Clown loaches are interesting-looking fish that are a common feature in many home aquariums. However, if you continue to offer the same foods on a daily basis, it won’t be long before the fish begin to the bore of these. This can cause problems with feeding especially in terms of how much the fish will eat. Imagine eating the same foods every day; you’d soon give up.
However, since the clown loach has a vast and varied diet in the wild, there are several excellent food products that you can give to your clown loaches to keep them happy and, most importantly, healthy.
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What Do Clown Loaches Eat In The Wild?
The clown loach may sometimes be referred to as the tiger botia owing to the orange body with definite black stripes. However, in any case, both names refer to the same species and when it comes to diet, this fish is anything but fussy.
The clown loach can be found in freshwater bodies around Sumatra and Borneo where it can be found mainly inland. Here, the fish will feast on a huge variety of foods which may include snails and crustaceans. They also enjoy regular meals of worms but since these fish are omnivores, they also eat a lot of decaying plant matter as well as good portions of algae.
What Are The Best Foods For Clown Loach Fish
One of the true joys of owning a clown loach is that these fish are incredibly interesting in terms of diet. If you want a species that will give you the opportunity to observe various feeding habits, you won’t go far wrong with these fish.
However, since their diet in the wild is so varied, it is essential for home aquarium keepers to be mindful of changing things up and giving the same level of variety. Not only is this important for keeping your fish happy and removing boredom but the varied diet will ensure that they always get the correct vitamins and minerals to help them thrive.
There are a huge range of options on the market, so let’s take a look at some of the best-premade products.
Tetra Shrimp Wafers
One of the best things about these shrimp wafers from Tetra is that they are completely diverse and will be loved by various fish in your tank, especially your clown loach. They are sinking, which is great since clown loaches prefer to feed closer to the bottom of the tank and are packed with everything your fish will need to thrive. Moreover, the high shrimp protein levels mean that your clown loaches will get a good energy boost.
The shrimp wafers are great for maintaining a good water quality. All too often, we see fish foods that cause the water to go cloudy and even throw off the balance. But these wafers keep the water clean and well-maintained; of course, you still don’t want to overfeed as this can cause problems.
Fluval Color Enhancing Pellets
Clown loaches are incredibly beautiful fish with very vibrant and distinct markings and this is one of the main reasons that so many people choose to keep them; to brighten up the aquarium. Of course, these colors will only remain so bright and vibrant if the fish is in the best health. In order to maintain the colors, the krill in these pellets from Fluval is essential. In the recipe, there are also a number of antioxidants, omega 3 fatty acids, and other important ingredients that are imperative to the health of your fish.
But much more than just keeping your clown loach looking amazing, the pellets have a lot of nutritional value. They are bursting with important vitamins and minerals including vitamin C. Moreover, they are brilliantly easy for your clown loach to eat thanks to their quick sinking formula.
Hikari Bio-Pure Daphnia
Daphnia forms a part of the diet of many freshwater fish and your clown loaches are no exception. It is possible to purchase them live but these freeze-dried daphnia offer much greater convenience and value for money.
They are incredibly easy to dispense into the tank thanks to the specially designed ratcheting top and will not affect the clarity or quality of the water.
Daphnia are great for smaller clown loaches or for offering to juveniles as the important proteins and vitamins in them will give your fish the boost they need to grow into large, healthy specimens. What’s more, due to their small size, the younger clown loaches will find them much easier to swallow compared to things like snails. If you start your juvenile clown loaches off on freeze-dried daphnia like these, they will continue to accept them into adulthood. However, clown loaches that have only ever been given live foods are unlikely to accept freeze-dried options later in life.
San Francisco Bay Freeze Dried Krill
Krill are excellent for clown loaches and should always form at least a small part of their diet as these are excellent for enhancing the color of your fish. Moreover, the clown loaches will really enjoy having this as a mealtime option.
