In the world of Fishkeeping, you need to ensure some things are taken care of more than others. Among the significant, compatibility amidst tank mates is of great importance. Furthermore, some species of aquarium creatures just cannot co-exist with each other, while some are more compatible with each other. So, what about the relation between Clown Loaches and Shrimps? Do Clown Loaches eat Shrimp? Are they not compatible with each other?
The general answer to this question is Yes. Clown Loaches do eat Shrimp and are not compatible with each other. Furthermore, they are well known to prey on snails, worms, and crustaceans. In the same manner, unavailability of requirements like sufficient hideout shelters and enough food can cause the Clown Loaches to definitely prey on Shrimps.
Stick around, as in this article I will be discussing in-depth some facts and information I have collected about this subject matter for your convenience.
| Image | Types of equipment | Link |
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Aquatic Fundamentals 75-90 Gallon Aquarium Stand with Storage, Double Door Front Access, Black 36751-01-AMA |  |
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SC Aquariums 150 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium 60x24x24 12mm Eurobraced with Built-in Overflow Box | |
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SAN FRANCISCO BAY Brand Freeze Dried Bloodworms 1.75oz |  |
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Uncle Jim’s Worm Farm 500 Count Red Wiggler Live Composting Worms | |
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Ocean Nutrition Instant Baby Brine Shrimp 0.7-Ounces (20 Grams) JarBrine shrimp | |
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Live Aquarium Plants – Java Moss Stone pad (3 Pack) | |
Overview Of Clown Loach
Clown Loach or Tiger Botia is a freshwater fish, that belongs to the Botiid Loach family and is native to the island of Borneo and Sumatra. In general, Clown Loaches are peaceful shoaling fish and are usually friendly to their fellow tank mates.
Furthermore, clown loaches can grow up to 12 inches, but in their juvenile state, they are between 2 to 3 inches in length. Due to this, for a small group of 5 loaches, a 75-gallon tank is necessary if they are juvenile, while for the adults a 150-gallon tank is recommended.
I would recommend SC Aquariums 150 Gallon Starfire Glass Aquarium as the tank glass is 12 mm thick with dimensions 60x24x24 and has a built-in overflow box; both strong build and easy to clean up.
Moreover, Clown loaches need water temperatures around 77 to 86 °F, a pH between 5.0 and 8.0, while their water hardness should be between 5 and 12 dKH. As for food, Clown Loaches appreciate frozen foods like blood worms, earthworms, small shrimps. They will also eat the leftover food of other fish.
If you are more interested in more Loach species, then you might also want to check my article on Kuhli Loach Care: Tank Size, Tank Mates, Lifespan, Breeding, and More.
Overview of Shrimp
Shrimps are quite popular among the fish parents in the fishkeeping world as algae eaters. You will find various types of shrimps for the aquarium from the Red Cherry shrimps to the Amano shrimps.
The requirements of the shrimp differ from species to species, but the level of nitrite and ammonia should always be undetectable, whereas the nitrate levels should be below 10ppm. The Amano, Ghost, Red Cherry, and Bamboo shrimps are very adaptable to the different pH levels, while the Crystal and Bee shrimps require higher alkalinity and pH levels. Here is how you can increase the pH level.
On the contrary, the Caridina shrimps and Sulawesi shrimps need a high level of pH and alkalinity. So, make sure you maintain the hardness of your aquarium water. You will need to keep a good filtration level and a weekly change of at least 10% to 20% of water is well recommended.
I recommend keeping the shrimps with smaller fish or the fish that having mouths smaller than that of the shrimp’s body for their safety. But, with a sufficient love water plantation, you should be able to keep Shrimps with bigger fish.
Also Read:
- Can Shrimp Live In Cold Water?
- Algae in Fish Tank: Type, Cause and Control
- What is Ammonia Poisoning in Fish Tank And How to Get Rid of It?
Do Clown Loaches Eat Shrimp?
