# clown loach tank lighting



## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

Just wondering what Kelvin lighting would be sufficient for clown loaches?

Mine are mainly active in the dark. But that makes it very hard to see any of them..
So im wondering what lighting would be best.
Would a light that emits blue work?


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## lar (Apr 21, 2010)

Mine hide whenever the light is on. no matter it is blue or purple. my 2cents.


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## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

i read that if theres enough hiding spots, that'd actually make them come out of hiding more??? Well, ive got lots of hiding spots, and all they do is hide.
they shoal still, but just not in the open. plus theyre in a fairly large group of 10. They eat lots when i feed them. Just wished that theyd come out of hiding more and explored.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

if you have nocturnal fish take yourself to walmart auto section , go to the fast and furious aisle and find some hi intensity 12v red led lighting , go home find and old cell phone charger or some plug off of something, i have used shaw digital cable box plug ins before , wire it up to a switch and at night turn on your red led lighting and your nocturnal fishies will be out and about , something about the red lighting doesnt bother nocturnal fish at night and tey swim all over the place as they would if yuou had no lights on.... problem solved

works for catfish , and black ghost knife fish so i imagine it would work for anything that is a night time fishy
good luck


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

macframalama said:


> if you have nocturnal fish take yourself to walmart auto section , go to the fast and furious aisle and find some hi intensity 12v red led lighting , go home find and old cell phone charger or some plug off of something, i have used shaw digital cable box plug ins before , wire it up to a switch and at night turn on your red led lighting and your nocturnal fishies will be out and about , something about the red lighting doesnt bother nocturnal fish at night and tey swim all over the place as they would if yuou had no lights on.... problem solved
> 
> works for catfish , and black ghost knife fish so i imagine it would work for anything that is a night time fishy
> good luck


Yes, nocturnal, ours in the 1500 are always out swimming around but tank is dimly lit in relation to the volume. They will become more brave with time but dimmer bulbs better, more color enhancing with not as much full spectrum. If these are in the AN 1208 you could cut back on the amount of lighting as the lights have individual switches.


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## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

Rastapus said:


> Yes, nocturnal, ours in the 1500 are always out swimming around but tank is dimly lit in relation to the volume. They will become more brave with time but dimmer bulbs better, more color enhancing with not as much full spectrum. If these are in the AN 1208 you could cut back on the amount of lighting as the lights have individual switches.


Yes, im only using one of the tube lights at the moment but even then it seems to bright for them.


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

try our LED freshwater bright with only the moon light on. Even our plecos will not might the light and venture out. Loaches reacts the same.


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## macframalama (Apr 17, 2012)

my only beef with those moon lights is there not red. alot of nocturnal fish act as if it isnt even on even if the tank is *RED* I think it has to do with the colour, none the less I dont even have the red lights on my tank i have some blue moon lights but i liked my red ones i had with my big ghost knife

and the DIY version costs like $30 and it is pretty easy to do, if you have basic wiring knowledge and some electrical tape you can make it as fancy as you wanna
but if your a *baller on a budget* lol like me then even the smallest break in cost is huge...


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## Smallermouse (Jan 28, 2012)

My loaches come out when the lights are on/off. Only time they hide is when the see me but if I sit or stand every still infront of the fishtank for 5mins, they come out and explore together. My plecos dunt care about anything.


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## Elle (Oct 25, 2010)

We use a blue moonlight LED, but ours are out all the time even with the regular light on. Sometimes it just takes them a while to get comfortable coming out. How long have you had yours, and how big are they? They juvies tend to be more skittish.

We've got 16-17 (they're too fast to count) in a heavily planted tank, and they come out all the time, no matter if the lights are on or off. If something spooks them, they shoot back into their caves, but they'll feed from my hands or Djamm's now. However, they still hide if a somebody new comes into the room.


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