Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)
Hi,
John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.
I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.
With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.
I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.
If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.
I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.
I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.
Thank you
Darragh Sherwin
Clown Loach . . . where are they?
- smitas5 (Marius Smitas)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 319
- Thank you received: 12
They are not really in the tank. Nice fish and all, looks fun and sometimes shows a lot of character, but I only see them when I feed them..
Is there anything wrong with my water?
ammonia at 0
nitrites at 0
nitrates at 10
Ph at 7.2
temp at 28 C
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- stretnik (stretnik)
-
- Visitor
-
Kev.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- smitas5 (Marius Smitas)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 319
- Thank you received: 12

Please Log in to join the conversation.
- mossy (gavin blanchfield)
-
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 629
- Thank you received: 26
my fav fish that own my tank (group of 38)
ph is a bit high 6.5-7 is best
enjoy these fantastic fish
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- PhoenixUK (Stephen Gill)
- Offline
- New Member
-
- Posts: 5
- Thank you received: 1

Clown Loaches are named so because:
a) The striped markings, which tend to get fish labeled "Clown XXX"
b) They have a knack for "Entertaining" aquarium owners by hiding, playing dead, and imitating various issues (swimming upside down, at odd angles etc...)
Basically clown loaches never let you relax, they are always up to something. I have two in my BiOrb and they spend a good portion of the day in a cave I installed. When they do come out they are all over the place searching for food, and go everywhere together thick as thieves. I initially had one, but it sulked and found it's way inside a decoraction and got stuck, I had to push him out using water pressure !!SCIENCE!! (he's fine btw).
They like to imitate other fish behaviour after a while, so mine have recently started spending more time out of the cave trying to school with the Bala Shark, confusing it royally.
In Summary! Clown Loaches are fish that will constantly confuse you and quite possibly drive you to dismantling your tank to make sure they are actually still alive/healthy/in the tank.
I've done it... twice.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- mickdeja (Mick Whelan)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1142
- Thank you received: 36

Follow me up to Carlow
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- stretnik (stretnik)
-
- Visitor
-
VIDEO GAV !!! Please...
Kev.
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- mossy (gavin blanchfield)
-
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 629
- Thank you received: 26
hes the video legend
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- smitas5 (Marius Smitas)
-
Topic Author
- Offline
- Senior Member
-
- Posts: 319
- Thank you received: 12
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- Fishowner (Gavin fishowner)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 2030
- Thank you received: 102
www.irishfishkeepers.com/index.php/fforu...e-when-they-do-this-
I saved this as one of my favourites a while,always bring a smile to the face.
Gavin
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- mickdeja (Mick Whelan)
-
- Offline
- Platinum Member
-
- Posts: 1142
- Thank you received: 36

Follow me up to Carlow
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- PhoenixUK (Stephen Gill)
- Offline
- New Member
-
- Posts: 5
- Thank you received: 1
However, they have also recently started a new trick, something i've not been able to find information on anywhere.
I have sand substrate in the tank, and some heavier gravel bits from another tank, in various colours.
The clowns have started digging out the coloured pebbles, and moving them into the play corner (where they do the whole elevator dance).
At first I thought maybe it was just my imagination, but they have quite a little collection going on now, and every morning they seem to have added a couple more stones.
Any ideas what on earth is going on?
Please Log in to join the conversation.
- mossy (gavin blanchfield)
-
- Offline
- Premium Member
-
- Posts: 629
- Thank you received: 26
they are only messing around
my biggest loach keeps doing circles around the glass cleaner stuck on my tank
any time i clean the glass i have to move it back to the same spot for him
Please Log in to join the conversation.