In reality, Shrimps can easily be eaten by most of the fish, as long as the shrimp are exposed openly, or as long as they can easily fit into the fish’s mouth. In the case of the Clown Loaches, they can easily rip the Shrimps from the shells and eat them, similar to the way they eat the snails.
Surprisingly, even though, Clown Loaches are known to eat Shrimps, both of them can be kept in the same aquarium. Furthermore, you should also carefully consider the number of Clown loaches because even the small Clown loaches can gang up on a shrimp.
Hence, if you want your Clown Loaches and Shrimps to co-exist in your aquarium, then some suggestions will help increase the possibility of their coexistence. I will be mentioning and describing these useful suggestions in the segments below. So, stay tuned.
In addition, you can check out my article on Snails And Shrimps: Can Snails Live with Shrimps? This will help you understand the compatibility of both the snails and the shrimps.
How To Keep Shrimp And Clown Loaches Together?
Up to this part of the article, I hope you are clear about Clown Loaches eating Shrimps. So, without further ado, let me talk about the possibility and some methods of keeping Clown Loaches and Shrimps in the same aquarium.
The following are methods to prevent the Shrimp from being eaten by Clown Loaches:
Abundance of Plantation
Having an abundance of live plants in the aquarium having shrimps and other fishes will help ensure the safety of your Shrimps. Like in their natural habitat, the plants will provide the shrimp enough hiding places to thrive inside the aquarium as well. In addition, the growth of algae in these plants will further provide food for the shrimps.
I recommend using moss plants and in particular Java moss. Java moss is an absolute favorite among the shrimp breeders. You will not have to take special care of these plants to grow. In addition, Java moss has a dense structure which will be an ideal space for shrimps to mate and hide from predators.
Increment of Shrimp Population
Increasing the sheer number of shrimps by providing the needed environment and condition will help to continue their survival. Well, if you install plants and are able to create a little jungle inside your tank, then you will probably see a boom in the shrimp population.
Now, it is very natural for larger fish to eat small creatures. So, even if your Clown Loaches snack on a few shrimps, due to a large number of shrimps along with the accessibility of safe shelter your tank will still have enough shrimps.
I have also written an article about Breeding Red Cherry Shrimp. Check it out!
Feeding Enough Food
Clown loaches can be seen digging the substrate or curiously investigating every nook and cranny in the tank. Well, they are actually searching for any snack they can devour like snails, worms, crustaceans. And yes, shrimps too. This action of Clown Loaches can also be seen as a part of their predatory behavior.
A simple solution to prevent this predation can be keeping your Clown Loach well fed. Yes, you heard that right! Simply providing enough food to your fish can drastically reduce the chances of them preying on any creatures including your shrimps.
Similarly, it might be best to check out my article on Obesity in Aquarium Fish: Are You Overfeeding Your Fish? It will help you to avoid and know about overfeeding a fish.
Larger Tank
Well, the bigger space means the more chances of survival for the Shrimps. A larger tank consisting of thick walls of live plants drastically increases the Shrimp’s chances of survival.
What Are The Best Foods Suitable For Clown Loaches?
To keep your, Clown Loach, well-fed I have collected a list of the best fish food for them. I have further classified the foods based on their nature for your convenience.
Frozen Food
I recommend the following frozen foods for Clown Loaches:
- Blackworms: Aquatic Foods Inc. Blackworms, Loose Freeze Dried California Blackworm 10gram
- Blood worms: SAN FRANCISCO BAY Brand Freeze Dried Bloodworms 1.75oz
- Brine shrimp: Ocean Nutrition Instant Baby Brine Shrimp 0.7-Ounces (20 Grams) JarBrine shrimp
- Hikari Sinking Wafers: Hikari Tropical Sinking Wafers for Catfish, Loaches and Bottom Feeders 3.88 Ounces [2-Pack]
Vegetables Or Vegetable Based Food
Your Clown Loaches will much appreciate occasional vegetables in their diet. The following are the vegetable and vegetable-based foods you should feed the loaches:
- Blanched Peas
- Shelled Peas
- Zucchini medallions
- Herbivore flakes: Omega One Veggie Mini Pellets Slow Sinking Fish Food 3.5oz
- Spirulina pellets: Pellets, 40% Spirulina 1/8″ Floating Koi & Pond Food, Africans, Cichlids, All Tropicals.1-lb
Live Foods
You can always feed them small snail intentionally if you want to feed them some live food. Clown Loaches along with other Loaches love to search and dig around looking to snack on snails. In addition, earthworms are also suitable live food for Clown Loaches.