There are several products out there where freeze-dried krill is concerned but we think these from San Francisco Bay are among the best. You get a decent-sized container and they are suitable for all types of aquatic life including clown loaches. As we have discussed, krill are great for color enhancing and this product is oozing with lots of important Omega 3 acids to aid in this. The food will also benefit the energy levels of the clown loaches.
Offering Live Food
Buying fish food online or in an aquatic store is a quick and convenient way to feed your clown loaches. However, if you want to give them a feeding experience that is much closer to what they would have in the wild, then giving live food is the only way to do this. Let’s take a look at your options.
Snails
In the wild, snails are one of the clown loaches’ favorite foods and so when keeping them in captivity, these molluscs should form a staple part of their diet. In fact, they are so notorious for their love of snails that many experts recommend keeping them in an aquarium purely to control the snail population. In addition, they aren’t fussy about the type of snails they eat; anything goes!
Even if you don’t have a problem with snail infestation in the tank then it is possible to create a separate tank as a way of breeding snails for your clown loaches. Your fish will certainly thank you for this.
Bloodworms
Clown loaches require a high amount of protein in order for them to grow and thrive. Bloodworms are an excellent source of this and if you throw a ball of bloodworms into your aquarium, your clown loach will go crazy for them. They are also incredibly easy to source from aquatic shops, bait shops and online.
However, if you prefer, you can purchase dried bloodworms, like these from Tetra which are packed with everything your clown loaches need. They are freeze dried, offering a clean and efficient way to feed your fish and if you have other species in your aquarium, they will also be suitable for them, saving you the hassle of having to purchase various different types of foods.
Mosquito Larvae
Mosquito larvae are a great diet staple for the clown loach, however, you must be careful about where you source them. A lot of people think that it is possible to head out into the wild and collect some larvae for their clown loaches. While you can, in theory, do this, there is a risk that the larvae will be contaminated and that is not what you want for your fish.
However, if you place a bucket of water in a safe location, it is possible to collect them yourself. It is essential to ensure that the placement of the bucket doesn’t allow for anything to get in and contaminate it. This is a great method of feeding if you live in an area where the mosquito population needs controlling. It may only be a small dent in the population but every little helps.
Feeding Vegetables To Clown Loach
We have stressed all the way through this guide that the clown loach is a versatile eater and this is perfectly demonstrated by the fact that these animals also love to have a choice of vegetables. Now, let’s be realistic, in the wild, the clown loach isn’t going to have easy access to things like peas and cucumbers. But in captivity, these are both viable options.
Pears offer a great way to keep your clown loaches’ digestive system working well. They are excellent for keeping the system moving and will prevent the fish from developing conditions such as constipation. Moreover, they will also help to avoid swim bladder issues as a result of things like constipation. You will need to make sure that you remove the shells and chop the peas up to make them easier to swallow.
Cucumber is another great option but again, it must be prepared correctly with the skin removed. While cucumbers do contain a lot of vitamins that are essential for the clown loach, you must keep in mind that they are made up almost entirely of water. For this reason, cucumber can be a culprit in making the tank dirty so be sure to only add a little at a time.
Broccoli is also something that you can offer to your clown loach and they are packed with minerals such as Vitamins K and C, as well as great levels of iron and calcium. However, much like other veggies, you must ensure that you prepare broccoli correctly. It should be boiled or steamed and chopped into small pieces that your clown loaches can swallow with ease.
Conclusion
In the wild, the clown loach lives in the inland freshwaters of Borneo and Sumatra. The fish have an incredibly versatile diet and will feed on everything from snails and small crustaceans to algae and rotting plant matter. When they are kept in captivity, it is important to provide these beautiful fish with a varied diet that will easily replicate what they would have eaten had they lived in the wild.
Pay special attention to mixing live foods and freeze-dried options as well as flakes and pellets to prevent your clown loaches from becoming bored. These intelligent animals will appreciate variety within their diet but of course, the most important thing is that they have all of the vital nutrients they need to help them grow and thrive.
