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clown loach plant damage?

3K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Mike Lazuka 
#1 ·
Hello,
I was wondering if it would be ok to add several clown loaches to my tank. I am concerned about them causing damage to my plants though. I keep sagitarria, java fern, anubias, and crypts. Ive read in a couple places that will leave marks on plants. Anybody keep these fish in their planted tanks without damage to the plants? Thanks for any help
 
#3 ·
I had clowns that ate all my "herbivore" proof plants...Java fern, Anubias barteri, A. nana, A. frazeri, swords (those annoying u-shaped holes)...even putting cucumber in the tank wouldn't stop them...they would finish the cucumber and then travel like a pack of wolves and tear apart all the other plants :angryfire
 
#4 ·
Hmmm. Apparently it depends on the loaches. My 3 don't bother anything. But all I've got in the tank at this point is some anubias and some very poor looking swords (before I found out the things require bright light and I've probably got barely enough for java moss!)

I will be very sad when they get too big for the 29 (right now they're about 1.5-2.0 each) and I have to find them a new home, as they are right characters.
 
#5 ·
the only plants in my tank that my clowns bother are Temple plants... both red and green ones, all of the lower leaves have the distinctive holes in them... I really like my clowns and guess I will just grin and bear it...
 
#6 ·
I've been wondering what in the world was making holes in my plants, especially in the Amazon swords!

So they could be the culprits... What are the U shaped holes like? any pictures?

At first I thought it was my pleco but he's been moved and still holes appearing on the leaves.
 
#7 ·
I dont' have a handly digicam like everyone else, but I can describe the u-shaped holes...they usually occur in the middle of the two halves of the sword plant leaves...repeated hole punches going up one side of the leaf and down the other side. Literally, they seem like a u-shaped hole punch.
 
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