What Are The Suitable Tankmates For Shrimps?
If you want to keep shrimps along with other fish, then I suggest you add the tank mates compatible only with shrimps in the tank. The following are the suitable tankmates for the shrimps:
Celestial Pearl Danio
The Celestial Pearl Danio, also known as Galaxy Rasbora is a tiny fish species that can be easily kept with the Shrimps.
These fish are very peaceful and due to the shy nature of the Shrimps, both will complement each other. In the juvenile stage of the shrimps, the Celestial Pearl Danio can be a threat to them, but a fully grown shrimp will rarely face any threat from them.
You might also be interested in Danio Fish: Types, Behavior, and Care Routine.
Guppies
Guppies and Shrimps can be kept well together. But, you should be able to ensure your Guppies are well fed. In case of your inability to provide them the sufficient food, the guppies can try to harm the shrimp.
Similarly, in case of unavailability of sufficient food to Guppies, they will eat even the leftover foods, which are one of the main food sources for the shrimps. Hence, resulting in a decrement in their population.
Moreover, you might also be interested in the next articles:
Endler’s Livebearers
Endlers Livebearers peaceful schooling fish that do not harm or bother their fellow tankmates including fish and small critters like shrimps. But, you may get to see some occasional disappearance of young shrimps.
However, with sufficient covers and plants to hide in your shrimps will thrive in the tank containing the Endler’s Livebearers.
Ember Tetras
Ember Tetras are the freshwater tiny fish that make great tankmates for the shrimps. Due to their small stature, these tetras can not eat shrimps excluding the small shrimps because Embers will enjoy snacking on small young shrimps.
Well, you can not have your aquarium overloading with only the shrimps, can you? Due to this, the occasional missing of baby shrimps can be considered as population control.
You might also be interested in Tetra Fish Care | Types of Tetra Fish.
Pygmy Corydoras
Pygmy Corydoras are also among the fish that are compatible with the shrimps. They are also omnivores in nature but despite that, they would prefer to eat the dead shrimps rather than the ones that are alive.
But still, Pygmy Corydoras are such a joy to look at, as they are adorable and very fun to watch. In addition, you will not need a big spacious tank as they can fit in a small one very well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Clown Loaches Eat Guppies?
Normally, Clown Loaches do not eat other fish. But, if they lack enough food nutrients, then they will tend to prey on the smaller fish like Guppies. Furthermore, they will also prey on smaller fish when the tank conditions are inadequate like inadequacy of the water temperature and ammonia levels.
Will Clown Loaches Eat Ghost Shrimps?
Yes, Loaches and Ghost shrimps or any other shrimps just do not mix well with each other. Not only the adult Clown Loaches but even the very young Loaches of 1 and a half inches will devour the Ghost shrimp by ganging upon them. Well, Loaches just simply rip the shrimp out of its shell and eat them, similar to how they eat the snails.
Conclusion
Usually, Clown Loaches are peaceful and curious fish that do not harm other tankmates. But, they are omnivores so clown loaches tend to eat snails and small aquatic critters like snails and shrimps. So, it is probably not recommended to keep shrimps and Clown Loaches in the same tank.
But again, it is not completely impossible to keep them together. Ensuring the proper requirements and following the suggestion provided in this article, you can successfully keep both of the Clown Loaches and Shrimp together in the same aquarium tank.
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