of food. I feed mine an alternation of fresh vegetables such as zucinnis and butter squash. I also feed frozen blood worms, glass worms, daphnias, brine shrimp and beef heart. On other nights I switch off and feed cod. My loaches are fat and healthy -- not the sickly skinny specimens that most chain pet stores sell them as. Secondly, because they come from a river environment, they need LOTS of water movement in the aquarium. Powerheads are great, my loaches love to swim against the current. Third, clown loaches LOVE company, they are so active with more of their own kind... I have six at the moment but plan to get a bit more once I upgrade my tank. Fourth, since they are a schooling fish, it is obvious that they need a large tank -- better long than tall. When they are young, a 55+ gallon tank is good enough for some time; they grow extremely slow. Clown loaches, when kept in optimal conditions are said to be able to live past ten years at least. With their slow growth, they can grow to an eventual 12 inches -- but this is after many years. With clown loaches, I would not follow the 1 inch per gallon rule due to the fact that they love space and swim very fast -- so the more space, the merrier. Also keep in mind that they come from a fairly dark environment, being bottom dwellers of rivers; they may prefer a darker light setting in a tank. On a last note, clown loaches are very susceptible to ich -- I have had an outbreak with every batch I've gotten and had to quarantine every single incident. I suggest the same for anyone else. Rather than using medications, I used the good 'ol aquarium salt and raised temperature method. Within two weeks, it all cleared. I then deworm all my clown loaches because they are also susceptible to internal parasites.

Like I said, clown loaches are NOT beginners fish. It takes time, patience, and money to keep long lasting happy clown loaches. But it's worth it because they are the silliest fish with the most personality I have ever come across.

+19points

21of 23voted this as helpful.

Review 12 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

Great Fish

March 12, 2012

by Brody26

fromNebraska

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

These fish are great... Fun to watch. very active... they are always on the go. definitely get atleast a pair of them... My will try to jump out if i leave the lid up for awhile. they have yet to play dead... or make clicking sounds while eating. but over all a great addition to my tank...

+6points

7of 8voted this as helpful.

Review 13 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

3 / 5 24 reviews

Okay fish

October 13, 2011

by snailman45

fromSt. Louis

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Ive had my clown loach for about 3-4 months and it is a very awesome looking fish,it is a very peacful fish that for some reason lays on its side... even though i have had it for quite some time now itstill does not eat well

-3points

2of 7voted this as helpful.

Review 14 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

OMG!! BEST FISH EVERR!!! :p

July 15, 2011

by Kreig

fromNew Jersey, NJ

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

AS SOON AS I PUT THESE FISH IN THE TANK I WAS AMAZED!!! Sorry didnt mean to be rude with the cap's lol... but its true i have this fish with NEON TETRAS which are really small and he is so peacfull every single fish can go with this fish, beacuse it is sooo friendly, he is soo colorful there is NOTHING bad about this fish IMO i love watching him make clicking sounds when he's eating and watching him lay on his side, which is normal behavior to tell that your fish is happy he eats a variety of foods and if you have a snail problem put 2 of these in your tank gone within 3 dayss!! I absolutley love my clown loach if they made t-shirts that say " i love my clown loach" i would weaar it all the time , these fish are amazing , i could right ten pages why these fish are amazing and unique, i would probably break my key board, any way off topic, GET THESE FISH!! :)))))

+4points

7of 10voted this as helpful.

Review 15 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

so cool

July 14, 2011

by kramer21

fromcalifornia,CA

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

i had 1 of these and his was so cool and help clean the tank

-1point

0of 1voted this as helpful.

Review 16 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

4 / 5 24 reviews

Fun to watch, but clowns are very sensitive!

July 13, 2011

by jonathanhd

fromGreenville, NC

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

I LOVE CLOWN LOACHES!! They are very intresting, by how they dart to one side of the tank, but they can be shy so they need alot of hiding places.

They need a "pack" of at least five clowns, they also need a long, large tank.

These fish are also very sensitive to water change, and get ick fast if the water quality is poor. Be careful with medications for ick as clowns are scaleless.

+7points

8of 9voted this as helpful.

Review 17 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

they play dead

March 31, 2011

by anth30

fromPittsburgh,PA

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

i bought one yesterday and after putting him in, he immediately started eating flakes that were left over from last feeding time haha then he started playin in the bubble wall i have in the back of my tank. then later that night i looked under the rock cave and he wasnt moving turned sideways and i thought he was dead. i was pretty mad because i just got him and so i took the net to go get him and he darted to the other side of the tank..he was playing dead,,and im just surprised how interesting he is..hes active and colorful and eats a lot...overall a five star fish

+5points

6of 7voted this as helpful.

Review 18 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

5 / 5 24 reviews

CLOWN LOACHES ARE MY FAVORITE.

March 22, 2011

by LAMPEYETETRAMAN

fromLAMP EYE TETRA, WY

(click to see the video)

These are really cool fish. They are really playful, and love to chill out with red-tailed sharks/rainbow sharks. They will eat flake food, algae, and maybe some other stuff. Enjoy your fish!

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 19 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

4 / 5 24 reviews

Is a good fish

March 20, 2011

by BentleyN

fromLaurel, MD

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

This fish is a good fish to get. They like to hide a lot, but when they come out they are a cool looking fish. They like to eat "Bottom Feeding Shrimp Pellets". They are fast. They can do cool swimming tricks. I would get this fish. I have 1 of them, but I am going to get another one.

0points

0of 0voted this as helpful.

Review 20 for Clown Loach

Overall rating

1 / 5 24 reviews

Hideaway Fish

January 17, 2011

by Comment

fromGainesville, VA

After visiting the petstore numerous times and reading positive reviews, I was very excited to get my loaches. I followed all the guides on number (3 or more), balance (bottom feeder), 1 inch of full grown fish per gallon (36 'gallon' tank hit), other compatable fish, and hiding spots to make them happy/ more bold.

The only time we get excited about our loaches now, is when there is a "sighting." They school with our tiger barbs for a few minutes each morning around their first feeding time until they get food and disappear again. Even less of an appearance for the night feeding.

Bottom line - if you like to look at the fish you own, don't get any loaches - or if you do, don't give them hiding places they can disappear into completely. I constantly regret the 36 inches of 'wasted space.' When they are around, they are great, but it is too rare to matter. The tank is balanced and limited with fish they get along with as well.

-13points

2of 17voted this as helpful.

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